The Effects of Music & Auditory Beat Stimulation on Anxiety

Summary

Anxiety is a growing problem and has been steadily increasing, particularly in the adolescent and young adult populations in the past 24 years. Music and auditory beat stimulation (ABS) in the theta frequency range (4-7 Hz) are sound-based anxiety treatments that have been independently investigated in prior studies. Here, the anxiety-reducing potential of calm music combined with theta ABS was examined in a large sample of participants. Participants taking anxiolytics (n = 163) were randomly assigned to a single 24-minute session of sound-based treatment: combined (music \& ABS), music-alone, ABS-alone, or pink noise (control). Pre- and post-intervention somatic and cognitive state anxiety measures (STICSA State) were collected along with trait anxiety (STICSA Trait), personality measures (Short Form Eysenck Personality Inventory) and musical preferences (Short Test of Music Preferences).

Conditions

• Anxiety

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Music & Auditory Beat Stimulation

Listening to calm music and auditory beat stimulation Participants listened to calm music with theta auditory beat stimulation for 24 minutes

BEHAVIORAL

Music Alone

Listening to calm music Participants listened to calm music for 24 minutes

BEHAVIORAL

Auditory Beat Stimulation

Listening to theta auditory beat stimulation Participants listened to theta auditory beat stimulation for 24 minutes

BEHAVIORAL

Pink Noise

Listening to pink noise Participants listened to pink noise for 24 minutes

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Lucid, Inc.

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Mitacs

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Toronto Metropolitan University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Frank A Russo, PhD · Toronto Metropolitan University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-07-09

Primary Completion

2021-02-02

Completion

2021-02-02

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations