XiJing Chen

XiJing Chen

Fuyuan xiaoqu 601, No.10, Daxing District,
Beijing, China
Tel-0086-010-60213073
Mobile: 0086-13426301468

Qualifications

Music therapist: MA (2006 Central Conservatory of Music, China)

Current position

Partly half and full time PhD student at the Doctoral Program in Music Therapy AAU since 1st.of July, 2010.

PhD research study

Title of PhD research study

The effect of group music therapy on non-psychotic prisoners-A randomised controlled trial

Supervisor

Christian Gold
Niels Hannibal

Background

The prevalence of psychological problems is high in prison (Stewart, 2008; Wang, 2007, Perry, 2010). Prisoner patients have urgent needs for appropriate treatments. Although music therapy might be a successful treatment modality for prisoner patients, only few studies have been conducted in this area. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of group music therapy for anxiety, depression and self-esteem in prisoners.

Research questions

To explore the value and effectiveness of group music therapy for prisoners in Chinese prison.
To explore how music therapy can be effectively implemented in Chinese prison system.

Main question
What is the value and effectiveness of music therapy to prisoners in Chinese prison?
Sub questions:
1) Does group music therapy reduce prisoners’ anxiety?
2) Does group music therapy reduce prisoners’ depression?
3) Does group music therapy improve prisoners’ self-esteem?
4) Does group music therapy have impact on prisoners’ social behaviour?

Study Introduction

The participants of this study will be adult male prisoners from XinAn prison, China. Non-psychotic prisoners with high level of anxiety or depression will be eligible participants for this study. Receptive and active music therapy methods, including music relaxation, music and imagery, song writing, improvisation, will be used in group setting according to the prisoners’ needs and the music therapist’ expertise. The standardized self-report scales will be used to measure the outcomes of anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-esteem Inventory, Texas Social Behavior Inventory). Prisoners’ diary and daily behavior observation made by prison guards will be provided as complementary data for analysis.

Design

This study will be a cluster randomised controlled study. Participants (N=192) will be randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group will receive biweekly group music therapy for 10 weeks (20 sessions), while the control group will receive standard care within this period. The outcomes will be measured three times: pre-test, after 5 weeks of intervention, and post-test.

References

Perry, A.E., Marandos, R., Coulton, S., & Johnson, M. (2010). Screening tools assessing risk of suicide and self-harm in adult offenders: a systematic review. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 54: 803.
Stewart, D. (2008). The problems and needs of newly sentenced prisoners: results from a national survey, London: Ministry of Justice.
Wang, B., Li, B.H., Hu, & J.M. (2007). The research on personality disorders of the recidivists. Journal of Psychiatry, 20(2).