Work

Long-Term Effects of Short-Term Music Therapy for Prison Inmates: Six-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: For most interventions to reduce criminal recidivism, long-term effects are uncertain. Music therapy has shown effects on possible precursors of recidivism, but direct evidence on long-term effects is lacking. In an exploratory parallel randomized controlled trial, 66 inmates in a Norwegian prison were allocated to music therapy or standard care and followed up over a median of 6 years, using state registry data. Median time to relapse was 5 years, with no differences between the interventions. The imprisonment of most participants was too short to provide a sufficient number of therapy sessions. Sufficiently powered studies are needed to examine the long-term effects of appropriate doses of therapy.

Source: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

DOI: 10.1177/0306624x20909216

Authors: Christian Gold, Fredrik B. Due, Elin K. Thieu, Kjetil Hjørnevik, Lars Tuastad, Jörg Assmus

Institutions: NORCE Research AS, University of Bergen

Language: English

Topic: Music Therapy and Health

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,000