Ethical thinking in music therapy

Abstract

The second edition of Ethical Thinking in Music Therapy is a highly anticipated addition since the release of its first edition (Dileo, 2000). The transformation of and new challenges in the field of music therapy over the last two decades necessitated the re-evaluation of the contents and functions of ethical guidelines. For instance, the most recent revision of the American Music Therapy Association Code of Ethics (AMTA, 2019) illustrates a shift of paradigm in their functions from prescribing ruled-based articles echoing standard-based norms to aspiring toward ideal behaviors that uphold the highest possible standard. To prepare music therapy students, interns, educators, clinicians, supervisors, and researchers for these challenges, Dileo included literature and learning contents reflecting the complexity of ethical thinking in the 13 chapters and 554 pages of writing referring to 1,221 sources, which is a significant increase from its first edition consisting of 12 chapters, 324 pages, and 375 references (Young, 2022). Instead of effortlessly gliding through a series of predetermined actions, readers at various levels of advancement in their professional practice are guided to develop the crucial ability to think critically and ethically. The question “What should I do” (p. xvii), echoing through ethical dilemmas as well as additional learning experiences in each chapter, exercises readers’ newly acquired decision-making strategies.