PURPOSE This study was to observe the effects of music therapy on the cognitive function, behavior, and emotions of elderly dementia patients, and to seek musical mediation for them. This study was conducted with patients in the Dementia Sanitarium in C City from March 13 to April 17. METHOD The design of research was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design and the subjects were 25 patients-15 of whom were in the experimental group with 10 in the control group.
The music therapy consisted of favorite music listening in the morning, favorite music group singing activity after lunch, and relaxing music listening after dinner. The schedule was followed 6 days a week for 2 weeks for a total of thirty-six session. The effect of music therapy was measured by MMSE-K and the behavior and emotion measuring equipment which had been derived by the researcher. The verification of the effects is that the score of cognitive function, behavior, and emotions of the experimental and the control group which were measured after the therapy had been applied was analyzed by descriptive statistics and t-test using SPSS WIN program. RESULT 1)The degree of cognitive function of the experimental group which was received the music therapy is 11.53+/-5.37 which is a little higher than the control group which is 11.20+/-6.32, but it is not significant statistically (t= .14, p= .887). The first hypothesis which had assumed the recepients would have had a higher cognitive function level than the other was rejected. 2) Behavior score of the experimental group that received the music therapy is 68.90+/-7.86 which is higher than the control group which is 66.40+/-11.13, but it is not significant statistically(t= .61, p= .548). The second hypothesis which had assumed the recepients would have had a higher behavior level than the other was rejected. 3)Emotions score of the experimental group that received the music therapy is 42.13+/-5.04 which is higher than the control group which is 35.20+/-6.12, and it is significant statistically(t=3..09, p= .009). The third hypothesis which assumed the recepients would have had a higher emotion level was supported. CONCLUSION music therapy which is composed of listening to music and group singing activity is an effective strategy for improvement of the emotions of the dementia elderly. But, the effect of music therapy on the cognitive function and behavior of elderly dementia patients is not significant statistically.
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