Kappert Mattes B, Wuttke-Linnemann Alexandra, Schlotz Wolff, Nater Urs M
Clinical Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Center for Mental Health in Old Age, Landeskrankenhaus (AöR), University Medical Centre Mainz, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Mainz, Germany.
Front Hum Neurosci. 2019 Feb 22;13:36. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00036. eCollection 2019.
Music is an effective means of stress-reduction. However, to date there has been no systematic comparison between musical and language-based means of stress reduction in an ambulatory setting. Furthermore, although the aim for listening to music appears to play a role in its effect, this has not yet been investigated thoroughly. We compared musical means, language-based means like guided relaxation or self-enhancement exercises, and a combination of both with respect to their potential to reduce perceived stress. Furthermore, we investigated whether the aim one wants to achieve by listening to these means had an impact on their effect. We tested 64 participants (age: = 40.09 years; 18 female) for 3-10 days during their everyday life using an app containing three means: musical means, language-based means, and a combination of both. For the music and the combination conditions participants were asked to select an aim: relaxation or activation. We measured perceived stress, relaxation, activation, and electrical skin resistance (ESR) as a marker of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity before and after using the app. Participants were instructed to use the app as often as desired. Overall, perceived stress was reduced after using the app, while perceived relaxation and activation were increased. There were no differences between the three means regarding their effect on perceived stress and relaxation, but music led to a greater increase in ESR and perceived activation compared to the other means. There was a decrease in ESR only for music. Moreover, perceived stress was reduced and perceived relaxation was increased to greater extent if the aim "relaxation" had been selected. Perceived activation, however, showed a larger increase if the aim had been "activation," which was even more marked in the case of music listening. Our results indicate that all three means reduced perceived stress and promoted feelings of relaxation and activation. For enhancing feelings of activation music seems to be more effective than the other means, which was reflected in increased SNS activity as well. Furthermore, the choice of an aim plays an important role for the reduction of stress, and promotion of relaxation and activation.
音乐是减轻压力的一种有效手段。然而，迄今为止，在非卧床环境中，尚未对基于音乐和基于语言的减压手段进行系统比较。此外，尽管听音乐的目的似乎在其效果中发挥作用，但这一点尚未得到深入研究。我们比较了音乐手段、基于语言的手段（如引导式放松或自我提升练习）以及两者的组合在减轻感知压力方面的潜力。此外，我们还研究了人们通过听这些手段想要实现的目标是否会对其效果产生影响。我们在64名参与者（年龄：= 40.09岁；18名女性）的日常生活中进行了为期3至10天的测试，使用一款包含三种手段的应用程序：音乐手段、基于语言的手段以及两者的组合。对于音乐和组合条件，要求参与者选择一个目标：放松或激活。我们在使用应用程序前后测量了感知压力、放松程度、激活程度以及皮肤电反应（ESR），作为交感神经系统（SNS）活动的指标。参与者被指示根据自己的意愿尽可能频繁地使用该应用程序。总体而言，使用应用程序后感知压力降低，而感知放松和激活程度增加。三种手段在减轻感知压力和放松方面的效果没有差异，但与其他手段相比，音乐导致ESR和感知激活程度的增加更大。只有音乐的ESR出现了下降。此外，如果选择了“放松”目标，感知压力降低且感知放松程度增加的幅度更大。然而，如果目标是“激活”，感知激活程度的增加则更大，在听音乐的情况下更为明显。我们的结果表明，所有三种手段都能减轻感知压力，并促进放松和激活的感觉。对于增强激活感，音乐似乎比其他手段更有效，这也反映在交感神经系统活动的增加上。此外，目标的选择对于减轻压力以及促进放松和激活起着重要作用。
