The effect of group music therapy on perceived stress among international postgraduate students at Mahidol University, Thailand
Keywords:
group therapy, international student, music therapy, perceived stress, postgraduate studentsAbstract
Objective: To examine the effect of group music therapy on perceived stress among international postgraduate students and to explore their experience of the therapy.
Methods: A mixed-method study with a quasi-experimental design was conducted at Mahidol University, Thailand. International postgraduate students in Master’s or Doctorate programs, with self-reported stress and without other active mental health problems, were assigned to either an intervention or a waitlist control group. The intervention group participated in six one-hour music therapy sessions held twice a week, while the control group received the same intervention after the study. Perceived stress was assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) pre- and post-intervention, as well as the Visual Analog Scale for Stress (VAS-S) before and after each session. Focus group discussions were conducted to explore participants’ experiences regarding changes in perceived stress and stressful conditions during the study. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed ranked, Mann-Whitney U test, and inductive analysis.
Results: The PSS-10 score of the intervention group (n = 9) was significantly lower than that of the control group (n = 9) at both baseline and post-intervention. There was no significant reduction in the PSS-10 score within either group following the intervention. However, the VAS-S score of the intervention group showed a significant decrease after each music therapy session compared to their respective pre-test scores. The intervention group reported feeling more relaxed, calm, and comfortable at the end of each session.
Conclusion: Group music therapy tends to provide immediate and temporary relief from perceived stress among postgraduate international students, supporting it as an inclusive option for mental health support services offered by universities.
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