Resource-oriented Music Therapy for Psychiatric Patients With Low Therapy Motivation

Resource-oriented Music Therapy for Psychiatric Patients With Low Therapy Motivation: A Randomised Controlled Trial

The Research Council of Norway, Helse Vest, Helse Forde, Nordfjord Psychiatric Centre, Helse Stavanger HF, Jæren District Psychiatric Centre, The Wagner-Jauregg Provincial Neuropsychiatric Clinic, University of Melbourne

The aim of this study is to examine whether resource-oriented music therapy helps psychiatric patients with low therapy motivation to improve negative symptoms and other health-related outcomes.

Background: Previous research has shown positive effects of music therapy for people with schizophrenia and other mental disorders. In clinical practice, music therapy is often offered to psychiatric patients with low therapy motivation, but little research exists about this population. The aim of this study is to examine whether resource-oriented music therapy helps psychiatric patients with low therapy motivation to improve negative symptoms and other health-related outcomes. An additional aim of the study is to examine the mechanisms of change through music therapy. Method: 144 adults with a non-organic mental disorder (ICD-10: F1 to F6) who have low therapy motivation and a willingness to work with music will be randomly assigned to an experimental or a control condition. All participants will receive standard care, and the experimental group will in addition be offered biweekly sessions of music therapy over a period of three months. Outcomes will be measured by a blind assessor before and 1, 3, and 9 months after randomisation. Discussion: The findings to be expected from this study will fill an important gap in the knowledge of treatment effects for a patient group that does not easily benefit from treatment. The study's close link to clinical practice, as well as its size and comprehensiveness, will make its results well generalisable to clinical practice.

Mental Disorders, Mood Disorders, Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia and Disorders With Psychotic Features

Inclusion Criteria: Non-organic mental disorder Low therapy motivation Willingness to work with music Exclusion Criteria: Severe mental retardation Life-threatening somatic illness

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Gold C, Mossler K, Grocke D, Heldal TO, Tjemsland L, Aarre T, Aaro LE, Rittmannsberger H, Stige B, Assmus J, Rolvsjord R. Individual music therapy for mental health care clients with low therapy motivation: multicentre randomised controlled trial. Psychother Psychosom. 2013;82(5):319-31. doi: 10.1159/000348452. Epub 2013 Aug 9.