Music therapy for mental health in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

作者：Zhi-Yong Zhang, Ming Ye, Lin Zhang · 发表于：Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1186/s13034-026-01102-8 · 研究领域：Medicine

BACKGROUND Child and adolescent mental disorders impose substantial individual and societal burdens. This study synthesized randomized evidence on the effects of music therapy on depressive and anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, and health-related quality of life in young people, and explored whether intervention characteristics were associated with variations in effect estimates. METHODS Following PRISMA 2020, this review was retrospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD420261382585). PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched from inception to July 31, 2025, without language limits. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials enrolling participants aged 6 to 18 years; comparators were no treatment, waitlist, attention control, or usual care; the planned intervention duration was at least four weeks; and outcomes were validated continuous measures at end of treatment. Random-effects models with restricted maximum likelihood generated standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95 percent confidence intervals. Prespecified moderators included age group, session length, session frequency, program duration, and adherence. RESULTS Nine trials (n = 690) met inclusion criteria. Music therapy reduced depressive symptoms versus controls (SMD - 0.55; 95% CI, - 0.71 to - 0.38) and improved self-esteem (SMD 0.45; 95% CI, 0.26 to 0.64) and quality of life (SMD 0.69; 95...