Clinical effectiveness of mindfulness-based music therapy on improving emotional regulation in blind older women: A randomized controlled trial

Chan, Sunny H.W.; Cheung, Meryl Y.C.; Chiu, Armstrong T.S; Leung, Mimi H.T.; Kuo, Michael C.C.; Yip, Donald Y.C.; Hui, Carole C.Y.; Kam, Sally W.I.; Yeung, King; Mui, Doreen S.P; Wang, Shu Mei; Yip, Calvin C.K.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to investigate clinical effectiveness of a structured eight-week mindfulness-based music therapy (MBMT) program on improving mood regulation in older women with blindness. This investigation compared a MBMT group with a mindfulness intervention (MI) group and a control group. Methods: Ninety-two older females with blindness from a residential setting in Hong Kong were recruited and randomly allocated to a MBMT (n = 31), MI (n = 30), or control (n = 31) group. Psychological measurements regarding mood regulation and general mood states (namely, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale [DERS], Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS], and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21), were taken at pretest and posttest. Outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment. Results: Data was analyzed based on intention-to-treat basis. At posttest, DERS scores in the MBMT group (mean differences and 95% confidence interval: 12.1, 5.5 to 18.8) and the MI group (7.2, 0.5 to 13.8) were lower than that in the control group. GDS scores in the MBMT group (2.9, 1.7 to 4.0) and the MI group (1.7, 0.6 to 2.9) were lower than those in the control group. Compared with the MI group, the MBMT group improved emotional awareness sub-scores in DERS (2.1, 0.2 to 4.1) and appeared to lower depression in GDS scores (1.1, -0.0 to 2.3; p = 0.053). Conclusion: MBMT seems more beneficial than MI alone for improving emotional regulation in older women with blindness. The combination of mindfulness and music can generate a synergetic effect by enhancing both attention and appraisal components within the emotional-regulation process. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05583695.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 24, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Aug 26, 2023
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2023
• Deposit Date: Aug 28, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 3, 2023
• Journal: Integrative Medicine Research
• Print ISSN: 2213-4220
• Electronic ISSN: 2213-4220
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: 100993
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2023.100993
• Keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11065885
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Clinical effectiveness of mindfulness-based music therapy on improving emotional regulation in blind older women: A randomized controlled trial; Journal Title: Integrative Medicine Research; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2023.100993; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2023 Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V.