The effect of music therapy on mood, perceived exertion, and exercise adherence of patients participating in a rehabilitative upper extremity exercise program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of music therapy on perceived exertion, mood and exercise adherence of patients participating in a group upper extremity exercise program. Twenty two patients ranging in age from 22 to 86 participated in a occupational therapy upper extremity exercise (OT-UEE) program and a music therapy upper extremity exercise (MT-UEE) program for two consecutive days. Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Feeling Scale (FS) were used for participants to rate their perceived exertion levels and mood change respectively. Each session was videotaped for data collection. Analysis of data revealed that the use of music during exercises significantly reduced perceived exertion (p=0.0011) and enhanced mood (p=0.0401), although patients' exercise adherence between the two groups was not significantly different. The physiological and psychological benefits of music on rehab patients which were shown through examination of patients' perceived exertion and mood changes suggest potential benefits for exercise performances.