A meta-review of systematic reviews on the effectiveness of music therapy on depression, stress, anxiety and cognitive function in adult's with dementia or cognitive impairment

Background: Subjective cognitive impairment has been reported to be associated with depressive symptoms, stress and anxiety in older people. This study examines the impact of music interventions on cognitive functioning, depression, anxiety, and stress for adults with dementia or cognitive impairment. Method: We searched Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Medline, and PsycINFO without restriction to date. Systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis of music interventions were included. Effect sizes were estimated using standardized mean difference (SMD), weighted mean difference (WMD), mean difference (MD), and Hedges g, as reported. Effect sizes were reported as 〈 0.1 = small effect to 〉 0.5 as large effect. Results: Twenty systematic reviews were included. There is evidence that music interventions can have effects on cognitive abilities compared to standard care, with a small to large decrease in anxiety. Conclusion: Music interventions might have variable effects on improved cognitive functioning, depression, anxiety and stress.