The Effects of Two Music Therapy Interventions on the Perceived Pain Levels of Elderly Nursing Home Residents with Arthritis
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Author
Bolton, Stephanie
Date
2007
Degree
Master of Arts in Music Therapy
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two music therapy interventions on
the perceived pain levels of nursing home residents diagnosed with arthritis. Twenty-four
participants were randomly assigned to one of three study groups: a) live guitar music paired
with music facilitated relaxation, b) prerecorded guitar music paired with music facilitated
relaxation, or ¢) no music. Participants were seen individually for a total of four sessions
over a period of two weeks. Participants in both music groups received twenty minutes of
either live or prerecorded music paired with music facilitated relaxation. Participants in the
no music group received brief verbal relaxation instructions and then were left alone in their
rooms to relax quietly. The McGill Pain Questionnaire- Short Form (MPQ-SF) was
administered to all participants as a pre- and posttest measure of perceived pain. Statistical
analysis of the pre- and posttests were completed using #-tests to compare each group's
scores. Results for the live guitar music group revealed statistical significance for
improvement in perceived pain levels. The researcher concluded that live guitar music
paired with music facilitated relaxation is effective at reducing perceived pain levels related
to arthritis in the elderly living in a nursing home.