Can songwriting help people recover from alcohol addiction and grow emotionally?
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN80873871 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN80873871 |
- Submission date
- 05/08/2025
- Registration date
- 09/08/2025
- Last edited
- 08/08/2025
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
People recovering from alcohol addiction often face emotional challenges, such as shame, anxiety, and difficulty expressing themselves. This study aimed to explore whether writing and sharing songs could help individuals in recovery experience emotional healing and personal growth.
Who can participate?
Participants diagnosed with alcohol use disorder from eight community addiction centers and a residential facility in South Korea.
What does the study involve?
Participants in the experimental group joined a 10-week therapeutic songwriting program, where they listened to music, wrote lyrics, and shared their songs with others. The program was based on a psychological model that supports post-traumatic growth by helping people process difficult emotions and build self-understanding.
To measure the program's effectiveness, participants completed questionnaires before and after the sessions. These assessed changes in self-acceptance, emotional regulation, coping strategies, and psychological well-being after trauma. A control group continued with their usual support programs during the same period.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
It is expected that the songwriting program will help improve emotional awareness, increase positive coping skills, and support post-traumatic growth. This will suggest that songwriting could be a valuable therapeutic tool in addiction recovery, especially in community-based mental health settings.
There were no known physical risks. However, participants could experience temporary emotional discomfort when discussing personal trauma or reflecting on past experiences during songwriting sessions. Support was available throughout the sessions.
Where is the study run from?
Seoul National University, College of Nursing, South Korea
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
August 2022 to June 2023
Who is funding the study?
Investigator initiated and funded
Who is the main contact?
Mrs Jandi Kim, jandi109@gmail.com
Contact information
Public, Scientific, Principal Investigator
Yangimaeul 2Ro 5-2 B 401
Gwacheon-SI
13713
Korea, South
 ORCID ID |
0000-0002-0582-6464 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +82 070-8019-0902 |
| jandi109@gmail.com |
Study information
| Study design | Non-equivalent control group pretest–posttest design (quasi-experimental) |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study setting(s) | Community |
| Study type | Treatment |
| Participant information sheet | 47777_PIS.pdf |
| Scientific title | A quasi-experimental study of therapeutic songwriting for post-traumatic growth among individuals with alcohol use disorder |
| Study objectives | This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 10-session therapeutic songwriting program on individuals recovering from alcohol addiction. The intervention was designed to enhance self-acceptance, emotional regulation, coping strategies, and post-traumatic growth. The study was conducted in community-based recovery centers in South Korea using a non-equivalent control group pretest–posttest design. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Approved 02/08/2022, Seoul National University Bioethics Committee (103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03808, Korea, South; +82-2-880-5001; itsc@snu.ac.kr), ref: 2208/002-009 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Alcohol use disorder, trauma-related psychological distress, and post-traumatic stress addiction recovery |
| Intervention | A 10-session therapeutic songwriting program was delivered once a week for 90 minutes to individuals recovering from alcohol addiction. The intervention included music listening, lyric writing, and group sharing activities based on an affective–cognitive processing model of post-traumatic growth. Sessions were facilitated by a trained researcher with a professional music therapy background at community addiction centers in South Korea. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Post-traumatic psychological well-being, measured using the Psychological Well-Being Post-Traumatic Changes Questionnaire (PWB-PTCQ), pre- and post-intervention |
| Secondary outcome measures | The following secondary outcome measures were assessed pre- and post-intervention: 1. Self-acceptance, measured using the Korean version of the Unconditional Positive Self-Regard Scale (KUPSR) 2. Positive and negative affect, measured using a modified version of the Intensity and Time Affect Survey (ITAS) 2. Positive coping, measured using the Clinical Short-Form Positive Resources Test (POREST) |
| Overall study start date | 01/08/2022 |
| Completion date | 30/06/2023 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Mixed |
| Lower age limit | 19 Years |
| Upper age limit | 70 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 60 |
| Total final enrolment | 44 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Adults aged 19 to 70 years 2. Diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (according to DSM-5 criteria) 3. Enrolled in a community-based addiction recovery program in South Korea 4. Provided written informed consent |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Presence of severe cognitive impairment or communication difficulties 2. Current psychiatric hospitalization or acute withdrawal symptoms 3. Inability to participate in group sessions regularly |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/09/2022 |
| Date of final enrolment | 15/06/2023 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Korea, South
Study participating centres
Seongnam‑si
13346
Korea, South
Ansan‑si
15335
Korea, South
Anyang‑si
14093
Korea, South
Seoul
01197
Korea, South
Seoul
01406
Korea, South
Goyang-si
10450
Korea, South
Seoul
03969
Korea, South
Seoul
03079
Korea, South
Sponsor information
University/education
College of Nursing, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu
Seoul
08826
Korea, South
| Phone | +82 02-740-8807 |
|---|---|
| sungjae@snu.ac.kr | |
| Website | https://nursing.snu.ac.kr/ |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/04h9pn542 |
Funders
Funder type
Other
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 01/12/2025 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not expected to be made available |
| Publication and dissemination plan | The study was part of a completed doctoral dissertation and is being registered retrospectively. The results have been submitted for publication and will also be presented at academic conferences. |
| IPD sharing plan | No plans to share individual participant data at this time. The data may be made available upon reasonable request after publication, with proper ethical approvals. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant information sheet | 08/08/2025 | No | Yes |
Additional files
Editorial Notes
08/08/2025: Study's existence confirmed by the Seoul National University Bioethics Committee.
