Effects of Music Therapy on Depression among College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Anxiety and depression are prevalent mental health problems. Along with stress, they are considered effective outcomes of mental health. This paper intended to examine whether music listening for ballet and watching ballet could help lower depression levels in college students. Eighty-four participants who were selected from different universities in Guangzhou completed a 13-week randomized controlled trial. They were segregated into the music group (n = 28), the music and watch group (n = 28), and the non-participant or control group (n = 28). The first group was administered with 30 minutes of weekly music listening suggestions, and the music and watch group watched dance performance videos for 30 minutes a week. The score of depression in the subjects were estimated with the help of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21. They had to a given a rating to every aspect on a Likert scale of four points ranging from zero: “not true” to three: “always true.” The subjects in the music and watch groups showed substantially lower depression levels in comparison to subjects from the non-participating group. Therefore, music listening may be a beneficial strategy in reducing patients’ levels of depression. To promote college students’ physical and mental health, colleges and universities should incorporate music therapy into their mental health education curriculum.