Table 1. Characteristics of clinical trials included in this meta-analysis.
| Studies | Country | Ample size | Mean age (SD) | Pre-intervention diagnosis | Music intervention method (total) | Intervenor or therapist | Intervention description | Control group | Outcome Measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biasutti et al., 2019 | Italy | N = 45, Female = 29 | 84.6 (7.17) | Healthy or with cognitive impairment | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Certified music therapist | Twice weekly (70 min/session) for 6 weeks | 45-minute gymnastic activities | GDS-15 |
| Burrai et al., [48] | Italy | N = 159, Female = 124 | 73.05 (11.5) | Heart failure | Music medicine | Researchers | Once daily (30 min/session) for 36 weeks | Standard HF treatment | HADS |
| Burrai et al., [49] | Italy | N = 24, Female = 9 | 62.3(2.8) | End-stage kidney disease | Music medicine | Nurse | Once daily (15 min/session) for 2 weeks | Standard hemodialysis | HADS |
| Chan et al., 2009 | Hong Kong China | N = 47, Female = 26 | >60 | No mental illness | Music medicine | Researchers | Once weekly (30 min/session) for 4 weeks | Without any intervention | GDS-30 |
| Chan et al., 2010 | Hong Kong China | N = 42, Female = 23 | >60 | No mental illness | Music medicine | Researchers | Once weekly (45 min/session) for 4 weeks | Without any intervention | GDS-15 |
| Chan et al., 2012 | Singapore | N = 50, Female = 32 | >55 | No mental illness | Music medicine | Researchers | Once weekly (30 min/session) for 8 weeks | Without any intervention | GDS-15 |
| Chen et al., 2015 | Taiwan China | N = 71, Female = 69 | 18.5 | Depressive disorder | Music medicine | Researchers | Twice weekly (40 min/session) for 10 weeks | Without any intervention | DMSRIA |
| Chen et al., 2018 | China | N = 52, Female = 52 | - | Breast cancer | Receptive music therapy | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (60 min/session) for 8 weeks | Standard care | HADS |
| Chen et al., 2019 | Taiwan China | N = 65, Female = 56 | 72.7(5.97) | No mental illness | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Not reported | Twice weekly (40 min/session) for 10 weeks | No music therapy | BDI |
| Cheung et al., 2019 | Hong Kong, China | N = 60, Female = 25 | 13.2(3.27) | Pediatric brain tumor with a significant level of depression | Active music therapy (recreative music therapy) | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (45 min/session) for 52 weeks | No music therapy | CES-D |
| Chirico et al., 2020 | Italy | N = 64, Female = 64 | 55.95(5.92) | Breast cancer | Receptive music therapy | Certified music therapist | 20 min/session | Standard care | SV-POMS |
| Choi et al., 2008 | Korea | N = 26, Female = 14 | 36.15(10.2) | Psychiatric disorder | Active music therapy (recreative music therapy) | Certified music therapist | Once-two weekly (60 min/session) for 12 weeks | Routine care | BDI |
| Chu et al., 2014 | Taiwan, China | N = 100, Female = 53 | 82(6.8) | Dementia | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Certified music therapist | Twice weekly (30 min/session) for 6 weeks | Standard care | CS |
| Cooke et al., 2010 | Australia | N = 47, Female = 33 | >65 | Dementia | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Musicians | Thrice weekly (40 min/session) for 8 weeks | Educational/entertainment activities | GDS |
| Erkkilä et al., 2011 | Finland | N = 79, Female = 62 | 35.6(9.75) | Depression disorder | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Certified music therapist | Twice weekly (60 min/session) for 12 weeks | Standard treatment | MADRS |
| Fancourt et al., 2019 | UK | N = 62, Female = 48 | 54.5 (14.5) | Cancer carers | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (90 min/session) for 12 weeks | No music therapy | HADS |
| Gok Ugur et al., 2017 | Turkey | N = 64, Female = 22 | 76.35(7.88) | No mental illness | Receptive music therapy (music and imagery) | Certified music therapist | Three days in a week for 8 weeks | No music therapy | GDS-15 |
| Guétin et al., 2009 | France | N = 30, Female = 22 | 86(5.6) | Moderate stages of Alzheimer’s disease | Receptive music therapy (music-assisted relaxation) | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (20 min/session) for 16 weeks | Educational/entertainment activities | GDS-30 |
| Hanser et al., 1994 | USA | N = 30, Female = 23 | 67.9 | Depressive disorder | Receptive music therapy (guided imagery and music) | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (1 h/session; 20 min/session) for 8 weeks | No music therapy | GDS |
| Hars et al., 2014 | Switzerland | N = 134, Female = 129 | 75(7) | No mental illness | Music medicine | Not reported | Once weekly (1 h/session) for 26 weeks | No music therapy | HADS |
| Liao et al., 2018 | China | N = 107, Female = 66 | 71.79(7.71) | Mild to moderate depressive symptoms | Music medicine | Not reported | Once weekly (50 min/session) for 12 weeks | Routine health education | GDS-30 |
| Low et al., 2020 | USA | N = 43, Female = 33 | 50.07(5.48) | Chronic pain | Active+receptive music therapy | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (90 min/session) for 12 weeks | Standard care | PROMIS |
| Mahendran et al., 2018 | Singapore | N = 68, Female = 56 | 71.1(5.3) | Mild cognitive impairment | Receptive music therapy (guided imagery and music) | Certified music therapist | Once weekly for 3 months, then fortnightly for 36 weeks. | No music therapy | GDS-15 |
| Park et al., 2015 | South Korea | N = 29, Female = 16 | 8.17(1.47) | No mental illness | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Music therapist | Once weekly (120 min/session) for 15 weeks | Educational creative movement program | CDI |
| Pérez-Ros et al., 2019 | Spain | N = 119, Female = 61 | 80.52(7.44) | No mental illness | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Physiotherapists | 5 times weekly (60 min/session) for 8 weeks | No music therapy | CS |
| Ploukou et al., 2018 | Greece | N = 48, Female = 46 | - | Oncology nurses without diseases | Music medicine | Not reported | Once weekly (60 min/session) for 4 weeks | No music therapy | HADS |
| Ribeiro et al., 2018 | Brazil | N = 21, Female = 21 | 22.5(6.5) | Mothers of preterm | Receptive music therapy (music and discuss) | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (30–40 min/session) for 7–9 weeks | No music therapy | BDI |
| Sigurdardóttir et al., 2019 | Denmark | N = 38, Female = 25 | 25.4 | Mild and moderate depression | Music medicine | Not reported | Twice weekly (20 min/session) for 4 weeks | No music therapy | HRSD-6, HRSD-17 |
| Toccafondi et al., 2018 | Italy | N = 242, Female = 147 | >18 | Cancer | Receptive music therapy | Certified music therapist | Once weekly | Standard care | HADS |
| Trimmer et al., 2018 | Canada | N = 28, Female = 15 | 43(13.8) | Depression and anxiety | Active music therapy (recreative music therapy) | Not reported | Once weekly (90 min/session) for 9 weeks | Treatment as usual | HADS |
| Volpe et al., 2018 | Italy | N = 106, Female = 106 | 43.83(12.7) | Psychosis | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Certified music therapist | Twice daily (60 min/session) for 6 weeks | Standard drug treatment | HADS |
| Wu et al., 2019 | China | N = 60, Female = 60 | 36.2(9.47) | Methamphetamine use disorder | Active+receptive music therapy | Certified music therapist | Once weekly (90 min/session) for 13 weeks | Standard treatment | SDS |
| Albornoz et al., 2011 | Venezuela | N = 24, Female = 0 | 16–60 | Depressed adults with substance abuse | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Therapist | Once weekly (120 min/session) for 12 weeks | Standard treatment | BDI, HRSD |
| Hendricks et al., 1999 | USA | N = 20 | 14–15 | Depression | Active+receptive music therapy | Therapist | Once weekly for 8 weeks | Individual psychotherapy | BDI |
| Hendricks et al., 2001 | USA | N = 63 | 12–18 | Depression | Music medicine | counsellor-researcher | Once weekly (60 min/session) for 12 weeks | Cognitive-based psychotherapy | BDI |
| Radulovic et al., 1996 | Serbia | N = 60 | 21–62 (40) | Depression | Receptive music therapy | Therapist | Twice weekly (20 min/session) for 6 weeks | Treatment as usual | BDI |
| Zerhusen et al., 1995 | USA | N = 60 | 70–82 (77) | Moderate to severe depression | Music medicine | Not reported | Twice weekly (30 min/session) for 10 weeks | psychological therapy or treatment as usual | BDI |
| Chang et al., 2008 | Taiwan China | N = 236, Female = 236 | 22-41(30.03) | Pregnant women | Music medicine | Music faculty members | Once a day (30 min/session) for 2 weeks | General prenatal care | EPDS |
| Chen et al., 2020 | Taiwan China | N = 100 Female = 100 | 30.19(9.50) | Beast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. | Receptive music therapy | Trained music therapist | Once weekly (45 min/session) for 3 weeks | Routine nursing care | HADS |
| Chen et al., 2016 | China | N = 200, Female = 0 | 35.5(9.75) | Prisoners with mild depression; | Active+receptive music therapy, including music and imagery, improvisation, and song writing | Music therapist | Twice weekly (90 min/session) for 3 weeks | Standard care | BDI |
| Esfandiari et al., 2014 | Iran | N = 30, Female = 30 | Not reported | Severe depressive disorder | Music medicine | not reported | 90 min/session | Standard care | BDI |
| Fancourt et al., 2016 | UK | N = 45, Female = 37 | 53.54 (13.85) | Mental health service users | Music medicine | Professional drummer | Once weekly (90 min/session) for 10 weeks | Without any intervention | HADS |
| Giovagnoli et al., 2017 | Italy | N = 39, Female = 24 | 73.64(7.11) | Mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease | Active music therapy (Improvisational music therapy) | Music therapist | Twice weekly (45 min/session) for 12 weeks | Cognitive training or neuroeducation | BDI |
| Harmat et al., 2008 | Hungary | N = 94, Female = 73 | 22.6(2.83) | Seep complaints | Music medicine | Investigators | Once a day (45 min/session) for 3 weeks | listening to an audiobook or no intervention | BDI |
| Koelsch et al., 2010 | Germany | N = 154, Female = 78 | 24.6 | No disease | Active music therapy | Music therapist | Not reported | Individual psychotherapy | POMS |
| Liao et al., 2018 | China | N = 60, Female = 30 | 61.82(13.20) | Cancer | Receptive music therapy+muscle relaxation training | not reported | Once a day (40 min/session) for 8 weeks | Muscle relaxation training | HADS |
| Lu et al., 2013 | Taiwan China | N = 80, Female = 21 | 52.02 (7.64) | Schizophrenia | Active music therapy+receptive music therapy | Trained research assistant | Twice weekly (60 min/session) for 5 weeks | Usual care | CDSS |
| Mahendran et al., 2018 | Singapore | N = 68, Female = 56 | 71.1(5.05) | Mild cognitive impairment | Receptive music therapy | Music therapist | Weekly in the first 3 months, then fortnightly for 6 months. | Standard care without any intervention | GDS-15 |
| Mondanaro et al., 2017 | Italy | N = 60, Female = 35 | 48.20(4.49) | Patients after spine surgery | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Music therapist | 30-minute music therapy session during an 8-hour period within 72 hours after surgery | Standard care without any intervention | HADS |
| Nwebube et al., 2017 | UK | N = 36, Female = 36 | Not reported | Pregnant women | Music medicine | Investigators | Once a day (20 min/session) for 12 weeks | Standard care without any intervention | EPDS |
| Porter et al., 2017 | Northern Ireland | N = 184, Female = 73 | 12.7 (2.5) | Adolescents with behavioural and emotional problems | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Music therapist | Once weekly (30 min/session) for 13 weeks | Usual care | CES-D |
| Raglio et al., 2016 | Italy | N = 30, Female = 17 | 64 (10.97) | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | Active music therapy | Music therapist | Three times weekly (30 min/session) for 4 weeks | Standard care | HADS |
| Torres, et al., 2018 | Spanish | N = 70, Female = 70 | 35-65(51.3) | Fibromyalgia | Receptive music therapy | Music therapist | Once weekly (120 min/session) for 12 weeks | Without any additional service | ST/DEP |
| Wang et al., 2011 | China | N = 80, Female = 21 | 19.35(1.68) | Student | Receptive music therapy | Not reported | Not reported | Without any additional service | SDS |
| Yap et al., 2017 | Singapore | N = 31, Female = 29 | 74.65(6.4) | Elderly people | Active music therapy (improvisational music therapy) | Experienced instructors | Once weekly (60 min/session) for 11 weeks | Without any intervention | GDS |
Note: BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; CDI = Children’s Depression Inventory; CDSS = depression scale for schizophrenia; CES-D = Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression; CS = Cornell Scale; DMSRIA = Depression Mood Self-Report Inventory for Adolescence; EPDS = Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; GDS-15 = Geriatric Depression Scale-15; GDS-30 = Geriatric Depression Scale-30; HADS = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HRSD (HAMD) = Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; MADRS = Montgomery-sberg Depression Rating Scale; PROMIS = Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System; SDS = Self-Rating Depression Scale; State-Trait Depression Questionnaire = ST/DEP; SV-POMS = short version of Profile of Mood States; NA = not available.