Comparative analysis of the effect of interactive audio-visual based art therapy and music therapy in reducing suicidal ideation among school children who survived abduction

Abstract

This study looked at how exposure to interactive TV-based music and art therapy could assist in reducing suicidal thoughts of secondary school female children who survived abduction in Nigeria. A quasi-experiment was carried out in three randomly selected secondary schools in Northern Nigeria. The study sample comprised 470 students divided into three groups to form control group 235, art therapy group 118 and music therapy group 117. Results suggest that participants exposed to interactive TV-based art therapy and music therapy reported a lower score for suicidal ideation compared to the control group that was not exposed to any form of therapy aside from routine clinic checkups. Specifically, those exposed to interactive TV-based art therapy reported a lesser suicidal ideation score than the music and the control group. We recommend the introduction of interactive TV-based music therapy and art therapy in reducing suicidal ideation among children that survived kidnapping in Nigeria.

Keywords: Art therapy; Kidnapping; Music therapy; Nigeria; Suicide ideation.