Group Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in Active Duty Service Members: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week group music therapy intervention for active duty service members with chronic pain. Participants will be randomized to either a group music therapy intervention plus standard care or standard care alone. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post- treatment (8 weeks), and 1-month follow-up. Primary outcomes include pain interference and pain intensity. Secondary outcomes include pain-related self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, positive affect, sleep disturbance, patient perception of change, and pain medication use. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with a subset of participants who receive music therapy to explore subjective experiences and perceived treatment benefits.

Inclusion Criteria: * Active duty service member * Age 18 -64 years of age * Diagnosis of chronic benign pain for at least 3 months * Average pain severity greater than 4/10 on the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale * Able to read and understand English Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy * Mental health conditions that would prevent compliance with or productive participation in group sessions * Cognitive impairment preventing completion of study measures * Malignant disease * Progressive neurological disorder * Moderate to profound hearing impairment not corrected with hearing aids * Previous participation in music therapy services at JBER