Parent perspectives of telehealth compared to in-person family-centred music therapy for their autistic child in Hong Kong: A qualitative study

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ABSTRACT Introduction The development of telehealth music therapy started before COVID-19 and has expanded since the outbreak of the pandemic. Several studies have reviewed its benefits and drawbacks from the perspectives of music therapists, but less attention has been given to the perspectives of service users and their caregivers on their telehealth experiences. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of parents who experienced telehealth in comparison with in-person family-centred music therapy (FCMT) with their autistic child in Hong Kong. Method Four autistic children and their parents participated in an FCMT program alternating telehealth and in-person sessions over seven weeks. At the end of the program, parents participated in a semi-structured interview where they were invited to reflect on their experiences of FCMT in both settings, including any perceived benefits and challenges. A reflexive thematic analysis of these interviews was conducted. Results Five main themes and 14 subthemes were constructed which described benefits and challenges of both FCMT settings in the following aspects: (1) parent perceptions of their roles; (2) parent interpretation of their child’s responses; (3) practicality of delivery across the two settings, as well as (4) technological barriers in telehealth FCMT; and (5) relational and developmental outcomes in the overall program. Discussion The findings suggest that telehealth music therapy may be incorporated as a supplementary approach to in-person FCMT. The Hong Kong context should be considered when designing telehealth FCMT for autistic children and their families.