A1 Journal article (refereed)
Musical interaction in music therapy for depression treatment (2022)

Hartmann, M., Mavrolampados, A., Toiviainen, P., Saarikallio, S., Foubert, K., Brabant, O., Snape, N., Ala-Ruona, E., Gold, C., & Erkkilä, J. (2022). Musical interaction in music therapy for depression treatment. Psychology of Music, 51(1), 33-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356221084368

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Hartmann, Martin; Mavrolampados, Anastasios; Toiviainen, Petri; Saarikallio, Suvi; Foubert, Katrien; Brabant, Olivier; Snape, Nerdinga; Ala-Ruona, Esa; Gold, Christian; Erkkilä, Jaakko

Journal or series: Psychology of Music

ISSN: 0305-7356

eISSN: 1741-3087

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 09/04/2022

Volume: 51

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 33-50

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356221084368

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/80606

Abstract

Music therapy is efficacious for the treatment of depression. Compared to other psychotherapeutic forms, it allows for the emergence of various modes of mutual interaction, thus enabling multiple channels for emotional expression and fostering therapeutic alliance. Although musical interaction patterns between client and therapist have been regarded as predictors of therapeutic outcome in depression, this has not yet been systematically investigated. We aim to address this gap by analyzing the possible linkage between musical interaction features and changes in depression score. In a clinical trial, digital piano improvisations from 58 Finnish clients and their therapists were recorded over 12 sessions of music therapy lasting 6 weeks. Subsequently, a variety of symbolic features describing pitch, rhythm, duration, and velocity were extracted from the improvisations. We observed a number of relationships between client–therapist interaction and clinical improvement. Clients with largest improvements displayed higher overall interaction, particularly more musical interaction in the middle of the therapy process than in the beginning and end. In contrast, clients with lower depression change score exhibited overall lower interaction and yielded other temporal profiles of interaction. The association between clinical improvement and an inverted U-shaped curve of musical interaction is discussed in the light of process-outcome literature.

Keywords: music therapy; depression (mental disorders); treatment outcomes; improvisation; social interaction

Free keywords: arts and health; improvisation; interaction; interventions; mental health; music therapy; randomized controlled trials

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

JUFO rating: 3