Directions: Complete the following required worksheet using the required article for the current session.
Purpose of the Study
The study aims to investigate the possible effects of music therapy in depression treatment among elderly people living in a nursing home. Psychological help assumes an integrated approach to solving a person’s problem. Scientists have proven that sounds can affect the mental and emotional background, creating a favorable energy field.
Research & Design
The research is a randomized controlled trial; older adults were randomly assigned to a music therapy group or a control group, and any of the outcomes were assessed. The Medical Faculty at Ordy University approved the research; the latter was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki’s ethics code. All participants were aware of the survey’s purpose, being guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality; moreover, participation was entirely voluntary.
Sample
The number of participants in this survey consists of 105 older adults. The sample involved 64 older people (32 music and 32 control groups) who complied with the study’s criteria, namely all elderly people living in a nursing home located in Ordu province in Turkey (Gök Ugur et al., 2017). The results of the study date between January and March, 2015.
Data Collection
A specialist in the psychiatric nursing field excluded non-eligible participants. The data were collected adopting the ‘Elderly Information Form’ and ‘Geriatric Depression Scale’ (Gök Ugur et al., 2017). For allocating the groups, the scientists used a computer-generated list of random numbers to divide 64 members of the survey into a control group and a music group.
Data Analysis
For an exact result, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used in the study. SPSS Statistics is a professional statistical analysis package; it occupies a leading position among programs designed for statistical information processing. It is the primary tool for analysts in sociology, marketing, banking and finance, scientific medicine, and other areas where statistical methods are required. The statistical significance was accepted as p < 0.05 in the survey (Gök Ugur et al., 2017). General features were compared between the two groups to determine the success of random samples, using chi-square tests and t-tests. Depression level fluctuations were identified in eight weeks and were analyzed among the participants.
Limitations
Several limitations occurred during the survey; first of all, participants were from one nursing home, which narrowed the area and geographical frameworks. Moreover, the study reflects depressive outcomes but does not measure the effects in various fields, including cognitive levels and instrumental activities in older people (Gök Ugur et al., 2017). This leads to the fact that results cannot be generally accepted for all representatives of this social group.
Findings/Discussion
In a study of the effect of individually selected music on this problem, music has been observed to have a calming effect. One of the interesting details is that it can be especially suitable for people with dementia. Music therapy accompanying medical treatment is more effective than conventional treatment alone. It appears to reduce depressive symptoms and anxiety and help improve functioning, especially maintaining activities and relationships. Further trials should investigate depression in children and adolescents; they should describe the music therapy procedure and other interventions.
Reading Research Literature
Reading research literature is the most accessible and, at the same time, complicated method. It requires the performer to be highly efficient and able to critically evaluate what has been read, taking into account the chosen research topic. The main goal of the study in the analysis of literary sources is to collect scientific data on the question. It helps to determine the achievements in the studied area of knowledge, existing points of view on the problem, which allows readers to outline research prospects and formulate a hypothesis.
Reference
Gök Ugur, H., Yaman Aktaş, Y., Orak, O. S., Saglambilen, O., & Aydin Avci, İ. (2017). The effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people living in a Turkish nursing home: a randomized-controlled trial. Aging & mental health, 21(12), 1280-1286. Web.