Music Therapy Journals Research Articles

Myth of Political Neutrality

This editorial discusses the roles and meaning of the “political” in music therapy journals and publication processes and calls into question the value and expectation of political neutrality. It also outlines the articles included in the March 2024 issue.

A Descriptive Analysis of Countries Represented by Authors' and Editorial Review Board Members' Institutional Affiliations in the Journal of Music Therapy, 1998-2022.

The Journal of Music Therapy (JMT) authors' and editorial review board members' (ERBM) affiliation locations represent an aspect of diversity through differing cultures and political, healthcare, and educational systems. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the countries of JMT authors' and ERBM's institutional affiliations from 1998 to 2022. We established inclusion and exclusion criteria, operationally defined categories, and built databases. A total of 433 articles met our inclusion criteria. Most articles were published by authors/author teams located in the United States (n = 305; 70.44%) or in a single international country (n = 85; 19.63%), while fewer articles were published by author teams located in multiple international countries (n = 23, 5.31%) or in international countries and the United States (n = 20, 4.62%). Authors were from 21 countries, and there tended to be a slight decline over time in articles by United States authors. When examining the total countries represented, United States authors (n = 330) had the most articles followed by Australia (n = 32), Norway (n = 18), England (n = 14), Israel (n = 13), and Canada, Denmark, and South Korea (all n = 12). There were 632 total JMT ERBM with 470 located within the United States and 162 located internationally. Although all ERBM's affiliations were in the United States in 1998, these data gradually changed. There were more ERBM located internationally than in the United States from 2020 to 2022. Most international ERBM were from Australia, Canada, England, Israel, and Spain. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Corrigendum to Music therapy for adolescents in a child welfare setting - a qualitative interview study. British Journal of Music Therapy. Epub ahead of print 21 February 2023. DOI: 10.1177/13594575231155267

Corrigendum to Music therapy for adolescents in a child welfare setting - a qualitative interview study. <i>British Journal of Music Therapy</i>. Epub ahead of print 21 February 2023. DOI: 10.1177/13594575231155267

Words are delicious

Words are delicious

Music Therapy in Shelters for People Who Are Unhoused: A Scoping Review

Abstract A scoping review of publications pertaining to music therapy interventions with people who are unhoused and living in shelters was implemented to determine if the available evidence supports professional advocacy and program development with this underserved population at the present time. Searches using EBSCOHost, PsycINFO, ProQuest, and search engines for music therapy journals resulted in 294 publications. Specification of inclusion criteria (population-context-concept) resulted in 13 articles for review to determine the types of evidence, key characteristics of participants and interventions, and gaps and limitations in the literature. An overview of therapists’ descriptions of their sessions’ goals, interventions, and recommendations, combined with information from shelter staff and former participants, provides practical information for interventions and future research. However, the diversity within the small collection of articles prevents generalizations and provides only a glance at possibilities, not a foundation, for professional advocacy and program development.

Gratitude in Reflecting on the Journal of Music Therapy's 60th Anniversary.

Gratitude in Reflecting on the Journal of Music Therapy's 60th Anniversary.

Representation in the Journal of Music Therapy.

Representation in the Journal of Music Therapy.

Reflecting on Music Therapy Research on the Occasion of the Journal of Music Therapy's 60th Anniversary.

Reflecting on Music Therapy Research on the Occasion of the Journal of Music Therapy's 60th Anniversary.

From the Editor: Challenges and Insights in Music Therapy Research.

Dear Reader, We continue in our celebration of this milestone year for the Journal of Music Therapy (JMT), our 60th year of publishing research in music therapy. As part of marking this occasion we will be featuring music therapy scholars at various points in their scholarly career. In this issue you will hear from Dr. Amy Smith, a post-doc research fellow at Children’s Mercy Research Institute in Kansas City. Dr. Smith shares her perspective as a researcher across three phases of her scholarly career—clinician researcher, doctoral student, and post-doc—and articulates the challenges and insights she learned along the way. “Challenges and insights” is a thread that can be found in the research articles included in this issue, with each aiming to understand a rather specific clinical challenge so we can gain insight into how best to support the challenge through music. You will read the work of Dr. Robert Knoerl and colleagues, whose exploration of factors that help with anxiety management in young adults with cancer will help lead to more tailored, mindfulness-based music therapy interventions. This is followed by an article from Christopher Coykendall and colleagues focused on songwriting. The authors analyzed lyrics generated during a therapeutic songwriting experience to explore whether songwriting can be a way to gain insight into understanding a medical patient’s experience, particularly their need satisfaction and need frustration. We then shift to challenges faced by music therapists in the article by Elsa Korioth and Dr. Michael Silverman, who explored the experiences of music therapists working in rural communities. Their findings highlight the unique challenges those music therapists face and identify potential ways to mitigate barriers associated with those challenges. Finally, we end with a narrative synthesis from Dr. Clare O’Callaghan and colleagues that explores the therapeutic impact of music-based interventions for people with eating disorders. One aim is to help gain insight into how these experiences might support better physical and mental health.

A Descriptive Analysis of Collaboration and Funding of Articles in the Journal of Music Therapy, 1998-2021.

Music therapists may have strategic advantages for collaborative and interdisciplinary research. As such, there is a need to analyze authorship teams as well as funding in the premiere United States-based music therapy research journal. The purpose of this descriptive study was to analyze independent, collaborative, interdisciplinary, and funded research in the Journal of Music Therapy (JMT) from 1998 to 2021. We built a database of JMT articles from 1998 to 2021 and (1) counted the number of authors contributing to articles, (2) categorized articles as independent, collaborative, or interdisciplinary, and (3) counted the number of articles that received funding. From 1998 to 2021, there were 423 total articles that met our inclusion criteria published in JMT. Although two or more authors contributed to most papers, a high percentage of articles were published by single authors (n = 185, 43.74%). More articles were interdisciplinary (n = 162, 38.30%) than collaborative (n = 90, 21.28%). There was a trend for fewer independent articles in more recent years. Although most articles were not funded (n = 312, 73.76%), interdisciplinary articles were most likely to be funded (n = 72, 64.86% of funded articles) while independent articles were least likely to be funded (n = 17, 15.32% of funded articles). General trends indicate higher frequencies of funded papers in more recent years. Research articles published in JMT have become increasingly team-based, interdisciplinary, and funded. Implications regarding the future of music therapy research, Music Therapy Research 2025, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Celebrating 60 Years of the Journal of Music Therapy.

February 15, 2023 The Journal of Music Therapy (JMT) was first published in 1964, marking 2023 as JMT’s 60th year publishing research in music therapy. As we enter into this milestone year, we feel called to reflect on where we have been and where we are going in the future. In this spirit, we have invited a series of guest editorials, beginning in this issue with a review of the history of the JMT by Dr. Lindsey Wilhelm. She provides us with background on the journal’s inception and its evolution over the past 60 years. In Volume 60 issues 2–4, we will feature additional guest editorials focused more broadly on how research in music therapy has developed from the perspectives of both emerging and established music therapy scholars. Over the past year, we have focused on how to improve journal operations in our limited roles as interim co-editors. For example, we supported an initiative centered on improving the diversity of authors. Oxford University Press joined an endeavor led by Clarivate and the Joint Commitment for Action on Inclusion and Diversity in Publishing to promote diversity of authors in academic publishing. One of the first steps being taken is to establish industry benchmarks by measuring the current diversity of authors in academic journals. As of December 1, 2022, all individuals who log in to our online submission system are invited to provide information regarding their gender, ethnicity, and race. These data will be collected anonymously, will not be tied to an individual’s account, and users can opt out of answering any of the questions. Our hope is that the aggregated data from this tool will help inform us about current representation in the JMT, so that we may work to support better representation and diversity moving forward.

60 Years of a Professional Journal in Music Therapy.

This year marks the 60th year, or Diamond Jubilee, of the Journal of Music Therapy (JMT). To commemorate this event the coeditors have asked that I write an editorial that provides a brief overview of the historical events related to the creation and publication of the Journal. As a start, I want to give the reader more clarity about my own identity and experiences with this journal. It is now 20 years since I began my undergraduate studies in music therapy. As a white, cisgender, middle-class student at the turn of the 21st century, I studied with past archivist Dr. Bill Davis at Colorado State University where the archives for the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) are kept. I developed a growing interest in the history of music therapy as a graduate student at The University of Iowa, an interest that continued when I returned to Colorado State University as faculty. Together these experiences led me on a path to be the archivist for the AMTA. More specific to the journals I have served as a guest peer reviewer for the JMT and currently serve on the editorial board of Music Therapy Perspectives.

Creativity and partnership

Creativity and partnership

Music, Mind, Mood, and Mingling in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: A Scoping Review.

Music-based interventions may help to alleviate neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia and promote prosocial interactions between individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. However, current literature does not combine these evidence bases toward explanation of how music-based interventions may alleviate symptoms and promote prosocial interactions. We conducted a scoping review to address the following question: what do the evidence bases suggest toward how music therapy or music-based therapeutic interventions might promote prosocial interactions between individuals living with dementia and their caregivers? In this review we focused on: 1) quantitative and qualitative evidence of music-based therapies promoting prosocial behaviors in individuals living with dementia, and 2) potential neurobehavioral mechanisms associated with the processes involved with how music may promote prosocial interactions. Databases included PubMed, EBSCOhost's CINAHL and PsycINFO, Cochrane Library (sub-search conducted using ALOIS, the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group), Web of Science, clinicaltrials.gov, ProQuest's Biological Science Collection, the Journal of Music Therapy, Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, and Google Scholar. Sixteen original research studies were included for evidence synthesis. This scoping review reveals the need to define and clarify mechanisms of prosocial interactions between individuals living with dementia and their caregivers considering biological and social factors. These mechanisms may include dynamic interactions between preserved brain regions associated with music-evoked autobiographical memory recall and shifts from negative to positive mood states. Defining and clarifying how and to what extent music may promote prosocial behaviors using well-designed and well-controlled mixed-methods studies may positively influence the design of interventions to promote prosocial interactions with caregivers.

Interkulturelle Musiktherapie –Ein Literaturreview

Cultural diversity has become a fact of our reality. To what extent this is considered in music therapy has been little studied. Four German and six English language music therapy journals were selected for a literature review of the period 1990–2019. They were systematically screened for articles with an intercultural context. The 196 articles identified, 138 of which in English, were evaluated using time-series representation and an evaluation matrix with nine categories, including client age groups. Intercultural music therapy articles with case studies appear from the turn of the millennium. With an increase in tendency, they have lately accounted for a fluctuation rate of approximately 4 %. The results show a classification of migration-specific pressures in intercultural music therapy work emphasizing the effects on children and adolescents. Pilot studies in multicultural schools and kindergartens report positive effects of music therapy, but admit insufficient sample size and lack of evidence. The importance of intercultural competency for music therapy work is emphasized, however there is no indication of its integration in music therapy training. Interdisciplinary research projects, together with educational and systemic psychiatric disciplines at schools, could help with difficulties in providing evidence for music therapy. Surveys on teaching intercultural competency at music therapy training-institutions would be useful.

Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in people with cancer.

Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in people with cancer.

Interventions among Pregnant Women in the Field of Music Therapy: A Systematic Review.

To investigate in the literature the studies on the benefits of music therapy interventions among pregnant women in the prenatal, delivery and postpartum periods. The search for articles was carried out in the following electronic databases: VHL, LILACS, SciELO, Portal CAPES, PsycINFO, ERIC, PubMed/Medline, and journals specialized in this field: Revista Brasileira de Musicoterapia ("Brazilian Journal of Music Therapy") and Voices. Descriptors in Portuguese (musicoterapia, gravidez, gestantes, revisão), English (music therapy, pregnancy, pregnant women, review) and Spanish (musicoterapia, embarazo, mujeres embarazadas, revisión) were used. The search was delimited between January 2009 and June 2019. The process of selection and evaluation of the articles was performed through peer review. The following data were extracted: article title, year of publication, journal, author(s), database, country and date of collection, purpose of the study, sample size, type of care, intervention, instruments used, results, and conclusion. The data were organized in chronological order based on the year of publication of the study. In total, 146 articles were identified, and only 23 studies were included in this systematic review. The articles found indicate among their results relaxation, decreased levels of anxiety, psychosocial stress and depression, decreased pain, increase in the maternal bond, improvement in the quality of sleep, control of the fetal heart rate and maternal blood pressure, and decreased intake of drugs in the postoperative period. Music therapy during the prenatal, delivery and postpartum periods can provide benefits to pregnant women and newborns, thus justifying its importance in this field.

From the Editor: Looking Forward in the New Year.

As I move into my third year as editor of the Journal of Music Therapy (JMT), I am grateful for the all the individuals who show continued support and commitment to music therapy and music therapy research. This past year was not what any of us expected—our communities are dealing with loss, hardships, and unexpected changes in the midst of a global pandemic. Clinicians and researchers have been met with obstacles that are unlike anything experienced previously, and many have shown a resilience that speaks to the power of music and music therapy. As we enter 2021, I can only hope that science and research, along with a renewed sense of compassion and humanity, will lead the way toward healing, recovery, and wellness. Part of my optimism for the future comes in terms of possibilities for the JMT. As this issue of the JMT illustrates, there is a wide range of scholarly activity occurring in the profession of music therapy. This research is valuable as it helps us understand the broad reach and application of music therapy practice. In a systematic review, Boster et al. (p. 12) present the ways in which music can improve social and participation outcomes in individuals with communication disorders. Thompson et al. (p. 70) conducted a pilot study on the use of rhythmic auditory cuing for gait in individuals with traumatic brain injury, showing favorable indicators for continued research. In a feasibility study, Polascik et al. (p. 43) found that a perioperative music listening program was feasible and acceptable. Lastly, Wilhelm and Knight (p. 95) conducted a survey on music therapy private practice, providing financial and marketing recommendations. The range of studies in this issue is an example of the various ways in which music therapy may be considered and researched.

Adapting to change, welcoming otherness

Adapting to change, welcoming otherness

Toward a Neuroqueer Future: An Interview with Nick Walker.

Autism in AdulthoodVol. 3, No. 1 InterviewToward a Neuroqueer Future: An Interview with Nick WalkerNick Walker and Dora M. RaymakerNick WalkerCalifornia Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, California, USA.Search for more papers by this author and Dora M. RaymakerAddress correspondence to: Dora M. Raymaker, PhD, Regional Research Institute, School of Social Work, Portland State University, 1600 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 900, Portland, OR 97201, USA E-mail Address: draymake@pdx.eduRegional Research Institute, School of Social Work, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:18 Mar 2021https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.29014.njwAboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byTelling Disabled and Autistic Sexuality Stories: Reflecting upon the Current Research Landscape and Possible Future Developments10 February 2023 | Sexes, Vol. 4, No. 1Being, Knowing, and Doing: Importing Theoretical Toolboxes for Autism Studies Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, Monique Botha, Kristien Hens, Sarinah O'Donoghue, Amy Pearson, and Anna Stenning13 March 2023 | Autism in Adulthood, Vol. 5, No. 1All distractions are not equal: the moderating role of autistic traits and technology multitasking on academic performance among college students27 February 2023 | Atlantic Journal of Communication, Vol. 5Exploring the lived experiences of young autistic adults in Nordoff-Robbins music therapy: An interpretative phenomenological analysis28 December 2022 | Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, Vol. 38Entre ilhas fabulosas: etnografia, autismo e demência em relação1 December 2022 | Horizontes Antropológicos, Vol. 28, No. 64A capabilities approach to understanding and supporting autistic adulthood5 September 2022 | Nature Reviews Psychology, Vol. 1, No. 11Portrayals of autism in the British press: A corpus-based study1 November 2022 | Autism, Vol. 31A response to Blauth and Oldfield’s “Research into increasing resilience in children with autism through music therapy: Statistical analysis of video data”3 October 2022 | Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, Vol. 31, No. 5Insistence on sameness for food space appropriation: An exploratory study on Brazilians with autism (self-)diagnosis in adulthood9 September 2022 | Autism, Vol. 2What Category Best Fits: Understanding Transgender Identity in a Survey of Autistic Individuals Hillary Steinberg, Tamara Garfield, Alec Becker, and Lindsay Shea8 September 2022 | Autism in Adulthood, Vol. 0, No. 0Autistics working in academia: What are the barriers and facilitators?11 August 2022 | Autism, Vol. 10“My whole life has been a process of finding labels that fit”: A Thematic Analysis of Autistic LGBTQIA+ Identity and Inclusion in the LGBTQIA+ Community Christine McAuliffe, Reubs J. Walsh, and Eilidh Cage7 July 2022 | Autism in Adulthood, Vol. 0, No. 0Autistic Perspectives on the Future of Clinical Autism Research Heta Pukki, Jorn Bettin, Avery Grey Outlaw, Joshua Hennessy, Kabie Brook, Martijn Dekker, Mary Doherty, Sebastian C.K. Shaw, Jo Bervoets, Silke Rudolph, Thibault Corneloup, Kylieanne Derwent, Onemoo Lee, Yadira Garcia Rojas, Wenn Lawson, Monica Vidal Gutierrez, Kosjenka Petek, Myria Tsiakkirou, Annikka Suoninen, Jo Minchin, Rainer Döhle, Silke Lipinski, Heini Natri, Emma Reardon, Giovanna Villarreal Estrada, Ovidiu Platon, Nick Chown, Ayaya Satsuki, Damian Milton, Nick Walker, Ondrej Roldan, Bárbara Herrán, Citlali Limón Cañedo, Sue McCowan, Mona Johnson, Eleanor Jane Turner, Jessy Lammers, and wn-ho Yoon9 June 2022 | Autism in Adulthood, Vol. 4, No. 2Sociocultural context and autistics’ quality of life: A comparison between Québec and France30 July 2021 | Autism, Vol. 26, No. 4Helping Autistic Children18 March 2022Annual Research Review: Shifting from ‘normal science’ to neurodiversity in autism science3 November 2021 | Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 63, No. 4Disability studies, neurodivergence and architectureConceptualising Autistic Masking, Camouflaging, and Neurotypical Privilege: Towards a Minority Group Model of Neurodiversity21 March 2022 | Human Development, Vol. 66, No. 2 Volume 3Issue 1Mar 2021 InformationCopyright 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Nick Walker and Dora M. Raymaker.Toward a Neuroqueer Future: An Interview with Nick Walker.Autism in Adulthood.Mar 2021.5-10.http://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.29014.njwPublished in Volume: 3 Issue 1: March 18, 2021Online Ahead of Print:November 17, 2020KeywordsneurodiversityneurodivergenceneurocosmopolitanneuroqueerautismPDF download