Efficacy of music therapy in the treatment of anxiety among children at social risk and those have committed child to parent violence

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyze the significant impact music therapy can have on a group of adolescents who have committed Child to Parent Violence and a second group of teenagers at social risk. Both groups were made up of 11 participants between 13 and 21 years of age ( M = 16 years, SD = 1.66 years) with six males in each group. Both groups participated in eight music therapy interventions where state-trait anxiety levels were measured before and after each session. Furthermore, trait anxiety levels were measured after the first and eighth sessions. Our findings indicate that the treatment used performs differently in each group: a more significant reduction in state anxiety levels was observed among participants who had used Child to Parent Violence, where trait anxiety levels were more significantly reduced among participants at social risk. Our findings also indicate that music therapy can be effectively used to reduce anxiety levels among socially vulnerable groups, and that it may have a significant impact on the reduction of this disorder, depending on the anxiety level.