Subjective experience of relaxation - induced by vibroacoustic stimulation by a Body Monochord or CD music - a randomised, controlled study in patients with psychosomatic disorders

Bibliographic Data

ID4622039
AuthorsHubertus Sandler, Uta Fendel, Eva Peters (0000-0003-3612-0365), Eva M J Peters (0000-0003-2423-527X), Matthias Rose (0000-0001-5233-3139), Rainer Bösel, Burghard F Klapp
Year2017
Volume26
Issue1
Pages79-98
Publication date2017-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueNordisk Tidsskrift for Musikkterapi (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0803-9828 • E-ISSN: 1944-8260
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/08098131.2015.1089312
OpenAlexW2496742662
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited37

Vibroacoustic stimulation via a Body Monochord can induce states of relaxation and subjective well-being. Sometimes unpleasant experiences such as fear, loss of control and unpleasant imagery can occur. Previous results were mainly deduced from investigations in healthy subjects.In this study, we examined psychosomatic patients’ subjective experiences during a single treatment with a Body Monochord in comparison to a listening session of relaxation music via audio CD. Diagnosed disorders were anxiety disorders n = 14, depressive disorders n = 18, adjustment disorder n = 27 and somatoform disorders n = 6. Each of the two treatments took approximately 20 minutes and was presented to the patients in random order. Subjective experiences were recorded via a shortened version of the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory. Neither clinical disorders nor psychometric scales for depressiveness and anxiety showed any influence on the emotional experience of the Body Monochord. However, patients with higher depression and anxiety scores showed a tendency to experience the CD music as less emotionally positive. The experience of relaxation induced by the Body Monochord is characterised to a greater extent by release of control (paired t-test: p = .003, effect size Cohen’s d = .54). Contrary to listening sessions of the CD music, the intensity of imagery during the treatment with the Body Monochord was not related to positive emotional feelings. Possibly during treatment with the Body Monochord psychological defence mechanisms of subjects are more reduced; this may make it easier for unconscious or preconscious contents to appear.KEYWORDS: Body Monochordvibroacoustic stimulationrelaxationsubjective experience Additional informationNotes on contributorsHubertus SandlerHubertus Sandler holds a Diploma in Psychology from the Free University Berlin and a Diploma in Music Therapy from Institut für Musiktherapie, Berlin. He has been a freelance music therapist from 2001 to 2007, music therapist from 2007 to 2008 and research assistant at the Department for General Internal and Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin since 2009. His research interests include body-centred and creative therapies, psychophysiology, and EEG.Uta FendelUta Fendel holds a degree in Doctor in Medicine and is physician from the Department for General Internal and Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Combining her clinical background with her first academic degree in fine arts (master student of Jo Enzweiler), her particular research interest is in body-centred and creative therapies for patients with psychosomatic disorders. She has been practicing the Body Monochord treatment at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine for several years.Eva PetersEva Peters holds a degree in Doctor in Medicine and is an associate professor. She heads the Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen and at the same time holds a research and teaching position at the Universitätsmedizin Charité in Berlin. Her current research topics are highly interdisciplinary and cover stress research, dermatology, immunology, neurobiology, endocrinology and molecular psychosomatic medicine.Matthias RoseProf Matthias Rose holds a degree in Doctor in Medicine. He has been a physician and psychotherapist at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin from 1993 to 2004; senior scientist at QualityMetric Inc. & Health Assessment Lab, Waltham, MA, USA from 2004 to 2007; research director, senior physician and senior lecturer at Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, USA from 2007 to 2012; associate professor at University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA since 2009; department chair and psychosomatic medicine at Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin since 2012. His research interests include health outcome research, psychological assessments, and mental disorders in chronic medical conditions.Rainer BöselProf Rainer Bösel holds a degree in Doctor of Philosophy. He studied Mathematics, Zoology, and Psychology in Vienna and Salzburg from 1962 to 1969. He has been research assistant at Max-Planck-Institut Tübingen (neurobiology) from 1969 to 1972, assistant professor in Berlin (psychophysiology) from 1972 to 1980, full professor for psychology at the Free University of Berlin from 1980 to 2010, professor for psychology at the International Psychoanalytic University of Berlin from 2010 to 2013. His research interests include attention and cognition, psychological aesthetics, and EEG methods.Burghard F. KlappProf Burghard F. Klapp holds a degree in Doctor in Medicine. He is a professor in Studies of Medicine and Sociology, residencies in Internal Medicine, Psychoanalysis, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics at Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany, professor for Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics 1986 in Giessen, 1987 vocation to Free University, Berlin. He has been the Head of the Department for General Internal and Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin from 1988 to 2013. His research interests include scientific work on psychosocial aspects of intensive care, self-regulation, stress, coping, moods, narcissism, etc., role repertory grid, experimental and clinical studies in psychophysiology

Active listening · Anxiety · Audiology · Feeling · Music therapy · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Relaxation (psychology · Clinical Psychology · Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation · Medicine · Music Therapy and Health · Neuroscience and Music Perception · Psychology

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