Effects of Group Drumming Interventions on Anxiety, Depression, Social Resilience and Inflammatory Immune Response Among Mental Health Service Users

Journal

PLoS ONE

Year

2016

Abstract

Growing numbers of mental health organizations are developing community music-making interventions for service users; however, to date there has been little research into their efficacy or mechanisms of effect. This study was an exploratory examination of whether 10 weeks of group drumming could improve depression, anxiety and social resilience among service users compared with a non-music control group (with participants allocated to group by geographical location.) Significant improvements were found in the drumming group but not the control group: by week 6 there were decreases in depression (-2.14 SE 0.50 CI -3.16 to -1.11) and increases in social resilience (7.69 SE 2.00 CI 3.60 to 11.78), and by week 10 these had further improved (depression: -3.41 SE 0.62 CI -4.68 to -2.15; social resilience: 10.59 SE 1.78 CI 6.94 to 14.24) alongside significant improvements in anxiety (-2.21 SE 0.50 CI -3.24 to -1.19) and mental wellbeing (6.14 SE 0.92 CI 4.25 to 8.04). All significant changes were maintained at 3 months follow-up. Furthermore, it is now recognised that many mental health conditions are characterised by underlying inflammatory immune responses. Consequently, participants in the drumming group also provided saliva samples to test for cortisol and the cytokines interleukin (IL) 4, IL6, IL17, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF?), and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP) 1. Across the 10 weeks there was a shift away from a pro-inflammatory towards an anti-inflammatory immune profile. Consequently, this study demonstrates the psychological benefits of group drumming and also suggests underlying biological effects, supporting its therapeutic potential for mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Music and Health Institute Terms

Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Mental Health; Mental Health Hormone Levels; Mood; Music Medicine; Playing an Instrument; Psychological Outcomes; Quality of Life; Recreative Music Methods; Self-Report Measures; Wellness and We

Indexed Terms

group drumming interventions; anxiety; depression; social resilience; inflammatory immune response; mental health service users; Elderly; Cytokines; Follow-Up Studies; Inflammation; Time Factors; Mental Health; Mental Health Services; Resilience (Psychological); Immunoreactivity; Major Depression

Study Type

Quantitative Methods; Quasi-Experimental Study

PubMed ID

26974430

Document Type

Article

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