The Effects of Group Music Therapy on the Emotional Health of Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Pilot Study

NCT07536360 | Enrolling By Invitation DMC

• 1 other identifier: CMU114-N-27
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this pilot study is to learn whether group music therapy improves the emotional health of residents living in long-term care facilities. It will also examine the feasibility of integrating an artificial intelligence (AI)-based emotion recognition model into routine psychosocial interventions. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does group music therapy improve positive affect and reduce negative affect, depression, and loneliness among long-term care residents? Are AI-based facial emotion recognition results consistent with residents' self-reported emotional assessments? Researchers will use a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design to evaluate changes before and after a 6-week group music therapy program. The study will also compare subjective questionnaire results with objective facial emotion recognition outputs generated by the PaLI Gemma 2 multimodal model. Participants will: Attend one 60-minute group music therapy session per week for 6 weeks Complete emotional health questionnaires before the first session and after the sixth session Be recorded during sessions using a non-invasive camera system for facial emotion analysis Have their questionnaire results compared with AI-based emotion recognition outputs to evaluate consistency and feasibility This pilot study will provide preliminary evidence regarding both the psychological benefits of group music therapy and the feasibility of applying AI-supported multimodal emotion assessment in long-term care settings.

Conditions

Loneliness; Negative Affect; Music Therapy; Long-term Care Facility; Emotion Recognition

Keywords

Music Therapy; Long-Term Care Facility; Emotion Recognition; Emotional Health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Positive Affect Score on the I-PANAS-SF

  Assessed using the short form of the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (I-PANAS-SF). The positive affect subscale consists of 5 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1=never, 5=always). Total subscale scores range from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating stronger positive emotional intensity.

  Baseline, Week 6

• Change in Negative Affect Score on the I-PANAS-SF

  Assessed using the short form of the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (I-PANAS-SF). The negative affect subscale consists of 5 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1=never, 5=always). Total subscale scores range from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating stronger negative emotional intensity.

  Baseline, Week 6

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Geriatric Depression Scale

  Baseline, Week 6

• UCLA Loneliness Scale

  Baseline and Week 6

Other Outcomes (2)

• Change in AI-Derived Emotional Valence Score

  Baseline, Week 6

• Change in Positive Affect Score on the I-PANAS-SF

  Baseline, Week 6

Study Arms (1)

Group Music Therapy Intervention

OTHER

Arm 1: Group Music Therapy Intervention Participants assigned to this single study arm will receive a 6-week group music therapy program. Each participant will attend one 60-minute session per week, for a total of six sessions. The intervention includes structured music listening, instrument interaction (e.g., percussion instruments), group singing, and brief sharing activities designed to promote emotional expression and social interaction. Sessions will be led by a trained music therapist with support from nursing staff. Participants will complete emotional health questionnaires at baseline (before the first session) and after the sixth session. During sessions, non-invasive facial image recordings will be collected for AI-based emotion analysis. All participants receive the same intervention; there is no control or comparison arm in this pilot study.

Other: Group Music Therapy

Interventions

Group Music Therapy OTHER

This intervention consists of a structured 6-week group music therapy program designed for residents of a long-term care facility. Participants attend one 60-minute session per week, for a total of six sessions. Sessions are conducted in small groups (approximately 10 participants per group) and are led by a trained music therapist with support from nursing staff. The intervention follows an active music therapy approach and includes four core components: (1) listening to culturally familiar music to evoke emotional resonance; (2) interactive instrument play using simple percussion instruments to promote engagement and coordination; (3) group singing and vocal expression to facilitate emotional expression and social bonding; and (4) brief group sharing discussions to encourage reflection and interpersonal connection. The program is progressively structured to enhance emotional engagement and social interaction in a supportive environment. In addition to standard psychosocial outcome

Also known as: Non-pharmacological Music Intervention

Group Music Therapy Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Aged 65 years or older
• Resident of the long-term care facility for at least 3 months
• SPMSQ scale error 0-2 questions
• Medically stable and able to participate in group activities
• Able to communicate and complete questionnaires (with assistance if needed)
• Willing to provide written informed consent, including consent for facial image collection

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosed with severe dementia
• Diagnosed with major psychiatric disorders
• Diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases that significantly impair participation
• Severe hearing or visual impairment that prevents engagement in music therapy activities
• Participation in other psychological therapy or music therapy programs within the past 3 months
• Acute medical condition requiring hospitalization or intensive treatment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Yu Chia Chang: lead

Study Sites (1)

China Medical University

Taichung, Taichung City, 406040, Taiwan

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Chang, Y.-C. (2026). The Effects of Group Music Therapy on the Emotional Health of Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Pilot Study. Study protocol, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. Unpublished.

  RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: This study uses a single-arm, quasi-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest interventional design. All enrolled participants will receive the same 6-week group music therapy intervention. Emotional health outcomes will be measured before the intervention (baseline, T0) and after completion of the intervention (post-intervention, T1). There is no control or comparison group in this pilot study. The primary purpose is to evaluate preliminary intervention effects and assess feasibility, including the integration of AI-based facial emotion recognition with subjective self-report measures. The study is designed as an early-phase feasibility and proof-of-concept investigation to generate effect size estimates and methodological insights for future randomized controlled trials.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 17, 2026
• First Posted: April 17, 2026
• Study Start: February 18, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 31, 2027
• Last Updated: April 17, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TW (1)