The effect of specific music instrumentation on anxiety reduction in university music students: A feasibility study

Preventing fear return in humans: Music-based intervention during reactivation-extinction paradigm

In several research studies, the reactivation extinction paradigm did not effectively prevent the return of fear if administered without any intervention technique. Therefore, in this study, the authors hypothesized that playing music (high valence, low arousal) during the reconsolidation window may be a viable intervention technique for eliminating fear-related responses. A three-day auditory differential fear conditioning paradigm was used to establish fear conditioning. Participants were randomly assigned into three groups, i.e., one control group, standard extinction (SE), and two experimental groups, reactivation extinction Group (RE) and music reactivation extinction (MRE), of twenty participants in each group. Day 1 included the habituation and fear acquisition phases; on Day 2 (after 24 hours), the intervention was conducted, and re-extinction took place on Day 3. Skin conductance responses were used as the primary outcome measure. Results indicated that the MRE group was more effective in reducing fear response than the RE and SE groups in the re-extinction phase. Furthermore, there was no significant difference observed between SE and RE groups. This is the first study known to demonstrate the effectiveness of music intervention in preventing the return of fear in a healthy individual. Therefore, it might also be employed as an intervention strategy (non-pharmacological approach) for military veterans, in emotion regulation, those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and those suffering from specific phobias.

Analysis of the Effect of Music Therapy Interventions on College Students with Excessive Anxiety

In order to explore and analyze the effect of music therapy interventions on college students with excessive anxiety, this paper selected 240 year 2017- to year 2020-enrolled undergraduates from a comprehensive university in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, in Central China as research objects. These college students had been diagnosed as excessive anxiety and were randomly divided into two groups-intervention group and control group-with 120 students in each group. The control group received conventional mental health treatment for college students, while the intervention group received music therapy interventions on this basis with 3 times a week for 24 times. The instruments used in the music therapy include piano, percussion instruments, melodic instruments, and diffuse instruments; the specific implementation of each therapy is divided into five parts: warm-up, rhythm percussion, song singing, instrumental ensemble, and music appreciation. The study results show that before treatment, the excessive anxiety score of college student in the control group was 63-76 with an average score of 72.58 ± 5.27; after treatment, that was 45-64 with an average score of 54.46 ± 6.82; before treatment, the excessive anxiety score of college student in the intervention group was 62-78 with an average score of 72.56 ± 5.51; after treatment, that was 26-44 with an average score of 33.19 ± 5.51. Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the excessive anxiety scores between the two groups of college students (P > 0.05); after treatment, the excessive anxiety scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment, and the reduction degrees in the intervention group were bigger than those in the control group, with statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). Therefore, music therapy interventions can significantly reduce the excessive anxiety of college students; the analysis also shows that factors such as gender, grade, major, origin, repertoire type, therapy type, and anxiety type could affect the effect of music therapy interventions to some certain extent. For example, the effect of music therapy interventions on college students in psychology or related majors is better than that of students in other majors; the effect of receptive music therapy is better than that of creative and improvised music therapy; the effect of music therapy interventions on college students' life event, romantic relationship, and social anxiety is better than that on college students' test and job-hunting anxiety.

The effect of different genres of music and silence on relaxation and anxiety: A randomized controlled trial

High stress and anxiety in healthy individuals may lead to use different pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. The study aimed to investigate the effect of different genres of music on anxiety and relaxation in healthy participants. This study was a randomized controlled trial with a cross-over design. Forty-six healthy undergraduates participated in the study and randomly received different genres of music (Pop, Rock, Western Classical, and Persian Traditional) and silence for five consecutive days between February and June 2018. Each participant was her/his own control. Relaxation and the State Anxiety were checked with Smith Relaxation States Inventory 3 and The State Anxiety Inventory before and after listening to 15 min of music or laying down in silence. None of the five procedures were preferred for a more relaxing effect (P > 0.05). Also, none of the interventions were preferred for reduction of the state anxiety (P > 0.05). Although different genres of music, i.e., Pop, Rock, Western Classical, Persian Traditional, could reduce state anxiety and improve relaxation, they had no extra effect compared to Silence.

A Knowledge Framework for the Philosophical Underpinnings of Research: Implications for Music Therapy

Current music therapy studies suggest great diversity and complexity in research approaches. Authors note the importance of increased clarity in many facets of research reporting. Some authors have also encouraged increased understanding and reporting of the philosophical underpinnings of knowledge generation in research. However, like other social science fields, we appear to have struggled to provide clear frameworks that can address such diverse and complex approaches to research. In this article, I offer one way to resolve such struggles by presenting a re-envisioned version of Michael Crotty's knowledge framework. I seek to meet this purpose through the following objectives: (a) discuss philosophy and its role in research; (b) detail challenges related to understanding and reporting epistemological underpinnings; and (c) present a modified version of Crotty's knowledge framework to promote understanding and reporting, including visuals, brief examples, and resources. I also re-envision the framework to address potential challenges to typologies and to maintain the spirit of Michael Crotty's work. Modifications promote the dynamic and interactive relationship between and within epistemological positions, theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and methods, while also integrating surrounding factors: research question, researcher, context, and participant. I dialogue with related literature on knowledge generation, show how some recent music therapy research engages with the knowledge framework, discuss methodologies and approaches that may not align with the knowledge framework, offer resources for further reference and learning, and describe implications for researchers, research consumers, and the ongoing body of knowledge.

A Pilot Study Exploring the Use of an Online Pre-Composed Receptive Music Experience for Students Coping with Stress and Anxiety

College/university students face many stressors as they balance their studies, work, personal relationships, and personal/family expectations. Music therapy students have additional stressors related to academic, musical, and clinical development. College/university students have increased mental health needs compared to previous generations, with volume impacting institutions. The objective of this study was to investigate the use of an online receptive music experience for music therapy students' stress and anxiety levels, and also to examine if a particular musical element was perceived as more beneficial in decreasing stress and anxiety. Twenty-three participants (undergraduate and graduate-equivalency music therapy students) engaged in a study offered online. Measures included the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Stress Overload Scale (SOS), and a post-experience survey about musical element effectiveness. Results indicated that the receptive music experience elicited a significant decrease in students' stress and anxiety levels. A subscale analysis of the SOS indicated that participants had a significant decrease in personal vulnerability, and an overall decrease in event load, though this decrease was not significant. Participants' reflections about the musical elements indicated that melody was most effective and instrumentation was least effective, with groups of elements also indicated. Pilot study results support further research investigating the use of an online receptive music experience for students, professionals, and music therapy clients as a way to manage acute stress.