"Efficacy and Acceptability of Music Therapy for Post-traumatic Stress " by Yi-Ming Ma, Meng-Di Yuan et al.
 

Efficacy and Acceptability of Music Therapy for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Journal

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

Year

2024

Abstract

Background: Music therapy is increasingly examined in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and shows potential in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis critically evaluates the current clinical evidence supporting the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy for PTSD.Method: RCTs comparing music therapy in addition to care as usual (CAU) versus either CAU alone or CAU combined with standard psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy for PTSD were retrieved from major English - and Chinese-language databases. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) for post-treatment PTSD symptom scores and risk differences (RDs) for retention rates upon treatment completion were calculated to assess the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy, respectively. The Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool 2.0 and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) were used to assess the RoB of included studies and certainty of the evidence, respectively.Results: Nine studies, incorporating 527 PTSD patients, were included, all with high RoB. The post-treatment PTSD symptom scores were significantly lower in the music therapy group than the inactive control group (SMD = -1.64, P < .001), but comparable between the music therapy group and the active control group (SMD = -0.28, P = .330). The retention rates did not differ significantly between the music therapy group and both control groups (RD = 0.03, P = .769; RD = 0.16, P = .829). The GRADE rated certainty level of evidence as low.Conclusions: Although meta-analytic findings suggest that music therapy is effective in reducing post-traumatic symptoms in individuals with PTSD, with its therapeutic effect comparable to that of standard psychotherapy, the low level of certainty limits its generalizability. More methodologically stringent studies are warranted to strengthen the clinical evidence for the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy for PTSD.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Mental Health; Trauma; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); Self-Concept; Observational Measures; Subjective Measures

Indexed Terms

Post-traumatic stress disorder; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Trastorno de estrés postraumático; acceptability; aceptabilidad; efficacy; eficacia; meta-analysis; meta-análisis; musicoterapia; 创伤后应激障碍; 可接受性; 疗效; 荟萃分析; 音乐疗法

Study Type

Systematic Review

PubMed ID

PMID: 38647566 PMCID: PMC11036901

Document Type

Article

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