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The impact of two methods of music therapy and relaxation on the aggression in high
school students
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Gholami A*1, Bshlideh K2, Rafiei A1

Received: 04/08/2012 Revised: 12/11/2012 Accepted: 04/28/2013

1. Dept. of Counseling, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Allameh Tabatabaei University,
Tehran, Iran
2. Dept. of Psychology, School of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shahid Chamran University, Tehran,
Iran
Journal of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 2, Summer 2013

Abstract: J Jahrom Univ Med Sci 2013; 11(2): 7-13

Introduction:
Highly aggressive individuals experience more problems and pressure which affect their personal,
professional, educational and physical health. This study aimed to determine the effect of
combined relaxation and music therapy on aggression of male high school students.
Materials and Methods:
This is an experimental study on two experimental and control groups. The statistical population
of this study included all of students of the high schools of Ashkanan selected through cluster
sampling. Of the six high schools in Ashkanan, one was randomly selected. Among the school’s
first grade classes, two were randomly selected. They were divided into the experimental (30) and
control (30) groups randomly. First, the two groups filled out AGQ (pretest). Then, the
intervention programs were carried out through 10 sessions of music and relaxation therapy,
consisting of imagery, music, progressive muscle and breathing relaxation for the experimental
group but the control group did not receive any intervention. In the next step, the two groups
filled out AGQ again as posttest. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. In order to prevent
any contact among the groups, the sessions were conducted during school holidays.
Results:
The results of the analysis showed that combined relaxation and music therapy is effective on
aggression of male students. The aggression mean scores of the experimental group was
significantly reduced as compared to the control group (P<0.001).
Conclusion:
The use of combined relaxation and music therapy is effective on reducing aggression in male
students.

Keywords: Relaxation, Treatment, Music, Aggression

Introduction aggressive behavior as a precursor of

The industrialization process and the crime, drug abuse, depression, and
higher number of stressors in the current academic failure (2). Statistics have also
world are constantly increasing the revealed elevated levels of anger and
incidence of abnormal behaviors such as aggression in recent decades and
aggression and thus damage social experimental evidence has confirmed the
relations (1). Research has suggested harmful effects of anger on human
* Corresponding author, Address: Eshkenan Bureau of Education, Central Division, Larestan, Iran
Tel: +98 917 7093792 Email: a.gholami1359@gmail.com 7
 The impact of two methods of
relations (3). This problem has attracted
the attention of all experts, especially
psychiatrists and counselors. While
aggression can adversely affect a person
both internally and externally, inability to
manage aggression will lead to personal
distress, threaten public health and
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interpersonal relationships, and finally
cause conflicts and other deleterious
consequences (4). On the other hand,
many students are faced with educational
and psychological disorders influencing
their academic performance due to
aggression or fear of aggression in school
(5). In other words, aggressive behavior
yields nothing but huge economic costs
and loss of potential talents. Following
aggressive behaviors, an aggressive
student will be isolated from his/her peer
group and hence develop psychological
and social adjustment disorders (6). Such
students are also a major challenge for
physical education instructors, teachers,
and parents (7).
Physical and verbal aggression have been
found to be significantly related to a
number of variables including sociological
characteristics, irrational beliefs, thoughts,
and emotions, parental aggression,
maternal parenting style, family
relationship especially parent-child
relations, and academic performance.
Therefore, researchers have used such
techniques as rational-emotive education
on anger and aggression management
skills to lessen the negative effects of
anger and aggression (2, 8-13, 14).
There is a global perspective about the
therapeutic effects of music (15). Man has
always used music to express his thoughts
and feelings and seeks to use it in different
areas like treatment, healing, and creating
peace (16). Recent studies have also
mentioned the benefits and therapeutic
effects of music (17). Despite the existing
controversies, many studies indicate the
impact of music on people’s thoughts,
emotions, and behaviors (e.g. verbal and
physical aggression) (18). Not only light,
instrumental music, but also the recitation
Journal of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 2, Summer 2013
8
Gholami et al
of poems and Quran verses can efficiently
decrease physical and verbal aggression
and anger (19-20). However, violent and
fast music videos and lyrics can increase
aggressive thoughts, emotions, and
behaviors (21-24).
Relaxation, another technique to create
peace and health (25), soothes the muscles
and physical pressures to reduce mental
distress and evoke feelings of lightness
and comfort. Relaxation with music
decreases blood pressure, blood glucose
and acid levels, heart and respiration rates,
and oxygen intake and shifts brain waves
from beta (showing stress) toward alpha
(showing relaxed alertness). This series of
changes causes general inertia and lethargy
and thus lowers physiological and organ
stress (26,27). This technique is effective
in many situations, e.g. insomnia and
social anxiety, and helps people regain
their ability to control their emotions and
behaviors. Relaxation with music has also
been reported to reduce aggressive
behaviors in students with psychiatric
disorders (28-31).
As a result of recent increases in the
worldwide application of relaxation and
music therapy, music is now extensively
used in relaxation practices (32). Since
Iran’s population is predominantly young,
evaluating the psychological and
behavioral problems of its active
population can improve the performance
of the society. The present study reviewed
the theoretical concepts and findings of
previous research about the effects of
music and relaxation on general and
psychological health of people, especially
students, and sought to provide teachers
and educators with a scientific method to
control aggressive students through
investigating the efficacy of a combination
of music therapy and relaxation on
aggressive boy students’ aggression.
Materials and Methods
In this controlled trial with control and
experimental groups, the study population
comprised all high school students in the
 The impact of two methods of
city of Ashkanan (Iran). According to the
findings of previous studies and
considering the sample size formula and a
confidence level of 95%, the sample size
was calculated as 60 students. In order to
select the subjects using single-stage
cluster sampling, one high school was first
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randomly selected out of the six schools in
Ashkanan. Then, 60 students were
randomly selected from the school’s five
first grades. Finally, the selected
individuals were randomly allocated to
two equal groups of 30 (case and control
groups). In the sampling process, each
school in the city was treated as one
cluster.
After random selection of the participants,
the researchers visited the schools in
person, gave directions on completing the
questionnaires, and answered any
questions asked by the subjects. To meet
the ethical principles stated by the
Declaration of Helsinki, necessary
permissions were obtained from the
relevant organizations and schools and all
participants signed an informed consent
form containing the objectives of the study
and application of the results and ensuring
the anonymity of the questionnaires and
confidentiality of information. Moreover,
contact between the two groups was
prevented by holding the sessions on
holidays. All subjects pledged not to leave
the study until the end of the sessions.
Both groups filled out the questionnaires
twice: once before the intervention and
once after the case group had attended 10
sessions of relaxation with music (Rain of
Love, a piece of light music which is not
in conflict with Islamic values). The
collected data was analyzed with
descriptive and inferential statistics in
SPSS for Windows 19.0 (SPSS Inc.,
Chicago, IL, USA).
Data collection tool was the aggression
questionnaire (AGQ). It contains 30 items
to measure anger (14 items), offensiveness
and insult (eight items), and obstinacy and
grudge (eight items). Each item was
Journal of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 2, Summer 2013
Gholami et al
answered on a four-point Likert scale from
zero (never) to three (always). The only
exception was item 18 whose options were
scored reversely. Generally, scores greater
and lower than the mean AGQ score
represent high and low levels of
aggression, respectively. The reliability of
the questionnaire has been confirmed by
calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient as
0.74 (11). The AGQ has been normalized
for Iranian adolescents by Najarian et al.
(33) and Alahyari (34).
Results
The mean age of the subjects was 16.3 ±
0.9 years and they were all natives of
Ashkanan area. Half of their parents were
public sector employees and others were
self-employed. Among the employees,
6.6% had a master’s degree, 80.2% had a
bachelor’s degree, and 13.2% had an
associate diploma. Among others, 13.2%
were high school dropouts, 52.8% had a
high school diploma, and 39.6% had a
bachelor’s degree.
Table 1 presents the two groups’ mean
scores of aggression and its subscales in
pretest and posttest. The high scores of
overall aggression and all its three
subscales at baseline indicate the
aggression of both groups. Meanwhile,
significant reductions in the scores of the
case group were observed in the posttest
(confidence level = 0.99; P < 0.001). No
such significant differences were seen
between the pretest and posttest scores of
the control group.
All four measures
(Hotelling's trace, Wilk's lambda,
Pillai's trace, and Roy's largest root) of
multivariate analysis of variance
(MANOVA) suggested the difference
between the variables to be statistically
significant (P < 0.001). Therefore, the two
case and control groups were significantly
different in at least one of the two studied
variables, i.e. the intervention could
effectively reduce anger, offensiveness and
insult, and obstinacy and grudge.
9
 The impact of two methods of Gholami et al

Table 1: The mean (SD) pretest and posttest scores of overall aggression, anger, offensiveness and insult, and
obstinacy grudge in the case and control groups
Pretest Posttest
Scale/subscale Groups P
Mean (SD) Mean (SD)
Case 53.5(7.3) 34.4(7.9
Overall aggression P<0.001
Control 51(8.7) 50.7(8.7)
Case 23.9(4.8) 16(5.6)
Anger P<0.001
Control 22.6(7) 22.1(6.7)
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Case 14.7(2.5) 9.1(2.7)

Offensiveness and insult P<0.001
Control 14.1(2.7) 14.2(2.6)
Case 14.9(2.6) 9.3(2.8)
Obstinacy and grudge P<0.001
Control 14.2(2.7) 14.3(3.3)

Discussion being a biological stimulus and melody

The present study aimed to investigate the
effects of relaxation in combination with
music on aggression reduction in students.
Our findings showed the mentioned
combination to significantly reduce the
students’ overall aggression scores.
Although no previous studies have
evaluated the usefulness of relaxation
accompanied by music in aggression
management, Habibipoor et al. and
Khoshkhoo found relaxation with music to
significantly decrease anxiety and blood
pressure (which are both related with
aggression) (26, 35). Similarly, Onieva-
Zafra et al. and Greitemeyer concluded
that a blend of music and other
interventions can lessen aggression. They
stated that the use of self-calming, positive
self-talk, and self-restraint can not only
promote the feeling of self-efficacy and
social skills but also reduce aggression and
psychological and social maladjustment
(20, 35, 36). Moreover, Habibipoor et al.
reported the efficiency of instrumental
music in reducing aggressive behaviors
(36). The results of none of the available
studies in this field have been inconsistent
with our findings.
The current study revealed the
combination of relaxation and music to
decrease students’ anger. This finding is in
line with those suggested by Sadatpoor
and Mansoor, Dehghannayeri and
Adibhajbagheri, and Jackson who
emphasized on the biological and
physiological connection between music
and human brain (18, 31). With rhythm
stimulating the feelings of pleasure and
fancy, even the slightest rhythmic acts and
harmonic sounds will stimulate both the
body and the soul (31). In psychological
terms, relaxing music controls the mind
through positive reinforcement of
conditioning and creating pleasant stimuli.
In fact, music can provoke inner joy that
will replace anger and aggression.
According to our findings, relaxation with
music can efficiently reduce offensive and
insulting behaviors. Likewise, Conrad and
Roth, Ebneshahidi and Mohseni, and
Wheeler and Baker introduced the
combination of relaxation and music
therapy as a method to improve mental
health, decrease negative psychological
symptoms and reactions such as anger,
hostility, and anxiety, and increase positive
emotional states including calmness,
positive attitude, and general welfare (15,
16, 37). Music therapy may be applied as a
complementary treatment in the
rehabilitation of patients since it can
enhance the patients’ communication
levels and physical harmony. It can also
improve the physical and mental
performance of individuals with
neurological disorders accompanied by
physical and mental problems, (38).
Finally, the combination of relaxation and
music reduced obstinacy and grudge
among the participants of the current
study. Similarly, Rafieeyan et al. and
Raglio et al. reported the beneficial effects
of music therapy or relaxation on anxiety,
depression, and other negative reactions

Journal of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 2, Summer 2013
10
 The impact of two methods of
(39-40). Music will actually act through
the brain and significantly affect stress and
anxiety hormones and hormones like
cortisol, adrenaline, and
adrenocorticotropic hormone (41).
Conclusion
Considering the usefulness of our designed
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intervention, behavioral strategies such as
relaxation can influence physical and
mental symptoms, create a feeling of
calmness, and thus reduce anxiety,
confusion, and anger. In addition, our
findings raise hope for the development of
non-pharmaceutical pain-relief methods,
especially relaxation. Generally, the results
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