The effect of mental illness on the emotional experience of music

Abstract

Psychiatric patients (N=107) were studied regarding the importance of pertaining to a diagnostic group for the variation of emotional experience in music. The diagnostic groups chosen were: schizophrenic, depressive and manic psychosis, obsessive, depressive, anxiety and hysterical neurosis. As stimuli seven newly composed pieces of music orchestrated for a small symphony orchestra were used. The assessment of emotional experience was accomplished by semantic differential scales measuring the factors tension-relaxation, gaiety-gloom and attraction-repulsion. The most conspicuous findings were: the anxiety neurosis patients experienced the music as neutral in tension and gaiety, but repulsive. Hysterics experienced more gaiety and attraction together with varying degrees of tension, obsessives more tension, depressive psychotics more gloom and schizophrenics more attraction than other groups.

A Systematic Review of Scientific Studies and Case Reports on Music and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

“…In both groups, participants were exposed to seven pieces of orchestral music and their emotional experiences were measured using the three-factor semantic differential scales. OCD patients rated all music more intensely compared to healthy subjects, as well as patients with other psychiatric illnesses [63]. Despite the finding of enhanced sensitivity in OCD patients, their representation in the studies was relatively small, with only 12 patients with OCD among 107 participants.…”

“…Nielzen and Cesarec [62,63] showed that people diagnosed with OCD are more emotionally responsive to music than healthy subjects [62] and experience more tension when listening to music compared to patients with schizophrenic, affective and anxiety disorders. [63].…”

“…Nielzen and Cesarec [62,63] showed that people diagnosed with OCD are more emotionally responsive to music than healthy subjects [62] and experience more tension when listening to music compared to patients with schizophrenic, affective and anxiety disorders. [63]. In both groups, participants were exposed to seven pieces of orchestral music and their emotional experiences were measured using the three-factor semantic differential scales.…”

“…Despite the finding of enhanced sensitivity in OCD patients, their representation in the studies was relatively small, with only 12 patients with OCD among 107 participants. Additionally, other comorbid disorders presenting with OCD might influence the rating results, which was not considered in both studies [62,63].…”