Clinical effectiveness of mindfulness-based music therapy on improving emotional regulation in blind older women: A randomized controlled trial.
Sunny H W Chan, Meryl Y C Cheung, Armstrong T S Chiu, Mimi H T Leung, Michael C C Kuo, Donald Y C Yip, Carole C Y Hui, Sally W I Kam, King Yeung, Doreen S P Mui, Shu-Mei Wang, Calvin C K Yip
Integrative Medicine Research December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2023.100993 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 92 |
| Population | Older women with blindness in Hong Kong |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based music therapy Mindfulness intervention |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Emotional regulation Music therapy Treatment outcome Visually impaired persons |
| Citations | 7 |
| Registration | NCT05583695 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based music therapy improved emotional regulation more than mindfulness intervention alone in older women with blindness. |
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate clinical effectiveness of a structured eight-week mindfulness-based music therapy (MBMT) program on improving mood regulation in older women with blindness. This investigation compared a MBMT group with a mindfulness intervention (MI) group and a control group. Ninety-two older females with blindness from a residential setting in Hong Kong were recruited and randomly allocated to a MBMT (n = 31), MI (n = 30), or control (n = 31) group. Psychological measurements regarding mood regulation and general mood states (namely, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale [DERS], Geriatric Depression Scale [GDS], and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21), were taken at pretest and posttest. Outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment. Data was analyzed based on intention-to-treat basis. At posttest, DERS scores in the MBMT group (mean differences and 95% confidence interval: 12.1, 5.5 to 18.8) and the MI group (7.2, 0.5 to 13.8) were lower than that in the control group. GDS scores in the MBMT group (2.9, 1.7 to 4.0) and the MI group (1.7, 0.6 to 2.9) were lower than those in the control group. Compared with the MI group, the MBMT group improved emotional awareness sub-scores in DERS (2.1, 0.2 to 4.1) and appeared to lower depression in GDS scores (1.1, -0.0 to 2.3; p = 0.053). MBMT seems more beneficial than MI alone for improving emotional regulation in older women with blindness. The combination of mindfulness and music can generate a synergetic effect by enhancing both attention and appraisal components within the emotional-regulation process. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05583695.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Music mindfulness acutely modulates autonomic activity and improves psychological state in anxiety and depression. Frontiers in Neuroscience 2025
- Mindfulness-based music therapy for mental health in senior college students: a randomized controlled trial Frontiers in Psychology October 29, 2025
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving hope and happiness in men with visual impairment British Journal of Visual Impairment 2026
- The effects of mindfulness meditation training on musical aesthetic emotion processing in Chinese pop music: an empirical study of musically trained individuals. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
Cites 6
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of current depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis Cognitive Behaviour Therapy February 8, 2019
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Psychiatry. FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry January 24, 2018
- The Effect of a Brief Mindfulness Practice on Perceived Stress and Sustained Attention: Does Priming Matter? Mindfulness June 6, 2022
- Effects of mindfulness-based intervention programs on sleep among people with common mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World Journal of Psychiatry April 19, 2022
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for psychological health and well-being in nonclinical samples: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Stress Management November 1, 2020
and 1 more in the library