22 augustus 2021


European Journal of Psychotraumatology

B. D. Beck, S. L. Meyer, E. Simonsen, U. Søgaard, I. Petersen, S. M. H. Arnfred, T. Tellier & T. Moe

https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1930960

Abstract

Background: Many people with refugee backgrounds suffer from trauma-related complex social and psychological problems, and compliance with standard psychological treatment tends to be low. More culturally adaptable treatment options seem to be needed.

Objective: We aimed to investigate whether the music therapy method: ‘trauma-focused music and imagery’ (tr-MI), characterized by a particular focus on arousal and affect regulation, would be equally effective as the standard psychological talk therapies for ameliorating trauma symptoms in Danish refugees.

Methods: A pragmatic, noninferiority, parallel, randomized controlled trial with six-month follow-up was carried out at three clinics for refugees in the public mental health services of the Psychiatry (DK). Seventy-four adults diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were allocated to either music therapy sessions (tr-MI, N = 39) or psychological treatment as usual (TAU, N = 35). Western classical music, new age music, and music from the participants’ own national culture were used to generate inner imagery, following a phased treatment protocol. Homework entailed listening to music. The primary outcome was the measurement of trauma symptoms by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, section IV (HTQ-IV); secondary measures were somatoform and psychoform dissociation (DSS-20), SDQ-20), attachment (RAAS), and well-being (WHO-5). Treatment effects reflected by primary and secondary measures were estimated using linear mixed models.

Results: Tr-MI was noninferior to TAU (mean difference at follow-up HTQ-IV: 0.14, CI (−0.10; 0.38), with a − 0.3 noninferiority margin). A high dropout rate of 40% occurred in the TAU group, compared to 5% in the music therapy group. Secondary measures generated small to medium effect sizes in both groups, with significant medium effect sizes for well-being and psychoform dissociation at follow-up in tr-MI.

Conclusions: Tr-MI is an innovative form of psychological treatment in refugee mental health services. Trials comparing music therapy to standardized therapy are needed to substantiate the evidence base for tr-MI therapy.







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Het European Journal of Psychotraumatology (EJPT) is een peer-reviewed, interdisciplinair wetenschappelijk tijdschrift dat deel uitmaakt van de European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS).    Het EJPT heeft als doel om wetenschappers, behandelaren en experts te betrekken bij de belangrijkste vraagstukken rond stress en trauma, waaronder individuele gebeurtenissen, herhaalde of chronische trauma's, grootschalige rampen en geweld.