A controlled trial investigating the effect of music therapy during an acute psychotic episode

To investigate the effects of music therapy, as an adjunct to pharmacological therapy during an acute psychotic episode.Sixty participants were quasi-randomised into either a treatment or control group. Standardised psychological assessments [Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Calgary Interview Guide for Depression, Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE-30) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21)] were conducted before and after the sessions to determine whether there were any significant changes in outcomes.Statistically significant changes in BPRS scores were seen in the treatment group (n = 25) compared with the control group (n = 24). No significant differences were seen in the results of the Calgary, NOSIE-30 or DASS21 scores. Despite the treatment group, having a 9.3% decrease in their length of stay in hospital as opposed to the control group, this did not reach statistical significance. No significant differences were found when comparing the two groups in their doses of antipsychotic, benzodiazepine, mood stabilising or antidepressant medication or at the 1-month follow-up assessment.Most of the variables tested in our study but one did not point at any advances of adding music therapy to pharmacological treatment. The finding of improvement in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale could be an indicator of music therapy as a useful adjunct to pharmacotherapy during an in-patient hospital stay for the few patients amongst those suffering acute psychosis that accept to participate in music therapy

A Comparison of Changes in Anxiety and Depression Symptoms of Spontaneous Users and Trial Participants of a Cognitive Behavior Therapy Website

BACKGROUND: In randomized controlled trials Internet sites have been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety. However, it is unclear if the positive effects demonstrated in these trials transfer to community users of such sites. OBJECTIVE: To compare anxiety and depression outcomes for spontaneous visitors to a publicly accessible cognitive behavior therapy website (MoodGYM) (http://moodgym.anu.edu.au) with outcomes achieved through a randomized controlled efficacy trial of the same site. METHODS: All community visitors to the MoodGYM site between April 2001 and September 2003 were sampled: 182 participants in the BlueMood Trial who had been randomly assigned to the MoodGYM site as part of a large trial and 19607 visitors (public registrants) to the site. Symptom assessments (quizzes) were repeated within the website intervention to allow the examination of change in symptoms across modules. Outcome variables were (1) age, gender, initial depression severity scores, and number of assessments attempted, and (2) symptom change measures based on Goldberg anxiety and depression scores recorded on a least two occasions. RESULTS: Public registrants did not differ from trial participants in gender, age, or initial level of depression, which was high for both groups relative to previously published epidemiological data sets. Trial participants completed more assessments. No significant differences in anxiety or depression change scores were observed, with both public registrants and trial participants improving through the training program. CONCLUSIONS: Public registrants to a cognitive behavior therapy website show significant change in anxiety and depression symptoms. The extent of change does not differ from that exhibited by participants enrolled on the website for a randomized controlled trial