Parents’ perspectives on their children’s music therapy: A synthesis of qualitative literature

Luke Annesley,Katherine Curtis-Tyler,Eamonn Mckeown

doi:10.1177/1359457520907636

Luke Annesley, Katherine Curtis-Tyler + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/1359457520907636

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Abstract

There is no existing qualitative synthesis of the music therapy literature on parents’ perspectives on their children’s music therapy. This study seeks to fill this gap, motivated by the first author’s experiences as a clinician/researcher. A systematic search of health databases, hand searches of key journals and searches of doctoral theses were undertaken to identify relevant studies. Thirteen studies which met inclusion criteria, including a total of 102 participants, were identified. Relevant data were extracted from these studies for comparison and analysis, with quality of studies assessed using the CASP appraisal tool. Findings were analysed following procedures of thematic synthesis. Six descriptive themes were grouped into three analytic themes: Parents perceived positive impacts of music therapy on their children; parents experienced music therapy as a nurturing environment for themselves and their children; and some parents experienced challenges to their engagement with music therapy. Most studies (12/13) explored parents’ perceptions of music therapy where they were included in sessions. The findings identify positive perceptions of family-centred models of music therapy for children and parents. Parents’ perceptions of children were altered positively through experiencing them in new ways in music therapy. Parents also perceived positive outcomes for their children. These findings identify an emphasis in the qualitative literature on parents’ perceptions on research into music therapy which includes parents in sessions. Only one study explored perceptions of a model where parents were not present during their child’s sessions. More research is needed into parents’ perceptions of music therapy where parents are not present during sessions. Further intervention studies into family-centred models of music therapy with children are also recommended.

Highlights

Music therapy with children and young people incorporates various models of practice in a wide variety of clinical settings, including work with autism, learning disability, social and behavioural difficulties, and trauma (Cobbett, 2009; Kim et al, 2009; Robarts, 2014; Sutton, 2002; Wigram and De Backer, 1999)
The focus of the study was on parents or carers of children receiving music therapy. (For brevity, ‘parents’ will generally be used to refer to all primary caregivers in the studies, as they formed the majority of participants.) These criteria were chosen to reflect the priorities of the research questions, with the focus on parents’ perspectives on any interventions described as ‘music therapy’
This study aimed to investigate whether music therapy improved quality of life for the families of children in the terminal stage of a life-threatening illness

Summary

Introduction

Music therapy with children and young people incorporates various models of practice in a wide variety of clinical settings, including work with autism, learning disability, social and behavioural difficulties, and trauma (Cobbett, 2009; Kim et al, 2009; Robarts, 2014; Sutton, 2002; Wigram and De Backer, 1999). Parental roles in relation to their children’s music therapy can range from direct active participation to minimal involvement, covering a spectrum between these two possibilities. Parents might have a supportive role, where they function as facilitators, enabling and encouraging the child to attend music therapy, and exchanging information with the therapist as needed (Fearn and O’Connor, 2003). Parents may have less involvement, where music therapy takes place in schools (Tomlinson et al, 2011).

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