Music Therapy- Based Mechanisms for Coping with Stress and Pain

Abstract

This article describes three research investigations that focus on the effects of music therapy interventions with different forms of stress and pain. The !rst study involves music listening strategies for women in labor and delivery; the second tests the impact of eight music listening strategies on depression, anxiety, self-esteem and mood in clinically depressed older adults; the third utilizes a more active music therapy intervention, including music listening, improvisation/ active music-making, and songwriting, for women who have metastatic breast cancer. The results of these studies lend support to the use of easily-accessible music strategies in a variety of clinical settings. Implications for applying music therapy-based coping techniques for every day stress and chronic conditions are presented.