55 STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF MUSIC STRESS REDUCTION THERAPY ON SCHIZOPHRENIA OF FINANCIAL PRACTITIONERS
Authors: Xie Yiqin 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
Workers in the financial industry generally face high pressure and high competition in the working environment, and have a high risk of mental health, including a high incidence of schizophrenia. Patients are usually accompanied by cognitive disorders, emotional disorders and impaired social functions, which seriously affect their quality of life and work ability. At present, the main use of drug intervention, but the efficacy is limited and may produce drug resistance and adverse reactions. Music therapy, which can regulate emotions, relieve stress and improve cognitive function, has gradually become a potential adjuvant therapy. However, there is a lack of systematic research on the effect of music therapy on financial practitioners with schizophrenia. The study evaluated the intervention effect of music therapy on the symptoms of financial practitioners, explored its application prospects and mechanisms, and provided references for personalized treatment programs.

Methods
A randomized controlled trial design was used to enroll 120 financial practitioners diagnosed with schizophrenia. All participants were randomly divided 1:1 into music therapy (n=60) and control (n=60) groups. The music therapy group received a 60-minute music therapy intervention twice a week for 12 weeks, in addition to their usual medication. Music therapy includes guided music listening, rhythmic interaction, and emotional expression activities that are personalized to match subjects’ musical preferences. The control group received only conventional drug treatment and no additional non-drug intervention. Symptom assessment measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), which were measured at baseline, at week 6, and at the end of the intervention. In addition, acceptance and adherence to the intervention were assessed using satisfaction surveys.

Results
Baseline assessment showed no statistically significant differences in gender composition, mean age, duration of disease, or symptom score between the two groups (P&gt;0.05). After the intervention, the total score of PANSS in the music therapy group was 62.3±12.4, while that in the control group was 73.5±11.2, which was significantly lower than that in the music therapy group (P&lt;0.05). Further sub analysis showed that the negative symptom score of the music therapy group was 23.6±5.1, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (27.8±6.4, P&lt;0.05). In terms of depressive symptoms, BDI scores in the music therapy group decreased from 28.5±6.8 to 18.4±5.2 at baseline (P&lt;0.05), and BDI scores in the control group decreased from 28.7±7.0 to 23.4±6.7 (P&lt;0.05).

Discussion
Our findings suggest that music stress reduction therapy significantly improves the clinical symptoms of financial practitioners with schizophrenia. By guiding emotional expression, relieving stress and promoting social interaction, music therapy has a positive effect on patients’ emotional regulation and recovery of social function. This non-invasive and personalized intervention is easy to accept and provides feasibility for the adjuvant treatment of schizophrenia. Future studies should further validate its long-term effects and explore its underlying biological mechanisms to provide more support for the integrated management of schizophrenia.

Funding
No. KJQN202304406; No. Z233173; No. K24ZG3260163.