Music therapy is an effective treatment for depression that works by addressing outward behaviors and regulating mood. It involves using music to accomplish individualized therapeutic goals under the guidance of a credentialed music therapist. Research shows that music therapy improves observable behaviors for clients with major depressive disorder better than unguided coping strategies. Further study is needed to understand why music therapy is effective and to develop new treatment techniques.

1. Music Therapy: Mood as a Symptom of Depression
Ashley Nash, Department of Music
Purpose
Music regulates moods in a variety of ways – whether we
choose the music we listen to or through clinical music
therapy. Clinical music therapy benefits individuals with
depression by addressing their outward behaviors.
Discovering how and why music regulates moods is one
of the most important skills for music therapists to
positively affect change in their client ’s disposition.
Definition
Music therapy is “the clinical and evidence-based use of
music interventions to accomplish individualized goals
within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed
professional who has completed an approved music
therapy program” (American Music Therapy Association,
1998).
Conclusions
Music therapy is effective in treating observable behaviors of
clients with MDD. The intervention by a trained music therapist
is more beneficial because of the maladaptive coping strategies
in which people commonly engage. Further research is needed
to determine why music therapy is effective, and to develop
new therapy techniques.
References
American Music Therapy Association. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2016,
from http://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/
Baker, F. A., & Ballantyne, J. (2013). “You've got to accentuate the
positive”: Group songwriting to promote a life of enjoyment,
engagement and meaning in aging Australians. Nordic Journal of
Music Therapy, 22(1), 7-24.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition.
(2013).
Garrido, S., & Davidson, J. (2013). Music and Mood Regulation: A
Historical Enquiry into Individual Differences and Musical
Prescriptions Through the Ages. Australian Journal Of Music
Therapy, 2489-109.
Heiderscheit, A., & Madson, A. (2015). Use of the Iso Principle as a
Central Method in Mood Management: A Music Psychotherapy
Clinical Case Study. Music Therapy Perspectives, 33(1), 45-52.
doi:10.1093/mtp/miu042
Punkanen, M., Eerola, T., & Erkkila, J. (2011). Biased Emotional
Preferences in Depression: Decreased Liking of Angry and
Energetic Music by Depressed Patients. Music and Medicine, 3(2),
114-120.
Wilhelm, K., Gillis, I., Schubert, E., & Whittle, E. L. (April 12, 2013). On
a Blue Note: Depressed Peoples' Reasons for Listening to Music.
Music and Medicine.
Older Adults’ Quality of Life
Baker and Ballantyne (2012) found that group songwriting and
performing increased the overall quality of life and sense of
community among the retirees (mean age = 80.5 years) who
participated. Quality of life was measured through focus groups
and written questionnaires and compared to the theories of
happiness. Retirees prepared and performed a concert for the
other residents of the retirement village.
Why listen to sad music?
People in a positive mood seek to sustain their positive
mood rather than enhance it, while those in a negative
mood do not use media to improve their mood.
Those who are “romantically dissatisfied” prefer “love-
lamenting” over “love-celebrating” (Wilhelm, Gillis,
Schubert, & Whittle, 2013).
Music Preferences in Depression
Participants were between the ages of 18 and 50 (62
female, 17 male; M = 35.7, SD = 9.8) with a primary
diagnosis of depression, some comorbid with anxiety.
Individuals with depression showed no difference in their
preference for music with positive or negative valence,
but did show less preference for high energy music and
no difference than controls for low energy music
(Punkanen, Eerola, & Erkkila, 2011).
Iso-principle
The music therapist selects music that matches the
client’s current mood or behavior and gradually moves to
the therapist’s desired direction (Heiderscheit & Madson,
2015).
Music regulating mood in history
The Doctrine of Ethos was the belief that “harmonias
(one-line melody) and modes each had a special ‘ethos’
or character and particular properties that could influence
mood in specific ways”. Aristotle elaborated on this
further, saying that varying rhythms have different effects
as well: “some fix the disposition, others occasion a
change in it; some act more violently, others more
liberally” (as cited in Politics, Book VIII, Chapter V).
The Doctrine of the Humours was a medical theory that
circulated around the time of Hippocrates. It was built on
the idea that “mental health reflected the balance or
imbalance of four bodily fluids or humours: blood, phlegm,
yellow bile, and black bile”. This theory suggests that
music has the ability to restore balance of the humours
(Garrido & Davidson, 2013).
Major Depressive Disorder
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is listed in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
Fifth Edition (DSM-5) under Depressive Disorders. Each
depressive disorder is similar in that the individual shows
a depressed or irritable mood, but the etiology and
duration vary. The key symptoms for MDD are
depressed mood and lack of interest/pleasure.