A recent review appearing in The Cochrane Library looked at five studies on music therapy and found that, though it shouldn’t be viewed as a stand-alone solution, music therapy may help ease depression.Three of the studies examined adults age 60 and older, one study adults between age 21 and 65, and one adolescents between 14 and 15. Four of the studies found that music therapy reduced the symptoms of depression. The fifth study found that it made no difference. However, the fifth study did not use a theory-based therapeutic technique. Lead author Anna Maratos said, “In the four studies where there was an impact, there was a very coherent theoretical framework, a very coherent explanation of what went on in the session and obvious reasons why the therapists were there. In the study that showed no effect, there didn’t seem to be any theoretical underpinning to the intervention. We have no idea why the therapist was there, really.”

“Music therapy” was defined as an intervention designed to improve health status that included musical interaction between therapist and patient within a structured theoretical framework and in which outcomes were born of music, talk inspired by music or therapeutic relationships.

Though no conclusive link was found between music therapy and an improvement in symptoms of depression, the positive correlation warrants a closer look. “It does make me wonder: What is standardized treatment [in music therapy]? There’s really a whole avenue of research that should be done,” said Shara Sand, Psy.D., clinical assistant professor of psychology at Yeshiva University.

Source: Health Behavior News Service