POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF MUSIC THERAPY ON DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, PERCEIVED STRESS AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING IN NURSING HOME RESIDENTS

Elderly people are faced with the usual consequences of aging, but also with the onset of difficulties and diseases related to mental health that are more common in older age. Evidence is beginning to emerge that music therapy can improve mental health. This study aimed to determine the effects of music therapy on certain components of mental health in nursing home residents. The study sample consisted of 26 elderly persons (5 men, 21 women), average age 81.96 years (SD = 7.40), who were living in a nursing home. The participants were subjected to a music therapy treatment for six weeks. The mental health aspects such as depression and anxiety symptoms, the level of perceived stress and subjective well-being were measured at baseline and after the end of intervention. The data were collected using the Hospital Anxiety Subjective Well-being Scale. The results have shown that there is a significant decrease in the level of depression, anxiety and perceived stress after music therapy treatment (t = 4.08, t = 4.28, t = 5.56, p < 0,01, respectively). Accordingly, the subjective well-being increased after the intervention period in the study group (t =-2.85, p < 0.01). Findings suggest that music therapy may decrease depression and anxiety symptoms and the level of stress in nursing home residents. The study results imply that music therapy may be an effective treatment strategy for mental health of the elderly in institutional care.