Music therapy for severe mental illnesses in an emergency setting: a preliminary report

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of music therapy (MT) on clinical and psychosocial functioning indices of patients with severe mental disorders, hospitalized for short periods. Fifty four female consecutive patients suffering from severe mental disorders, who had at least one hospitalization and a low psychosocial functioning in the preceding 12 months, underwent a structured programme of MT, consisting of at least three 60-minute sessions per week. Patients who refused to participate or did not attend at least 3 music therapy sessions were evaluated as a control group (N=20). The two subgroups were comparable for diagnoses, type of medication, age, education, age of onset and duration of illness. The evaluation of general psychopathology revealed that the “anxiety/depression” factor improved more in the MT group (F=5.99; p<0.001) and MT also had a positive impact on anxiety ratings (F=4.90; p<0.03), with respect to the control group. Finally, all patients who underwent the MT programme reported that they felt more relaxed after the session (F=49.1; p<0.00005). These preliminary results are in line with previous evidence concerning the positive effect that MT programs might exert on anxiety and tension in patients with severe mental disorders, even during short-term hospitalization for relapse.