Modulating hyperarousal in adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder through music therapy: A micro-intervention for arousal regulation

Adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often experience persistent hyperarousal, even in the absence of immediate danger or threats. Hyperarousal can severely impair daily functioning through increased reactivity, hypervigilance, and attention difficulties. When initial trauma-focused treatments are as yet ineffective or rejected by the client, clinical guidelines emphasize the importance of developing self-regulation strategies. As hyperarousal is part of the predominant PTSD symptom cluster, targeting arousal regulation may enhance overall trauma-focused treatment. This article introduces a literature-informed, consensus-based music therapy micro-intervention aimed at modulating hyperarousal and improving arousal regulation in adolescents with PTSD or trauma-related hyperarousal through singing or rapping. Using the music therapy micro-intervention format, a detailed description of the intervention, its theoretical and scientific foundations, the musical working mechanisms, and a stepwise procedure are proposed to provide music therapists with new opportunities to address hyperarousal in clinical practice.