Group Music Intervention Reduces Aggression and Improves Self‐Esteem in Children with Highly Aggressive Behavior: A Pilot Controlled Trial

Abstract

We investigated the effects of group music intervention on aggression and self-esteem in children with highly aggressive behavior. Forty-eight children were allocated to either a music intervention group or an untreated control group. The music intervention group received 50 min of music intervention twice weekly for 15 consecutive weeks. The outcome measures were Child Behavior Checklist Aggression Problems Scale (Parents), Child Aggression Assessment Inventory (Teachers) and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. After 15 weeks, the music intervention group showed significant reduction of aggression and improvement of self-esteem compared with the control group. All outcome measures were significantly lower in the music intervention group than prior to treatment, while there was no change in the control group. These findings suggest that music can reduce aggressive behavior and improve self-esteem in children with highly aggressive behavior. Music intervention is an easily accessible therapy for children and as such may be an effective intervention for aggressive behavior. Further more, objective and replicable measures are required from a randomized controlled trial with a larger sample size and active comparable control.

The Effect of Music Therapy Along With Play Therapy on Social Behaviors and Stereotyped Behaviors of Children With Autism

“…This finding is inconsistent with the results of research studies conducted by James et al (2015) and Choi, Lee, and Lee (2010). Lack of effectiveness of the two subskills, aggression and disruptive behaviors, can also be interpreted by the difficult nature of these subskills.…”

Effects of music and natural science training on aggressive behavior

“…Therefore, learning to play a musical instrument rather than mere listening to music also contributes to modulate psychophysiological stress, anxiety, as well as self-regulatory and reactive emotional behavior, particular in school-aged children. For example, Choi, Lee, and Lee (2010) found that primary-school children (10e12 years of age) showed reduced levels of aggression as well as enhanced levels of self-esteem after 15 weeks of a comprehensive music program including singing, making and playing musical instruments, and song-writing. Similarly, Ho, Tsao, Bloch, and Zeltzer (2011) found that low-income children benefitted from drumming groups across a range of socio-emotional problems.…”

Musikbasierte Intervention bei Kindern

“…Selbstbewusstsein und Selbstwertgefühl von Kindern können durch musikbasierte Förderung in Schule, Elternhaus sowie durch Musiktherapiesitzungen positiv beeinflusst werden (Choi, Lee, Lee, 2008;Portowitz et al, 2009). Hierzu existieren Studien an aggressiven, an sozial benachteiligten Kindern oder an solchen mit problematischem Eltern-Kind-Verhältnis (Choi et al, 2008).…”

“…Hierzu existieren Studien an aggressiven, an sozial benachteiligten Kindern oder an solchen mit problematischem Eltern-Kind-Verhältnis (Choi et al, 2008). Die Eltern-Kind-Beziehung ist Gegenstand weiterer Studien mit positiven Auswirkungen auf das Verhalten von Eltern und Kind, erzieherische Aktivitäten, die Kommunikation des Kindes und dessen sozialen Spielfertigkeiten (Walworth, 2009 (2011) in ihrem systematischen Review randomisierter, kontrollierter Studien umreißt die aktuelle Forschungslage punktgenau und postuliert gleichzeitig eine Richtung für zukünftige Forschungsbemühungen: "The issue is not simply a lack of research but rather a lack of high quality research".…”