A Pilot Study on the Effect of Group Music Therapy on the Mental Health of Military Personnel

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of group music therapy on the mental health of soldiers doing their military service in South Korea. Methods: We conducted music therapy 12 times over four weeks with soldiers registered in this study. Cases and controls were assessed with scale tests pre-session, post-session, and after the sixth session. Results: Among demographic characteristics, all participants were South Korean males in their twenties. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) score improved in some cases, but with no statistical significance (p=0.234). The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores in both cases and controls decreased but had no statistical meaning (p=0.878). The Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8) scores improved in both groups, and the difference between the two was statistically significant (p=0.001). The Social Provisions Scale-10 (SPS-10) scores improved in both groups, but had no statistical meaning (p=0.645). Conclusion: According to the results, SSS-8 appeared to be the only scale that was statistically significant, suggesting that music therapy can be helpful in relieving somatic symptoms, which might develop into more severe psychological problems in the future.