Psychophysiological reactions to music in male coronary patients and healthy controls

Abstract

The study aimed to present a comparative account of psychophysiological responses to music-listening in male coronary patients and healthy controls. The stimulus material was a slow-paced, taped rāga Desi-Todi played on a flute. The participants listened to music for 30 minutes a day for 20 days. Pre- and post-treatment procedure was adopted for assessment on psychophysiological measures. The study supports the following conclusions: (1) music-listening produces significant decreases in the blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) and heart rate of coronary patients but has no significant effect in healthy controls; (2) music-listening reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, enhances life satisfaction, optimism and hope, and makes life more meaningful in both coronary patients and healthy controls; (3) the effects of music listening, that is, reduction in negative affect, enhancement of positive affect, and decrease in blood pressure and heart rate, are more intense in coronary patients than healthy controls.