We aimed to determine and compare the effects of music therapy and music medicine on
depression, and explore the potential factors associated with the effect.
A total of 55 RCTs were included in our meta-analysis. Music therapy exhibited a significant
reduction in depressive symptom (SMD = −0.66; 95% CI = -0.86 to -0.46; P<0.001) compared with the control group; while, music medicine exhibited a stronger effect in reducing
depressive symptom (SMD = −1.33; 95% CI = -1.96 to -0.70; P<0.001). Among the specific
music therapy methods, recreative music therapy (SMD = -1.41; 95% CI = -2.63 to -0.20;
P<0.001), guided imagery and music (SMD = -1.08; 95% CI = -1.72 to -0.43; P<0.001),
music-assisted relaxation (SMD = -0.81; 95% CI = -1.24 to -0.38; P<0.001), music and
imagery (SMD = -0.38; 95% CI = -0.81 to 0.06; P = 0.312), improvisational music therapy
(SMD = -0.27; 95% CI = -0.49 to -0.05; P = 0.001), music and discuss (SMD = -0.26; 95% CI
= -1.12 to 0.60; P = 0.225) exhibited a different effect respectively. Music therapy and music
medicine both exhibited a stronger effects of short and medium length compared with long
intervention periods.
A different effect of music therapy and music medicine on depression was observed in our
present meta-analysis, and the effect might be affected by the therapy process.Music therapy on depression
