Effects of music as an adjunctive therapy on severity of symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Randomized controlled trial. Issue 1 (1st January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abdulah, Deldar Morad; Miho Alhakem, Salim Saadi; Piro, Rasoul Sabri
• Is Part Of: Nordic journal of music therapy. Volume 28:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 27
• Page End: 40
• Publication Date: 2019-01-01
• Subjects: Obsession -- compulsion -- obsessive-compulsive disorder -- symptoms -- severity -- music listening; Music therapy -- Scandinavia -- Periodicals; Music Therapy -- Periodicals; 615.85154
• DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2018.1546222
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0809-8131

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Introduction : Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a critical mental disorder. Music listening is non-invasive, safe and harmless, well-tolerated, inexpensive, and has therapeutic advantages in a wide range of mental disorders. The impact of passive music listening as an adjunctive therapy on symptoms severity in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder was evaluated in this study. Methods : In a parallel posttest-study only randomized controlled trial, 36 patients (range 19 to 65 years) were randomly allocated to experimental group (n = 17) or control group (n = 19) in Duhok, Iraq in 2017. The experimental group received seven 50-minute relaxing music tracks to listen daily in addition to regular pharmacological treatment for a three-month period. The control group received regular treatment only. The severities of obsession, compulsion, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale symptom severity scale following study completion only. Results : The experimental group had significantly lower symptom severities than the control group in terms of obsessions and compulsions, and the overall obsessive-compulsive score, effect size: 0.77, 0.95, and 0.78, , and 95% CI: 6.29–9.43; CI: 6.22–9.43; and CI: 12.57–18.81, respectively. Discussion : The study showed that passive music listening as an adjunctive therapy to regular treatment is an effective method to reduce obsessions and compulsions severities in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Clinical Trial Registration Number in the local registry: 21082016–6 (21 August 2016).