Impact of a music therapy program on mental health and school attendance among female adolescents in Kasai-Central province, Democratic Republic of Congo
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7148987 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lisa Zook (0000-0002-0912-8022, Surdna Foundation), Ali Bitenga Alexandre (Surdna Foundation), Michelle M Hood (0000-0002-1049-8426, University of Michigan), Siobán D Harlow (0000-0002-9899-356X, University of Michigan) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Pages | e44-e44 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cambridge Prisms Global Mental Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2054-4251 • E-ISSN: 2054-4251 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/gmh.2025.31 |
| PMID | 40303956 |
| OpenAlex | W4408806493 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 39 |
This study assessed whether a music therapy program improved mental health and school attendance among girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following economic and conflict-related insecurity. It included 483 girls aged 10–14 who participated in the Healing in Harmony (HiH) program, implemented by World Vision and Make Music Matter in Kasai-Central province. Participants completed surveys before and after the program, and up to two follow-up interviews assessing depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and school attendance. Before the program, 36.0% (95% CI 31.7%–40.3%) and 60.5% (95% CI 56.1%–64.8%) screened positive for depression and anxiety, respectively. After participation, the risk of screening positive declined by 75% for depression (RR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.22–0.32) and by about half for anxiety (RR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.41–0.53), with improvements sustained up to 17 months. Self-esteem scores increased by 3.93 points (95% CI 3.22–4.64, p
Attendance · Democracy · Family medicine · Geography · Mental health · Political science · Psychiatry · Sociology · Demography · Infant Development and Preterm Care · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Music Therapy and Health · Psychology · Gerontology
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |