Gold Christian, Assmus Jörg, Hjørnevik Kjetil, Qvale Liv Gunnhild, Brown Fiona Kirkwood, Hansen Anita Lill, Waage Leif, Stige Brynjulf
GAMUT-The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, Uni Health, Uni Research, Bergen, Norway
GAMUT-The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, Uni Health, Uni Research, Bergen, Norway Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2014 Dec;58(12):1520-39. doi: 10.1177/0306624X13498693. Epub 2013 Aug 27.
Mental health problems are common among prison inmates. Music therapy has been shown to reduce mental health problems. It may also be beneficial in the rehabilitation of prisoners, but rigorous outcome research is lacking. We compared group music therapy with standard care for prisoners in a pilot randomised controlled trial that started with the establishment of music therapy services in a prison near Bergen in 2008. In all, 113 prisoners agreed to participate. Anxiety (STAI-State [State-Trait Anxiety Inventory], STAI-Trait), depression (HADS-D [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale]), and social relationships (Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire [Q-LES-Q]) were assessed at baseline; every 2 weeks in the experimental group; after 1, 3, and 6 months in the control group; and at release. No restrictions were placed on the frequency, duration, or contents of music therapy. Duration of stay in the institution was short (62% stayed less than 1 month). Only a minority reached clinical cutoffs for anxiety and depression at baseline. Between-group analyses of effects were not possible. Music therapy was well accepted and attractive among the prisoners. Post hoc analysis of within-group changes suggested a reduction of state anxiety after 2 weeks of music therapy (d = 0.33, p = .025). Short sentences and low baseline levels of psychological disturbance impeded the examination of effects in this study. Recommendations for planning future studies are given, concerning the careful choice of participants, interventions and settings, comparison condition and design aspects, choice of outcomes, and integration of research approaches. Thus, the present study has important implications for future studies evaluating interventions for improving prisoners' mental health.
ISRCTN22518605.
心理健康问题在监狱囚犯中很常见。音乐疗法已被证明可减少心理健康问题。它可能对囚犯的康复也有益，但缺乏严格的结果研究。在一项试点随机对照试验中，我们将团体音乐疗法与囚犯的标准护理进行了比较，该试验始于2008年在卑尔根附近的一所监狱建立音乐疗法服务。共有113名囚犯同意参与。在基线时评估焦虑（状态-特质焦虑量表[STAI-State]、STAI-特质）、抑郁（医院焦虑抑郁量表[HADS-D]）和社会关系（生活质量享受与满意度问卷[Q-LES-Q]）；实验组每2周评估一次；对照组在1个月、3个月和6个月后以及释放时评估。对音乐疗法的频率、持续时间或内容没有限制。在该机构的停留时间较短（62%停留时间少于1个月）。只有少数人在基线时达到焦虑和抑郁的临床临界值。无法进行组间效应分析。音乐疗法在囚犯中很受欢迎且具有吸引力。组内变化的事后分析表明，音乐疗法2周后状态焦虑有所降低（d = 0.33，p = 0.025）。刑期较短和心理障碍基线水平较低妨碍了本研究中对效果的检验。针对未来研究的规划给出了建议，涉及参与者、干预措施和环境的谨慎选择、对照条件和设计方面、结果的选择以及研究方法的整合。因此，本研究对未来评估改善囚犯心理健康干预措施的研究具有重要意义。
ISRCTN22518605
