Music Therapy in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Music Therapy as an Adjunct to Standard Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Co-morbid Anxiety and Depression in Iran

Previous studies have highlighted the potential therapeutic benefits of receptive individual music therapy as an adjunct to standard care, in a variety of psychiatric ailments including mood and anxiety disorders. However, the role of music in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder have not been investigated to date. The present study therefore aimed to investigate the efficacy of music therapy as an adjunct to standard treatment, on obsessions in patients with treatment-naïve OCD. Moreover, given the fact that a significant proportion of patients with OCD have other comorbid mood or anxiety disorders, the question of whether therapeutic benefits of music could be expanded to also affect concurrent depressive and anxiety symptoms was explored.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor; Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Other: Music therapy

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Esfahan, Iran, Islamic Republic of, 56465201
    • Shariati Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• were at least 18 years or older;
• had axis I diagnosis of OCD according to the criteria delineated by the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders - fourth edition diagnosed by an experienced psychiatrist
• had not received treatment previously for the disorder
• agreed to partake in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• refused to partake in the study

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

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Standard treatment + music therapy; Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor plus cognitive behavioral therapy. Music therapy encompassing 12 half-hour sessions of therapist-supervised receptive music therapy scheduled over four weeks	Drug: Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor; A medication of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) family, Behavioral. The type and dosage of the medication was decided by the treating psychiatrist.; Other Names: Pharmacotherapy; Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder carried out by a psychologist.; Other Names: Psychotherapy; Other: Music therapy; 12 sessions of 30-minute individual-based receptive music therapy, supervised by the treating psychiatrist.; Other Names: Receptive music therapy
Active Comparator: Standard treatment only; Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor plus cognitive behavioral therapy.	Drug: Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor; A medication of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) family, Behavioral. The type and dosage of the medication was decided by the treating psychiatrist.; Other Names: Pharmacotherapy; Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder carried out by a psychologist.; Other Names: Psychotherapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Obsession (Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory)	Post-intervention scores on Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory	1 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Obsession subtype (Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory sub-types)	Post-intervention scores on Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory sub-types	1 month
Anxiety symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory)	Post-intervention scores on Beck Anxiety Inventory	1 month
Depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory - Short Form)	Post-intervention scores on Beck Depression Inventory - Short Form	1 month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 27, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 10, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): December 11, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 11, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 10, 2014
• Last Verified: December 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Combined Modality Therapy; Music Therapy/methods; Anxiety Disorders/therapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Personality Disorders; Depression; Disease; Compulsive Personality Disorder; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Anxiety Disorders; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; Membrane Transport Modulators; Serotonin Agents; Serotonin Receptor Agonists; Serotonin; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2172719