Music therapeutic emotional processing (MEP) : Expression, awareness, and pain predict therapeutic outcome
Year of publication
2023
Authors
Saarikallio, Suvi; Toiviainen, Petri; Brabant, Olivier; Snape, Nerdinga; Erkkilä, Jaakko
Abstract
Successful emotional processing is pivotal for the therapeutic change, and music can support emotional processing. However, we know little on how music-based emotional processing actually predicts clinical outcomes. This study investigated music therapeutic emotional processing (MEP) as a predictor of therapeutic outcome in treatment for depression. Data consisted of self-reports of 64 clients (age range 19–57, 74% female) from a clinical trial (12 sessions) of integrative improvisational music therapy (IIMT). A 19-item MEP questionnaire was developed for assessing clients’ experiences after sessions. Emergent MEP factors were correlated with clients’ perceptions of the therapeutic value of the sessions (Session Evaluation Questionnaire [SEQ]) and with recovery from depression (Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS]). MEP emerged as a constitution of three factors: expression, awareness, and pain. Expression and awareness increased across the process and correlated positively with session value and MADRS change. Pain demonstrated a more complex inverted u-shaped temporal curve and correlated with roughness of session experience. The presence of pain during the late part of the therapy predicted lower recovery. The findings support MEP factors as predictors of therapeutic outcome and provide conceptual insight into the mechanisms of change in art therapies. Knowledge on music-based emotional processing holds relevance also beyond therapy context for everyday music engagement.
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Publication type
Publication format
Article
Parent publication type
Journal
Article type
Original article
Audience
ScientificPeer-reviewed
Peer-ReviewedMINEDU's publication type classification code
A1 Journal article (refereed), original researchPublication channel information
Journal
Publisher
Volume
51
Issue
1
Pages
140-158
ISSN
Publication forum
Publication forum level
3
Open access
Open access in the publisher’s service
No
Self-archived
Yes
Other information
Fields of science
Psychology; Theatre, dance, music, other performing arts
Keywords
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Publication country
United Kingdom
Internationality of the publisher
International
Language
English
International co-publication
No
Co-publication with a company
No
DOI
10.1177/03057356221087445
The publication is included in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Publication data collection
Yes