Rural Left-Behind ChildrenMT-LBCCDSANCT07877961
Music Therapy for Character Development and Social Adaptation Among Rural Left-Behind Children
A study testing Group Music Therapy and Psychoeducational Lectures in people with Rural Left-Behind Children and Social Adaptation, run by Shangqiu Normal University at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
Rural left-behind children (LBC) are children in rural China whose parents have migrated to cities for work. They often face emotional and social difficulties because of long-term separation from parents. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 10 to 14 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Rural Left-Behind Children, Social Adaptation, Character Development
- What is being tested?
- Group Music Therapy and Psychoeducational Lectures
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 24 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 4 Jan 2026to 20 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 10 to 14 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Rural left-behind children aged 10-14 years.
- Both parents migrated to urban areas for work for at least six months.
- Currently residing in rural hometowns under grandparental care.
- Enrolled in grades 4-9 in rural primary or middle schools.
- Assented to participate with parental/guardian informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Children with severe psychiatric or neurological disorders.
- Currently receiving other psychological interventions or counseling.
- Physical disabilities or hearing impairments that would prevent music therapy participation.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Study on the Facilitating Mechanism of Character Development for Social Adaptation Among Rural Left-Behind Children and Music Therapy Intervention
Rural left-behind children (LBC) are children in rural China whose parents have migrated to cities for work. They often face emotional and social difficulties because of long-term separation from parents. This study examines whether structured group music therapy can help improve the social adaptation of left-behind children.
The study has two parts:
Read more
- A survey of 3,445 rural students across six provinces and one municipality directly under the central government (including 1,210 left-behind children) to understand the relationship between personality traits and social adaptation.
- A randomized controlled trial with 24 left-behind children aged 10-14 years. The intervention group receives eight weekly 90-minute group music therapy sessions led by a qualified music therapist; the control group receives no intervention.
Children in both groups are assessed at three time points: before the program, immediately after the program, and one month later. The main outcomes are changes in personality traits (psychoticism, extraversion, neuroticism, and dissimulation) and social adaptation (psychological superiority, psychological energy, interpersonal adaptability, and psychological resilience).
This study will provide evidence on whether group music therapy is a feasible and effective way to support the mental health and social adaptation of rural left-behind children.
Read the detailed description
The cross-sectional survey employed a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Five rural middle schools and five rural primary schools were selected in each region, with 2-3 classes sampled per school by grade. Participants were students in grades 4-9 (ages 9-17). LBC were defined as children aged 6-16 with rural household registration whose parent(s) had migrated for work for at least six months and who remained in rural hometowns under the care of grandparents, other relatives, or siblings.
The RCT included 24 LBC aged 10-14 years with both parents migrated and under grandparental care. Simple random allocation (drawing lots) assigned participants to experimental (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute group music therapy sessions (six participants per group) led by a qualified music therapist, integrating receptive listening, instrumental improvisation, and recreational singing techniques. The control group received weekly psychoeducational lectures on mental health. Both groups completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-RSC) and Adolescent Social Adaptation Scale (ASAS) at pre-test (T0), post-test (T1), and one-month follow-up (T2).
- Being tested
- Group Music Therapy, Psychoeducational Lectures
- Keywords
- Music Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trial, Personality Traits, Group Intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Social Adjustment
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Group Music TherapyBehavioural
Structured group music therapy program, 8 weekly sessions of 90 minutes each, led by a qualified music therapist. The program integrates receptive music listening, instrumental improvisation, and recreational singing techniques to improve personality adjustment and social adaptation among rural left-behind children.
Psychoeducational LecturesBehavioural
Weekly 90-minute psychoeducational lectures on adolescent mental health, covering emotion regulation, social skills training, and stress management, delivered by school counselors.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Music Therapy | Experimental | Eight weekly 90-minute group music therapy sessions led by a qualified music therapist, integrating receptive listening, instrumental improvisation, and recreational singing. Receives: Behavioral: Group Music Therapy |
| Psychoeducational Lectures | Active comparator | Weekly 90-minute psychoeducational lectures on adolescent mental health, emotion regulation, and social skills, delivered by school counselors. Receives: Behavioral: Psychoeducational Lectures |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Personality Trait Scores
Measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-RSC), including four dimensions: psychoticism (P), extraversion (E), neuroticism (N), and dissimulation (L). T-scores are standardized (M=50, SD=10).
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediate post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up
Change in Total Social Adaptation Score
Measured by the Adolescent Social Adaptation Scale (ASAS), total score ranges from 70 to 350, with higher scores indicating better social adaptation.
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediate post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up
Secondary outcomes (1)
Intervention Attendance and Adherence
Number of music therapy sessions attended by each participant, recorded as attendance rate (out of 8 sessions).
Measured: At the end of the 8-week intervention period
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Oct 2026
- Study start4 Jan 2026
- Primary completion15 Aug 2026
- Study completion20 Sep 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Rural Left-Behind ChildrenStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Parallel randomized controlled trial with two arms: group music therapy intervention (n=12) versus psychoeducational lectures (n=12). Outcomes assessed at pre-test, post-test, and 1-month follow-up.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Shangqiu Normal University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Shuangxia Hou, Shangqiu Normal University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07877961
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SQNU2025031
- Other IDs
- 2025BYS005, 2024XJGLX0042
- Acronym
- MT-LBCCDSA
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 10 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Study on the Facilitating Mechanism of Character Development for Social Adaptation Among Rural Left-Behind Children and Music Therapy Intervention
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07877961
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MT-LBCCDSA / SQNU2025031
- Keywords
- Music Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trial, Personality Traits, Group Intervention
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 24 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Shangqiu Normal UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 4 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Sep 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Rural left-behind children (LBC) are children in rural China whose parents have migrated to cities for work. They often face emotional and social difficulties because of long-term separation from parents. This study examines whether structured group music therapy can help improve the social adaptation of left-behind children.
The study has two parts:
- A survey of 3,445 rural students across six provinces and one municipality directly under the central government (including 1,210 left-behind children) to understand the relationship between personality traits and social adaptation.
- A randomized controlled trial with 24 left-behind children aged 10-14 years. The intervention group receives eight weekly 90-minute group music therapy sessions led by a qualified music therapist; the control group receives no intervention.
Children in both groups are assessed at three time points: before the program, immediately after the program, and one month later. The main outcomes are changes in personality traits (psychoticism, extraversion, neuroticism, and dissimulation) and social adaptation (psychological superiority, psychological energy, interpersonal adaptability, and psychological resilience).
This study will provide evidence on whether group music therapy is a feasible and effective way to support the mental health and social adaptation of rural left-behind children.
Detailed description
The cross-sectional survey employed a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Five rural middle schools and five rural primary schools were selected in each region, with 2-3 classes sampled per school by grade. Participants were students in grades 4-9 (ages 9-17). LBC were defined as children aged 6-16 with rural household registration whose parent(s) had migrated for work for at least six months and who remained in rural hometowns under the care of grandparents, other relatives, or siblings.
The RCT included 24 LBC aged 10-14 years with both parents migrated and under grandparental care. Simple random allocation (drawing lots) assigned participants to experimental (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute group music therapy sessions (six participants per group) led by a qualified music therapist, integrating receptive listening, instrumental improvisation, and recreational singing techniques. The control group received weekly psychoeducational lectures on mental health. Both groups completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-RSC) and Adolescent Social Adaptation Scale (ASAS) at pre-test (T0), post-test (T1), and one-month follow-up (T2).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Parallel randomized controlled trial with two arms: group music therapy intervention (n=12) versus psychoeducational lectures (n=12). Outcomes assessed at pre-test, post-test, and 1-month follow-up.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Music Therapy | Experimental | Behavioral: Group Music TherapyEight weekly 90-minute group music therapy sessions led by a qualified music therapist, integrating receptive listening, instrumental improvisation, and recreational singing. |
| Psychoeducational Lectures | Active comparator | Behavioral: Psychoeducational LecturesWeekly 90-minute psychoeducational lectures on adolescent mental health, emotion regulation, and social skills, delivered by school counselors. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 10 to 14 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Rural left-behind children aged 10-14 years.
- Both parents migrated to urban areas for work for at least six months.
- Currently residing in rural hometowns under grandparental care.
- Enrolled in grades 4-9 in rural primary or middle schools.
- Assented to participate with parental/guardian informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Children with severe psychiatric or neurological disorders.
- Currently receiving other psychological interventions or counseling.
- Physical disabilities or hearing impairments that would prevent music therapy participation.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Group Music TherapyStructured group music therapy program, 8 weekly sessions of 90 minutes each, led by a qualified music therapist. The program integrates receptive music listening, instrumental improvisation, and recreational singing techniques to improve personality adjustment and social adaptation among rural left-behind children. | Behavioural | Music Therapy |
| Psychoeducational LecturesWeekly 90-minute psychoeducational lectures on adolescent mental health, covering emotion regulation, social skills training, and stress management, delivered by school counselors. | Behavioural | Psychoeducational Lectures |
Primary outcome
Change in Personality Trait Scores
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediate post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up
Measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-RSC), including four dimensions: psychoticism (P), extraversion (E), neuroticism (N), and dissimulation (L). T-scores are standardized (M=50, SD=10).
Change in Total Social Adaptation Score
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediate post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up
Measured by the Adolescent Social Adaptation Scale (ASAS), total score ranges from 70 to 350, with higher scores indicating better social adaptation.
1 secondary outcome
Intervention Attendance and Adherence
Time frame: At the end of the 8-week intervention period
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 16 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Group Music Therapy and Psychoeducational Lectures in people with Rural Left-Behind Children and Social Adaptation, run by Shangqiu Normal University at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Personality Trait Scores (time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediate post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 16 Oct 2026.