Music Therapy for stress reduction in healthy adults: a systematic review.

Abstract

Background. Stress is a prevalent problem today, and music therapy is presented as a discipline with great potential to reduce stress-related symptoms. However, systematic reviews of the efficacy of music therapy in this context are controversial. Objective. This paper aims to conduct a systematic review of the literature to assess the efficacy of music therapy in reducing stress in healthy adults. Method. A strategic search was conducted by consulting scientific databases and 12 studies were selected from a total of 3690 identified sources, involving 807 participants aged 18-44 years. Results. The reviewed studies indicated that music therapy can reduce stress by positively influencing blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol levels and emotional well-being. However, these effects are not uniform and depend on factors such as musical preference, social context, and frequency of music listening. Conclusions. Music therapy is a promising intervention for stress reduction, but its effectiveness depends on personalised approaches and further research in ecological contexts. Its integration with other therapeutic strategies could improve physical and psychological health in diverse populations.