TY - JOUR PY - 2016// TI - Randomized trial of group music therapy with Chinese prisoners: impact on anxiety, depression, and self-esteem JO - International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology A1 - Chen, Xi-Jing A1 - Hannibal, Niels A1 - Gold, Christian SP - 1064 EP - 1081 VL - 60 IS - 9 N2 - This study investigated the effects of group music therapy on improving anxiety, depression, and self-esteem in Chinese prisoners. Two-hundred male prisoners were randomly assigned to music therapy (n = 100) or standard care (n = 100). The music therapy had 20 sessions of group therapy compared with standard care. Anxiety (State and Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]), depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]), and self-esteem (Texas Social Behavior Inventory [TSBI], Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory [RSI]) were measured by standardized scales at baseline, mid-program, and post-program. Data were analyzed based on the intention to treat principle. Compared with standard care, anxiety and depression in the music therapy condition decreased significantly at mid-test and post-test; self-esteem improved significantly at mid-test (TSBI) and at post-test (TSBI, RSI). Improvements were greater in younger participants (STAI-Trait, RSI) and/or in those with a lower level of education (STAI-State, STAI-Trait). Group music therapy seems to be effective in improving anxiety, depression, and self-esteem and was shown to be most beneficial for prisoners of younger age or with lower education level.

© The Author(s) 2015.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0306-624X UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15572795 ID - ref1 ER -