Role of Music Therapy Intervention Using Raga Darbari Kanada of Indian Classical Music In the Management of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Insomnia Among Elderly Adults

The statistics on psychological problems in elderly adults is increasing rapidly. Additively, sleep disorders have become fairly common among older adults. The objective of this cross-sectional analytical study was to investigate the effect raga Darbari Kanada (music therapy intervention) on psychological variables such as depression, anxiety and stress among elderly adults (age 50-60 years) of either sex (N=39), as estimated by employing Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). The study also used Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) questionnaire, to detect sleeping related difficulties or insomnia in the study sample. The subjects were asked to listen the instrumental version of the raga every day before sleeping at night for a total of eight weeks. Both the scales were used before music therapy and after finishing music therapy at the 4th week (1 month) and 8th week (2 months). The study employed a single group pre- and post-intervention research design to study the variations that takes place after music therapy without the use of a control group for comparison. The results revealed that the two months music therapy intervention program progressively and significantly (p < 0.001) lowered depression, anxiety, stress, as well as sleeping problems in the subjects. This indicated that raga Darbari Kanada may beneficial for the management of the psychological health and sleeping difficulties in elderly adults.