-
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2023Mental wellness can be related to healthier living, the learning process and working environments for people in the university community. A wide range of mental wellness...
Mental wellness can be related to healthier living, the learning process and working environments for people in the university community. A wide range of mental wellness programmes have been explored to provide students with pleasant and satisfying experiences. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of integrating Zen meditation and music listening on the mindfulness and happiness levels of university music therapy students. A qualitative methodology was used, and data were collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews. To investigate various aspects of data regarding the role of the meditation and music (MM) programme for mindfulness and happiness, this study used thematic analysis within a qualitative research design. The findings of this study suggest that the 8-week Mindfulness Meditation (MM) programme is a potential approach for enhancing mindfulness, happiness and stress management. These results carry broader implications, particularly in terms of supporting mental health resources in higher education. Furthermore, the study contributes to the ongoing discussion regarding the positive impact of combining meditation and music to promote mental well-being. This integrated approach has the potential to strengthen coping strategies and further promote the integration of music and meditation practices in various contexts, including higher education.
Topics: Humans; Meditation; Happiness; Music; Mindfulness; Emotions
PubMed: 38063569
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237140 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023The embodied mind in motion is a concept in which health and well-being, prevention and therapy, as well as lifestyle and habits meet. The mind changes profoundly in the... (Review)
Review
The embodied mind in motion is a concept in which health and well-being, prevention and therapy, as well as lifestyle and habits meet. The mind changes profoundly in the course of dementias, affecting daily living and resulting in reduced quality of life. Interdisciplinary approaches are required for a holistic understanding of how the mind is affected by dementia. We here explore what such a holistic theory of dementia might look like and propose the idea of "embodied mind in motion". The paradigm is biopsychosocial or biocultural, the theoretical anchor point is the lifeworld, and the guiding concept is "embodiment," as body and mind are constantly in motion. Physical activity is, hence, central for the experience of health and well-being, beyond being "exercise" and "health behavior". We discuss the embodied mind in motion referring to phenomenology, enactivism and (philosophical) anthropology. In our view, habits are embodied long-term memories and a philosophical equivalent to lifestyle. They unfold the meaningfulness of moving the body, complementing the objectifiable benefits of physical exercise. Empirical studies on "holistic activities" like hiking, yoga, music and dance illustrate improved integration into everyday life. Their meaningfulness enhances compliance and increases the preventive and even therapeutic potential. A crucial factor for this is the emotional dimension of lifestyle, exemplified by the virally popularized performance of "Swan Lake" by wheel-chair bound ex-ballerina Marta Cinta González Saldaña, suffering from Alzheimer's disease. A number of epistemological and ontological consequences anchor "embodied movement" as a valuable principle for dementia research.
PubMed: 37663337
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1174424 -
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2023A growing body of research has investigated how performing arts training, and more specifically, music training, impacts the brain. Recent meta-analytic work has...
INTRODUCTION
A growing body of research has investigated how performing arts training, and more specifically, music training, impacts the brain. Recent meta-analytic work has identified multiple brain areas where activity varies as a function of levels of musical expertise gained through music training. However, research has also shown that musical sophistication may be high even without music training. Thus, we aim to extend previous work by investigating whether the functional connectivity of these areas relates to interindividual differences in musical sophistication, and to characterize differences in connectivity attributed to performing arts training.
METHODS
We analyzed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging from = 74 participants, of whom 37 received performing arts training, that is, including a musical instrument, singing, and/or acting, at university level. We used a validated, continuous measure of musical sophistication to further characterize our sample. Following standard pre-processing, fifteen brain areas were identified based on meta-analytic work and used as seeds in separate seed-to-voxel analyses to examine the effect of musical sophistication across the sample, and between-group analyses to examine the effects of performing arts training.
RESULTS
Connectivity of bilateral superior temporal gyrus, bilateral precentral gyrus and cerebellum, and bilateral putamen, left insula, and left thalamus varied with different aspects of musical sophistication. By including these measures of these aspects as covariates in analyses, we found that connectivity of the right superior temporal gyrus and left precentral gyrus relate to effects of performing arts training beyond effects of individual musical sophistication.
DISCUSSION
Our results highlight the potential role of sensory areas in active engagement with music, the potential role of motor areas in emotion processing, and the potential role of connectivity between putamen and lingual gyrus in general musical sophistication.
PubMed: 37841073
DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1195996 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023Premature birth imposes considerable challenges on the preterm infant, but also challenges the mother, who may not yet be prepared for motherhood and encounter...
Premature birth imposes considerable challenges on the preterm infant, but also challenges the mother, who may not yet be prepared for motherhood and encounter psychological stress during the post-partum period. This secondary analysis of a prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to investigate how mothers perceive their preterm infants. We surveyed 33 mothers of preterm infants born before 32 weeks of gestation, who were participating in an RCT on music therapy. We employed the neonatal perception inventory (NPI), an instrument designed to assess the mother's perception and expectations regarding her infant immediately after birth. Infants were randomly assigned to either standard care (control group) or standard care plus music therapy (intervention group). Eighteen mothers from the intervention group participated in the survey (mean age 34.1 ± 4.6 years) and 15 mothers from the control group (mean age 29.6 ± 4.2 years). At the time of the infant's hospital discharge, mothers rated their expectations of how they felt a baby should behave (NPI I) and how they perceived their own infant (NPI II). The NPI score difference was calculated by subtracting the NPI II from the NPI I. Mean NPI I scores were comparable between both groups, but NPI II scores in the intervention group were better [18.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 16.6-19.4] than in the control group (19.1, 95% CI 18.0-20.3). The relative probability of mothers rating their own baby as better than average was 1.94 (95% CI 1.00-3.79) for mothers whose infants received music therapy. These findings suggest that music therapy in the neonatal intensive care unit can positively influence mothers' perception of their hospitalized preterm infant.
PubMed: 37928582
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1231741 -
Complementary Therapies in Medicine Oct 2023Clarifying the effect of music on pain endurance in an experimental design could aid in how music should be applied during both surgical and non-surgical interventions.... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
INTRODUCTION
Clarifying the effect of music on pain endurance in an experimental design could aid in how music should be applied during both surgical and non-surgical interventions. This study aims to investigate the effect of music on pain endurance and the involvement of the sympathetic adrenomedullary axis (SAM) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this randomized controlled trial all participants received increasing electric stimuli through their non-dominant index finger. Participants were randomly assigned to the music group (M) receiving a 20-minute music intervention or control group (C) receiving a 20-minute resting period. The primary outcome was pain endurance, defined as amount milliampere tolerated. Secondary outcomes included anxiety level, SAM-axis based on heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary alpha-amylase, and HPA-axis activity based on salivary cortisol.
RESULTS
In the intention-to-treat analysis, the effect of music on pain tolerance did not statistically differ between the M and C group. A significant positive effect of music on pain endurance was noted after excluding participants with a high skin impedance (p = 0.013, CI 0.35; 2.85). Increased HRV was observed in the M-group compared to the C-group for SDNN (B/95%CI:13.80/2.22;25.39, p = 0.022), RMSSD (B/95%CI:15.97/1.64;30.31, p = 0.032), VLF (B/95%CI:212.08/60.49;363.67, p = 0.008) and HF (B/95%CI:821.15/150.78;1491.52, p = 0.0190). No statistical significance was observed in other secondary outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
The effect of the music intervention on pain endurance was not statistically significant in the intention-to-treat analysis. The subgroup analyses revealed an increase in pain endurance in the music group after correcting for skin impedance, which could be attributed to increased parasympathetic activation.
Topics: Humans; Music; Pain; Music Therapy; Heart Rate; Pain Threshold; Anxiety
PubMed: 37579996
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102969 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Apr 2024: Alzheimer's disease is a condition that can cause memory, thinking, and behaviour impairments. This type of dementia affects approximately 50 million people globally.... (Review)
Review
: Alzheimer's disease is a condition that can cause memory, thinking, and behaviour impairments. This type of dementia affects approximately 50 million people globally. Currently, there is no remedy for this disease, but there are different treatment approaches, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, that try to alleviate the symptoms. The remarkable fact about Alzheimer's response to music is that musical abilities can be preserved even though language could be lost. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the benefits of music therapy on cognitive impairments in older adults with Alzheimer's disease. : This is a systematic review carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. The literature searches were conducted in the following databases: PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, and Dialnet. The inclusion criteria established were as follows: randomised controlled studies and clinical trials published in English and Spanish from 2010 to 2024, patients diagnosed with dementia of the Alzheimer's type, aged 65 years or older, who had participated in music interventions and had cognitive changes. : Eleven studies were included in this review. They showed that music therapy interventions mainly improved memory, language, and orientation. The results of a methodological quality analysis showed that six of the articles had good methodological quality and four had excellent methodological quality. : The results of this review suggest that treatment with music therapy improves cognitive impairments in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In addition, we can be sure that music creates a link between the patient and the specialist.
PubMed: 38610807
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13072042 -
BMJ Open Sep 2023The objectives of this review were to identify the types of music-based interventions and associated accessibility challenges for people who have visual impairment (VI)... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this review were to identify the types of music-based interventions and associated accessibility challenges for people who have visual impairment (VI) and their reported effects on psychological, physiological and social well-being.
DESIGN
A scoping review was developed according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist and guidelines. A narrative synthesis was conducted to map out the types of music-based interventions undertaken and to compare the therapeutic outcomes. The studies were evaluated according to the music reporting checklist.
RESULTS
In total 5082 records were identified, 69 full-text articles were screened and 13 studies were included. Eleven studies included younger children and teenagers, two focused on adults with acquired VI. Ten studies involved active music therapy strategies and three used passive music listening. Eleven of the studies focused on social outcomes and two reported mental health. Although the studies reported that music-based intervention strategies improved psychosocial well-being in people with a VI, conclusions could not be drawn as robust outcome measures were not generally used and only four of the studies included any statistical analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Although potential was evident, details of intervention protocols and training requirements were not sufficiently reported and further, high-quality evidence-based studies are required.
Topics: Adult; Child; Adolescent; Humans; Music; Music Therapy; Academies and Institutes; Checklist; Mental Health; Vision, Low
PubMed: 37709316
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067502 -
BMC Psychology Dec 2023Physical and psychological distress may occur in patients facing an onco-haematological diagnosis and undergoing complex therapies such as intensive chemotherapy, stem...
Preliminary results of the effect of music therapy treatment on anxiety, sadness, physical discomfort, mood, and quality of life in hospitalized onco-haematological patients.
BACKGROUND
Physical and psychological distress may occur in patients facing an onco-haematological diagnosis and undergoing complex therapies such as intensive chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, and immunotherapy. Studies have shown the need for incorporating different therapeutic modalities to respond to patients' physical and psychosocial needs.
AIMS
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy treatment on mood, anxiety, depression, and physical discomfort in hospitalized onco-haematological patients.
METHODS
Forty patients were included in this music therapy study from November 2021 to May 2023. Treatment consisted of individual weekly music therapy sessions. Participants completed the following evaluation instruments before and after the intervention: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Profile of Mood States-Short Form A-Version (POMS-A), and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Core Questionnaire-30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). A three-item numerical rating scale (NRS) for anxiety, sadness, and physical discomfort was administered at the beginning and end of each session (pre-/postsession).
RESULTS
Differences (p < 0.05) were shown in NRS scores for anxiety, sadness, and physical discomfort before and after the music therapy sessions. Quality of life (QoL) was affected in almost all items, and patients could be anxious at a nonclinical level, but they were clinically depressed. EORTC QLQ-C30 scores for insomnia and pain related to the hospitalization process got worse after discharge.
CONCLUSIONS
The interim results of our study showed that music therapy sessions can positively change emotional distress and improve the mood of haematological patients after every session. Despite the difficulties and limitations of this study, this preliminary report contributes to a greater understanding of the potential benefits of music therapy in hospitalized onco-haematological patients.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Music Therapy; Sadness; Depression; Anxiety
PubMed: 38053219
DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01459-x -
BMC Women's Health Jul 2023Hysteroscopy is a common outpatient procedure but procedural pain limits its use. Music could be used as a pain-relieving intervention. We performed a systematic review... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The effect of music intervention in decreasing pain and anxiety during outpatient hysteroscopy procedure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.
BACKGROUND
Hysteroscopy is a common outpatient procedure but procedural pain limits its use. Music could be used as a pain-relieving intervention. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effect of music on pain and anxiety during outpatient hysteroscopy.
METHODS
Four electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, from inception to September 2022. We included only the Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of music on women who underwent outpatient hysteroscopy in reducing pain and anxiety levels compared to no music. We assessed the quality of included RCTs using the risk of bias tool 1 reported in the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Data were pooled as the Mean Differences (MDs) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) in a random-effects model, using Review Manager 5.3 software. Also, we assessed the evidence of the results using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE).
RESULTS
Three RCTs (540 women) were included. Music significantly reduced visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores as well as State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores compared to controls (MD = -1.28; 95% CI [-2.19, -0.36]; P = 0.007) and (MD = -3.91; 95% CI [-6.98, -0.85]; P = 0.01) respectively. Also, the decrease in VAS score for pain was significantly greater in the music group (MD = 1.44; 95% CI [0.44, 2.45]; P = 0.005). However, the change in STAI showed no significant difference between the two groups. The GRADE ratings for all outcomes were very low.
CONCLUSION
Music is a potentially promising method for controlling pain for patients undergoing outpatient hysteroscopy; however, its effect in controlling anxiety is controversial.
Topics: Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Hysteroscopy; Music Therapy; Outpatients; Anxiety; Pain
PubMed: 37408035
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02489-8 -
JAMA Network Open May 2024Preterm children are at risk for neurodevelopment impairments. (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
IMPORTANCE
Preterm children are at risk for neurodevelopment impairments.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a music therapy (MT) intervention (parent-led, infant-directed singing) for premature children during the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay and/or after hospital discharge on language development at 24 months' corrected age (CA).
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This predefined secondary analysis followed participants in the LongSTEP (Longitudinal Study of Music Therapy's Effectiveness for Premature Infants and Their Caregivers) randomized clinical trial, which was conducted from August 2018 to April 2022 in 8 NICUs across 5 countries (Argentina, Colombia, Israel, Norway, and Poland) and included clinic follow-up visits and extended interventions after hospital discharge.
INTERVENTION
Participants were children born preterm (<35 weeks' gestation) and their parents. Participants were randomized at enrollment to MT with standard care (SC) or SC alone; they were randomized to MT or SC again at discharge. The MT was parent-led, infant-directed singing tailored to infant responses and supported by a music therapist and was provided 3 times weekly in the NICU and/or in 7 sessions across 6 months after discharge. The SC consisted of early intervention methods of medical, nursing, and social services, without MT.
MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES
Primary outcome was language development, as measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) language composite score, with the remaining BSID-III composite and subscale scores as the secondary outcomes. Group differences in treatment effects were assessed using linear mixed-effects models using all available data.
RESULTS
Of 206 participants (103 female infants [50%]; mean [SD] GA, 30.5 [2.7] weeks), 51 were randomized to MT and 53 to SC at enrollment; at discharge, 52 were randomized to MT and 50 to SC. A total of 112 (54%) were retained at the 24 months' CA follow-up. Most participants (79 [70%] to 93 [83%]) had BSID-III scores in the normal range (≥85). Mean differences for the language composite score were -2.36 (95% CI, -12.60 to 7.88; P = .65) for the MT at NICU with postdischarge SC group, 2.65 (95% CI, -7.94 to 13.23; P = .62) for the SC at NICU and postdischarge MT group, and -3.77 (95% CI, -13.97 to 6.43; P = .47) for the MT group at both NICU and postdischarge. There were no significant effects for cognitive or motor development.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
This secondary analysis did not confirm an effect of parent-led, infant-directed singing on neurodevelopment in preterm children at 24 months' CA; wide CIs suggest, however, that potential effects cannot be excluded. Future research should determine the MT approaches, implementation time, and duration that are effective in targeting children at risk for neurodevelopmental impairments and introducing broader measurements for changes in brain development.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03564184.
Topics: Humans; Music Therapy; Infant, Premature; Female; Male; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Child, Preschool; Language Development; Longitudinal Studies; Child Development; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Colombia; Norway; Israel
PubMed: 38753331
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.10721