The effect of music therapy on activity to reduce anxiety in mild cognitive impairment

Abstract

Background: There are a few studies on the music therapy on activity to reduce anxiety in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The music therapy on study to reduce anxiety has been investigated in other diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia.

Objective: To study the effect of music therapy on activity to reduce anxiety in people with MCI at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Methods: Data were collected from 20 subjects diagnosed with MCI at the Cognitive Fitness Center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The questionnaire included:

1) Thai Mental state Examination (TMSE);

2) Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) in Thai version;

3) General information ;

4) The State - Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) subjects were assigned equally into 10 experimental groups who received music therapy on activities and classical music. Ten subjects in control groups received standard care. Descriptive statistics, Non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Ranks, Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) were used for statistical analyses.

Results: There was no significant change in the level of anxiety in MCI between the experimental and the control groups before the experiment. Pre-experimental (1st time) and post- experimental (12th) are not significantly different. The significant mean score of time spent on music therapy on activity in anxiety (state) was significantly decreased by 3.47 points (P = 0.028) and the mean score of anxiety (trait) was not significantly decreased by 3.47 points (P = 0.051). However, the number of experiments was not statistically related to change in anxiety (P = 0.403) and (P = 0.596).

Conclusion: As for benefits of music therapy, it may be another option that can be applied for the treatment of patients along with other medical treatments.