The efficacy of using music in children of divorce groups: Impact on anxiety, depression, and irrational beliefs about divorce.

This study examined the efficacy of a children of divorce group using music as an intervention in comparison to a more traditional psychoeducational children of divorce group. It was predicted that children of divorce groups that utilized music would have a significantly greater impact on the children's levels of anxiety, depression, and irrational beliefs about divorce after the group ended and at a 3-month follow-up assessment. Both interventions significantly decreased cognitive and social anxiety and all irrational beliefs about divorce, except hope of reunification. Depression did not decrease for all participants but when the relationship between depression and irrational beliefs was examined, irrational beliefs were found to be mediators of depression for children of divorce. These results suggest that current interventions for children of divorce do decrease anxiety and irrational beliefs in general, but specifically addressing irrational beliefs may also decrease depressive symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)