Guitars for Vets: Evaluating Psychological Outcome of a Novel Music Therapy

Post traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition for persons who have served in the Armed services during combat or deployment. Treatments include medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other social support mechanisms.

Our aim in this project is to critically evaluate the effects of a novel music therapy intervention on the symptoms of PTSD. Estimates developed by the Global Burden of Disease Study reveal that mental illness accounts for over 15% of the burden of disease on health and productivity in established market economies--more than the disease burden caused by all cancers combined.[1] Perhaps no industry has had the burden of mental disorders affect its labor force as severely and pervasively as the Armed Forces.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common sequelae of severe emotional trauma that is often associated with combat exposure. The condition has been well documented in returning soldiers and is characterized by recurrent and distressing thoughts and feelings related to the trauma, persistent avoidance of reminders of the trauma, and increased arousal that disturbs sleep, concentration, and the ability to modulate anger. Persons suffering from PTSD often have difficulty relating to others, leading to loneliness and isolation, which further intensifies their psychiatric symptoms. Current treatment options for PTSD include psychotherapy, medication management, or a combination of those. Although these treatments have been shown to be effective, returning soldiers are often hesitant to seek and adhere to mental health therapies. PTSD-related avoidance, including difficulty trusting, may serve as a barrier to seeking or completing treatments. Furthermore, some PTSD medications have unacceptable side-effects in some individuals. The need is great, therefore, to identify and promote safe, effective strategies for self-management of PTSD among Veterans.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: music therapy with guitar lessons

Detailed Description

Background:

Post traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition for persons who have served in the Armed services during combat or deployment. Treatments include medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other social support mechanisms.

Our aim in this project is to critically evaluate the effects of a novel music therapy intervention on the symptoms of PTSD. Estimates developed by the Global Burden of Disease Study reveal that mental illness accounts for over 15% of the burden of disease on health and productivity in established market economies--more than the disease burden caused by all cancers combined.[1] Perhaps no industry has had the burden of mental disorders affect its labor force as severely and pervasively as the Armed Forces.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common sequelae of severe emotional trauma that is often associated with combat exposure. The condition has been well documented in returning soldiers and is characterized by recurrent and distressing thoughts and feelings related to the trauma, persistent avoidance of reminders of the trauma, and increased arousal that disturbs sleep, concentration, and the ability to modulate anger. Persons suffering from PTSD often have difficulty relating to others, leading to loneliness and isolation, which further intensifies their psychiatric symptoms. Current treatment options for PTSD include psychotherapy, medication management, or a combination of those. Although these treatments have been shown to be effective, returning soldiers are often hesitant to seek and adhere to mental health therapies. PTSD-related avoidance, including difficulty trusting, may serve as a barrier to seeking or completing treatments. Furthermore, some PTSD medications have unacceptable side-effects in some individuals. The need is great, therefore, to identify and promote safe, effective strategies for self-management of PTSD among Veterans.

Objectives:

The objective was to assess the effectiveness of a novel music therapy on ammelorating the effects of PTSD. Specifically a 6 week guitar training program under the direction of seasoned instructors through a partnership with Guitars for Vets was assessed before and after intervention.

Methods:

In this trial we recruited veterans in the Milwaukee region and the Zablocki VA Medical Center with significant PTSD symptoms. Forty subjects were recruited and randomized to either an immediate entry or a 6 week delayed entry group. Both groups received the intervention, but the delayed group received it after a 6 week period.

Each subject received a guitar that they keep after the study, music, supplies and instructions. They each had an hour of individual training each week and a weekly group instruction session.

Status:

The data collection and analyses are complete, we are writing the final manuscript. In addition, we submitted a grant for a multicenter MERIT funded project this past June. Unfortunately it will not be funded. We plan to resubmit at the next cycle.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Wisconsin
    • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53295-1000
      • Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Veterans in the Zablocki VA catchment area with symptomatic post traumatic stress disorder

Exclusion Criteria:

Current involvement in intense treatment for a psychiatric illness or substance abuse.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm 1; patients with PTSD are randomized to either entering immediately a 6 week treatment with music therapy, or being in the delay group that enters the treatment arm after 6 weeks. This is a delayed entry RCT.	Behavioral: music therapy with guitar lessons; The treatment is a 6 week music therapy intervention. Subjects receive 1 hour individual lesson and a 1 hour group session weekly for 6 weeks. they are given a guitar following completion of the study

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Post traumatic stress disorder Checklist (PCL)	after 6 weeks of intervention with music training

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
depression, social participation, wellness	after 6 weeks of intervention with music training

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: US Department of Veterans Affairs
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Timothy R. Dillingham, MD MS, Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 26, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 26, 2010
• First Posted (Estimate): October 28, 2010

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): April 7, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 6, 2015
• Last Verified: July 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Other Study ID Numbers: PPO 10-075