26isfam110 10.3205/26isfam110 urn:nbn:de:0183-26isfam1102 Meeting Abstract Zhao Zhao Ruby Wanru RW

The University of Hong Kong

author Liao Liao Junhao J

The University of Hong Kong

author Hung Ho Hung Ho Rainbow Tin RT

The University of Hong Kong

author German Medical Science GMS Publishing House

Düsseldorf

610 20260612 engl This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung). M0652 110 International Society for Arts and Medicine The Healing Arts – Forging Alliances of Arts & Medicine Presentation Abstracts Berlin 20260618 20260620 26isfam110 TextBackground: University students are a population commonly experiencing significant mental health challenges. Therapeutic songwriting is a recognized music therapy technique that facilitates emotional expression by engaging clients in lyrics writing and music composition, thereby promoting self-reflection and psychological insight. Objectives: This study aims to investigate how interbrain synchronization (IBS) during therapeutic songwriting underlies therapist-client interaction and correlates with intervention effects and the strength of the therapeutic alliance.Methods: Using dual-EEG recording, we measured IBS across five frequency bands during baseline, co-creation of an original song (songwriting), and listening to preferred vs. original music. Result: Results revealed that compared to baseline and preferred music, listening to the participant’s composed song elicited stronger delta-band neural coupling between the therapist and the client, and the songwriting phase showed greater gamma band synchronization. Psychological measures indicated a clinically meaningful reduction in state anxiety on the STAI-State and a strong therapeutic alliance. Conclusion: These findings suggest that listening to original music enhances therapist-client neural alignment more than listening to preferred existing music, potentially facilitating anxiety regulation through increased IBS and supporting the establishment of a strong therapeutic alliance. In addition, heightened gamma band synchronization may reflect increased joint attention between therapist and client during the songwring process. This study highlights the value of IBS as a biomarker for music therapy processes and underscores the need for larger controlled trials to examine therapeutic songwriting’s therapeutic mechanisms. Also, this study demonstrates how neuroscientific methods can capture music therapy’s dual capacity to foster both neurophysiological and experiential connection. 0 0 0 0