THE EFFECTS OF GROUP IMPROVISATIONAL MUSIC THERAPY ON DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Abstract

The effect of group improvisational music therapy on depression in adolescents and adults with substance abuse was investigated. It was hypothesized that group improvisational music therapy would relieve depressive symptoms. Twenty-four Spanish-speaking patients receiving outpatient and inpatient treatment for substance abuse at Fundación José Felix Ribas (FJFR), located in Mérida State-Venezuela participated in the study. All participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) before being randomly assigned to experimental or control groups, each consisting of three cohort groups recruited over a nine month period. The experimental group received 12 group improvisation sessions over a three-month period, along with the standard treatment program provided at the facility, and the control group received only the standard treatment program. Post-test measures were completed at the end of each three-month treatment cycle. Differences between groups in pre-test and post-test scores were calculated using the Mann-Whitney U Test. Results showed that both groups were equally matched on all pretest measures. As for post-test measures, significant differences were found between the groups on HRSD, but not the BDI. The experimental group was significantly less depressed after treatment than the control group, as measured by the HRSD. Improvisational music therapy led to statistically significant greater improvements in psychologist-rated depression (HRSD) when compared to the regular treatment program alone; although no statistical differences were found in the improvements on the BDI between the two treatments, improvisational music therapy had a clinically significant effect. Possible explanations are offered. The most important limitations of the study were the small sample size, absence of a depression assessment tool specifically for substance abuse, and the use of the first version of the BDI instead of the second version as well as lack of information on demographic and clinical data.