Music therapy: a novel motivational approach for dually diagnosed patients

Stephen Ross, New York University School of Medicine
Indra Cidambi, New York University School of Medicine
Helen Dermatis, New York University School of Medicine
Jason Weinstein, Bellevue Hospital
Douglas M. Ziedonis, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Serena Roth, New York University School of Medicine
Marc Galanter, Bellevue Hospital

Abstract

Co-occurring mental illness and addiction is very common and results in worse treatment outcomes compared to singly diagnosed addicted individuals. Integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders is associated with better treatment outcomes; however there is a wide range of what is included in integrated treatment. Due to patient and staff interests, integrated treatment often includes complementary and alternative therapies, including music and art therapy. There is a need to study how these approaches effect treatment engagement, retention, and outcome. This study was a prospective naturalistic non-randomized pilot study without a control group that sought to evaluate how participation in a music therapy program affected treatment outcomes for individuals with co-occurring mental illness and addiction. In summary, music therapy appears to be a novel motivational tool in a severely impaired inpatient sample of patients with co-occurring disorders. Future studies of music therapy in integrated co-occurring disorder setting should include a control group.