@2024 Afarand., IRAN

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ISSN: 2008-2630    Iranian Journal of War & Public Health 2015;7(2):73-79

Background
… [1-6]. Depression is a transient or persistent neuropsychological tension that appears as some physical factors [7]. … [8-11]. Music increases accuracy, intelligence, sense of observation, deduction, and human mental emotions [12] and thus, it can be effective on the treatment of many mental illnesses, including depression [13]. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder which appears after exposure to a life-threatening incident, as psychological symptoms such as aggression, nightmares, recalling the incident and the reduction of the threshold level [14]. ... [15-20].
Previous Studies
The effectiveness of music therapy on depression has been shown [15, 21-27].
Aim(s)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of music therapy on depression in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder in Isfahan (Iran).
Research type
This is a quasi-experimental study.
Research society, place and time
This study was conducted in all available veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress syndrome in 2014 in Isfahan.
Sampling method and number
all available veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress syndrome were studied.
Used devices&materials
First, some veterans aged 40-55 with chronic post-traumatic stress syndrome were selected. The people with severe handicaps in the hands and feet, difficulty in speaking, neglected diseases, psychological problems such as lack of impulse control, and severe depression, and identified according to medical records, were excluded from the study based on the physician and the psychiatrist’s diagnosis. Then, Beck Depression Inventory was conducted as a pre-test for the participants and depressed patients were identified. All the patients received the same treatment for depression based on the type of depression. Then, 60 subjects were randomly selected and assigned to two groups: experimental (30 patients) and control (30 patients). The primary sample size in each of experimental and control group was 35persons that was dropped to 30 patients in each group during the research. The instrument was Beck Depression Inventory [28, 29]. Music therapy was hold for the experimental group continuously as 3 sessions a week and for 3 consecutive months. Control group were bereft from this treatment. Experimental group was asked to listen to music daily for at least 10 minutes in the early weeks and 25 to 50 minutes in the next few weeks and for 3 months. The most useful time for the effect of music on the participants was considered to be 25 minutes, so the time of music was increased to 25 minutes. Music group training sessions was also hold three 25min-sessions a week. This included how to listen to music, to create a favorable environment for listening, to get used to the music and to communicate with the music. The selected music is called fusion music. The music was selected in two ways. The first set included those which were selected in the past in order to influence depression and successfully helped depression treatment. After 3 months application of the techniques of music therapy, Beck test was administrated in both experimental and control groups to compare post-tests of both groups and to compare pretest and posttest of each group and separately. To study the effect of music therapy on veterans’ depression, ANCOVA test was used. … [30, 31]
Findings by Text
The mean of veterans’ depression scores in experimental group was lower in post-test comparing to the mean score of pre-test (Table 1). The difference between the mean of depression scores in experimental and control groups was significant. Therefore the assumption of the research which was based on the effectiveness of music on depression of the veterans was confirmed and this effect was equal to 0.37. In addition, based on the results of follow-up test for the effects of music in long-term, the difference between depression scores at the follow-up stage was significant in experimental and control groups. Therefore, the assumption of follow up based on the effectiveness of music therapy on depression of the veterans in long-term was confirmed and this effect was equal to 0.26.
Main comparison to the similar studies
Since the nature of this disorder is closely associated with observing agonizing environments, the treatment is slowly going on due to patient avoidance to confront with such spaces [32]. Therefore, music which can remind such environments is very effective. Although there was more than 10 years disease in some participants with other types of minor injuries such as chemical, compound and various disabilities in addition to psychological disorders, the effectiveness of this method can be assumed as an outcome of its novelty for the participants, as well as their fatigue of uselessness of the previous methods. These findings are in line with the results of previous studies [21, 22, 24, 25, 27].
Suggestions
According to the results, to reduce depression in veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome, music implementation is recommended as a useful treatment.
Limitations
No standardized test location, use of subjects having moods affected by the influence of medication, no direct control over exercise at the house, lack of appropriate music parts in accordance with culture for chronic post-traumatic stress syndrome, use of available samples and then random assignment of subjects into experimental and control groups were the limitations of this study.
Conclusions
As an effective and inexpensive treatment, music can help the veterans with post-traumatic stress syndrome to reduce depression. Therefore, it is recommended as a useful treatment.
Acknowledgments
All the veterans who participated in this study are appreciated.
Conflict of interest
Non-declared
Ethical Permissions
This research was conducted with the complete consent of all the participating veterans.
Funding Sources
This study was funded by the second author.

TABLES and CHARTS

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