Music Therapy Practice Research Articles

The Use of Singing Bowl Music Therapy in High School Psychoeducation

The mental health of students in senior secondary schools has received widespread attention. Under the influence of the college entrance examination system, students’ learning tasks are increasing, with more courses and a corresponding increase in learning pressure. However, the practice methods in high school psychological classrooms are still insufficient. This paper analyzes the practical application of chanting mantle music therapy in high school psychological education, applying the chanting mantle to the practice of music therapy, utilizing its dual role of audio vibration for both the body and the psyche, and exerting the function of music therapy to alleviate the psychological problems of high school students. This paper analyzes and concludes that the application of chanting bowl music therapy in high school mental health education courses is of great significance to the overall promotion of the development of student’s mental health, which can help students better understand themselves, enhance creativity and imagination, and promote harmonious interpersonal relationships.

Sustainable Ways of Practicing Music Therapy in India: Education, Certification, and Regulations

Music therapy is gaining recognition among professionals offering services worldwide as an experimental treatment approach. It is gradually picking up pace and being practised in India; thus, a proper framework is needed to make it more sustainable. This research paper aims to assess the current trends in music therapy in India, including its development, history, implementation, and practices in health and educational facilities. It affords a comprehensive guide to the academic progression of music therapists and offers information on undergraduate, postgraduate, and certificate courses. It also elaborates on the certification processes and describes the main activities of such key certifying organisations that are necessary to meet the requirements of the certification procedure. The paper also documents the changing policies and laws that help ensure and uphold professional and ethical practice in music therapy. By discussing these areas, this paper intends to positively contribute to the future of Music Therapy in the context of sustainable practices in India.

Music Therapy Sessions With Older Adults on YouTube: A Content Analysis for Academic Instruction

Abstract Prior research in music therapy has examined the availability and content of YouTube videos overall and in relation to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and pediatric medical music therapy. Anecdotally music educators use YouTube videos to provide students with clinical examples of music therapy sessions. It is unclear what clinical video content about music therapy with older adults is available. Therefore, this descriptive study aimed to examine the content of YouTube videos related to the clinical practice of music therapy with older adults for academic instruction. After conducting an initial search for music therapy clinical videos with older adults on YouTube, the authors completed a descriptive analysis of 23 videos that included clinical footage. Videos were analyzed to describe video-specific and therapy-specific content. In addition, the authors completed an exploratory analysis of diversity-specific content. Finally, the authors investigated the presence of American Music Therapy Association’s (AMTA) Competencies in clinical videos from the past 5 years (2018–2022). Results demonstrate varying amounts of video-specific, therapy-specific, and diversity-specific content leading to clinical and educational implications. The authors identify a need for future investigation of the use of videos in teaching by music therapy faculty, as well as student perceptions of music therapy content provided in clinical video clips.

Classifying Technologies during the Assessment, Treatment Planning, Documentation and Evaluation Phases of Music Therapy: A Survey of Board-Certified Practitioners

Music therapists (MT-BCs) use diverse technologies to provide evidence-based personalized interventions to a wide variety of people. Most studies on the technological practices of MT-BCs report a general overview of the tools they use in their daily work. This study offers an new way of understanding technologies used by MT-BCs, classified and situated in the phases of music therapy (MT) practice: Assessment, Treatment Planning, In-Session, Documentation and Evaluation. An online survey was sent to a mailing list of 1,951 board-certified music therapists (MT-BC), and we received 104 responses. Results support distinct functions in technological practices between each of the phases of MT, revealing categories of notetaking and data entry that characterize planning, documentation and evaluation tasks, and a wider diversity of technology configurations in assessment and in-session work. We end by discussing design implications for HCI researchers and designers of music technologies for health, as well as HCI-MT design collaboration to better support the work of the MT-BC community.

Experience of Healthy Adult Women with the Receptive Music Therapy Using Body-Monochords – Qualitative Phenomenological Study

Resonance chair/harmonisation recliner are prototypes of body-monochords that were developed in the Czech Republic. These instruments are therapeutically used in music therapy practice, healthcare institutions and by people with disabilities. The aim of this study was to understand how people experience this intervention in the context of private music therapy practice. The design of this qualitative study was based on phenomenology. Six healthy women on maternity leave reflected their experience through semistructured interviews before and after therapeutic session with resonance chair/harmonisation recliner. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify 12 themes describing the course of these sessions. The women experienced changes on physical, cognitive, and emotional levels related to relaxation and muscles relieve, calming of mind, different experience with feeling of vibrations, vivid imaginations, or changes in body perception. Intervention on resonance chair/harmonisation recliner offered positive experience to the participants and provided them with a space for self-care and rest. No serious adverse events were reported by the participants during or after the intervention. The intervention using resonance chair/harmonisation recliner was highly valued by our participants and has a meaningful usage in private music therapy practice. Future researchers may explore long-term experience of participants and identify other populations that may have specific benefit from this intervention.

An Analysis of Traditional and Contemporary Children’s Songs With Considerations for Music Therapy Practice

Abstract Children’s songs include a diverse collection of traditional and contemporary songs. (Yinger and Springer [2016]. Analyzing recommended songs for older adult populations through linguistic and musical inquiry. Music Therapy Perspectives 34, 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miu048) analyzed musical and textual features of songs used by music therapists with older adults; however, studies on children’s songs in music therapy have not included musical and textual features analysis. Our purpose with this study was to analyze the musical and textual features of a sample of 20 traditional and 20 contemporary predominantly U.S. children’s songs and consider applications for music therapy. Text information was collected, including total and unique words, the song topic, and potential applications. Musical information was collected, including form, melodic range, and harmonic/chordal structure. Findings included that the traditional songs were strophic, had fewer overall words, were harmonized with three chords or fewer, and had melodic ranges of five to seven notes. By contrast, contemporary children’s songs used complex song forms, had more words, were harmonized with more than three chords, and had melodic ranges of eight or more notes. Song topics and applications had similar codes across the song types. A music therapist may apply traditional songs in clinical work, where a simpler musical structure and fewer words support the client’s needs. Likewise, a music therapist may apply contemporary songs for greater musical complexity and more vocabulary. Future studies of children’s songs in music therapy could include an analysis of music therapists’ composed songs and songs used by music therapists who work with young children.

The Intervention Zones – a model of music therapy practice at hospitals

The Intervention Zones – a model of music therapy practice at hospitals

A Brief Overview of Music Therapy Content for Practitioners

Background and Aim: Chinese five-tone music therapy has developed in response to mental health issues. This article provides a briefing on music therapy, music therapeutic practice, and surveying the practice of music therapy. The authors evaluate pertinent papers from studies published outside of China from 2003 to 2023, recommend five publications from experts, and then extract and retrieve scholarly pieces. Methodology: This paper is documentary research by reviewing the literature related and using the content analysis. Results: Music therapy, originating in Vienna around 1820, uses music, rhythm, sound, and melody to address physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and psychological needs. It has applications in neonatology, pediatrics, and traditional Chinese five-tone music therapy. The BARIT model and model combine the disciplines of music, medicine, and psychology to target mental health concerns. Music therapists value authenticity and seek training in various styles, genres, instruments, and skills. They believe in the benefits of music therapy for patients and staff and recommend expanding the program, hiring more therapists, increasing daily sessions, and creating a dedicated space. Conclusion: The article discusses the role of music therapy in helping young people with mental health emergencies, highlighting its benefits in behavioral changes and improved engagement. It suggests using surveys and interviews to create a research framework and develop a tool for developmental study and practical application in the classroom.

Gatekeeping and fence-making: Themes and discourses of musicianship in UK music therapy training

Music therapy pedagogy remains under-researched in the United Kingdom, with much pedagogic knowledge held implicitly by experienced trainers and supervisors. Musical training requirements are further under-theorised, emphasising a ‘high degree of musicianship’ as a single criterion while leaving unclear how musical and therapeutic identities are integrated within the Music Therapist/musician. This article presents findings from interviews with five experienced UK trainers carried out in 2017–2018. Interviews were analysed from two perspectives: a thematic analysis identified trainers’ views on what ‘being a Music Therapist’ means in musical terms, while a discourse analysis helped show how trainers position music therapy in relation to musicianship more generally. Findings suggest trainers understand musicianship in music therapy as a combination of distinct musicianship characteristics, where exceptional achievement in one does not make up for lack in another. Trainers’ assessments of competence across these characteristics not only act to identify suitable candidates for training (gatekeeping) but also discursively construct the practice of music therapy itself and distinguish it from other musical practices (fence-making). The UK music therapy training context has developed rapidly since these data were collected. Nevertheless, this study gives an account of recent pedagogic thinking on musicianship which remains relevant to current music therapy training.

Supporting families to engage in music making with preschool children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities at home: An interpretivist multi-case study

Music therapists acknowledge the need to support families of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) to use music therapy strategies in home settings. Four families were supported by a music therapist to independently engage in therapeutic music-making at home with their child with PIMD over eight months. This multi-interpretivist case study analysed caregiver diaries, caregiver interviews, music therapist clinical notes and a reflexive journal to uncover the processes that supported the families. A thematic data analysis revealed a five-step process for supporting these families. This five-step process included the family observing and reflecting on music therapy practice, working as partners with the music therapist, engaging in joint-music making with the music therapist and their child, consciously observing subtle engagement cues from their child and then independently engaging in music-making with their child. This study provides a framework for music therapists to support families of children with PIMD in home settings.

Approaches, Goals, and Scientific Integrity in Music Therapy Research with Individuals on the Autism Spectrum: An Integrative Review.

Scientific integrity is fundamental to evidence-based practice (EBP) and essential in music therapy (MT) research and clinical practice. Researchers conducted an integrative review of approaches and interventions employed by music therapists (MTs) with individuals on the autism spectrum in the context of how studies are analyzed by the National Autism Center (NAC) and National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP). Researchers identified 880 database records meeting initial search criteria (i.e., autism spectrum disorder, autism, PDD-NOS, MT, and music interventions); 36 studies remained after screening for duplication, topic relevance, and adherence to inclusion criteria. Included studies were published between 1964 and 2021, in English language, in free open-access journals, worldwide; peer reviewed; conducted by MTs; empirical quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods design; intervention-based; and presented separate data for participants on the autism spectrum. Content and quantitative analyses identified deficits in scientific integrity and the following gaps in studies reviewed: Motor Skills and Placement (NAC-defined intervention targets), Computer-based and Songwriting and Composition (MT techniques), and Wellness and Bonny Method of Guided Imagery in Music (clinical approaches); no patterns were evident among NAC Interventions with MT techniques and approaches. Analysis of 5-point Scientific Merit Ratings yielded a mean 2.78 rating. A comparison of NAC and NCAEP terminology (i.e., how MT researchers report independent variables) indicated eight titles mention specific non-music interventions, 19 mention MT, 14 include music-based technique descriptors, and two mention both non-music interventions and MT. Researchers offer guidelines regarding identity-inclusive language, scientific integrity, and clarity of EBPs within MT intervention research with individuals on the autism spectrum.

An open door to the job market? Music therapy students’ reflections on practice placement in Norway

Αυτή η μελέτη διερευνά τη μετάβαση από τη μάθηση στο πανεπιστήμιο στη μάθηση σε ένα εργασιακό περιβάλλον μέσω της πρακτικής άσκησης. Η μελέτη διεξήχθη στο Πανεπιστήμιο του Bergen (UiB), το οποίο προσφέρει ένα πενταετές πρόγραμμα στη μουσικοθεραπεία. Η πρακτική άσκηση είναι ενσωματωμένη σε όλα τα επίπεδα του προγράμματος, ξεκινώντας με την παρατήρηση της μουσικοθεραπείας και προχωρώντας σε πρακτική άσκηση όπου οι φοιτητές εργάζονται πιο αυτόνομα. Ο στόχος αυτής της μελέτης ήταν να μάθουμε από τις εμπειρίες των φοιτητών που συμμετείχαν στο πρόγραμμα, καθώς οι απόψεις τους είναι ζωτικής σημασίας για την ενημέρωση του περιεχομένου του προγράμματος. Η ερώτησή μας ήταν: Πώς οι φοιτητές του πενταετούς ενσωματωμένου προγράμματος μουσικοθεραπείας στο UiB αναστοχάζονται σχετικά με τις εμπειρίες τους από την πρακτική άσκηση και πώς μπορούμε να κατανοήσουμε τους προβληματισμούς τους από την οπτική της μάθησης μέσω εργασιακής εμπειρίας; Για να διερευνήσουμε αυτό το ερώτημα, πραγματοποιήσαμε δύο ομάδες εστίασης, με πέντε φοιτητές η καθεμία. Ακολουθώντας μια θεματική ανάλυση των δεδομένων, αναπτύχθηκαν τρεις κύριες θεματικές ενότητες και έξι υποθέματα: 1. Ανάπτυξη ταυτότητας ως μουσικοθεραπευτή (1.1 Απόκτηση επαγγελματικής ταυτότητας, 1.2 Εύρεση φωνής σε διεπιστημονικές συναντήσεις), 2. Μια ανοιχτή πόρτα στην αγορά εργασίας (2.1 Μάθηση από την εμπειρία, 2.2 Ανάπτυξη νέων δικτύων), και 3. Προκλήσεις σχετικά με την πρακτική άσκηση στη μουσικοθεραπεία (3.1 Αίσθημα περιθωριοποίησης, 3.2 Έλλειψη ευρύτερου μοντέλου διδασκαλίας). Οι θεματικές ενότητες, οι οποίες βασίζονται στα εμπειρικά στοιχεία, συζητούνται από κοινωνικοπολιτισμική σκοπιά, αντλώντας από έννοιες όπως η μαθητεία, η κοινότητα πρακτικής και οι αδύναμοι δεσμοί. Αυτό το άρθρο κλείνει αναλογίζοντας επιπτώσεις για την πράξη και προτάσεις για μελλοντική έρευνα.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Clinical Practice of Music Therapy as a Comprehensive Treatment for Depression

Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Clinical Practice of Music Therapy as a Comprehensive Treatment for Depression

Portraits of everyday practice in music therapy

Portraits of everyday practice in music therapy

Ethical reflections on social media use within music therapy: A conversational focus group study

ABSTRACT Introduction Social media has transformed how music therapists work, with numerous practitioners utilizing the affordances of social media in music therapy practice. So far, music therapy research has been significantly limited regarding the ethical implications of social media use. A better understanding of the ethics of social media use is needed to inform the continuous evaluation of professional ethical guidelines. Methods We conducted a systematic text condensation of transcripts from one conversational focus group consisting of five participants with diverse connections to music therapy and social media. Results The results highlight the many ways social media can facilitate both substantial value as well as serious risk in music therapy practice. Through the analysis, it has also become clear that music therapists must make complex considerations in working with social media to maintain a level of responsible practice. Discussion This study provides (a) insights and experiences from practice gathered in a conversational focus group, (b) discussions exploring the possible value and risks of social media use in music therapy, and (c) implications for practice including a summary of some ethical reflections.

Exploring the Mechanisms of Emotion Elicitation and Regulation through Music in Music Therapists

This qualitative study investigates the personal emotional experiences and strategies employed by music therapists in India for emotion elicitation and regulation through music. Fifteen certified music therapists participated in semi-structured interviews. An explanatory qualitative research design was employed to gain a comprehensive understanding of these concepts. Interviews were meticulously transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed five broad themes and focus on the integration of personal and professional realms in music therapy, emphasizing tailored interventions, cultural inclusivity, and the transformative potential of music in emotional regulation. Recommendations for future research include longitudinal studies with diverse samples, investigation of technique efficacy across populations, and exploration of cultural competence in music therapy practices.

Adapting Technology for Dementia Care: The Case of Emobook App in Reminiscence focused Music Therapy

INTRODUCTION: Life Story books are frequently employed to facilitate reminiscence interventions, but their use in Music Therapy remains limited in the scientific literature. There is a paucity of research detailing the design processes involved in this context.OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to report on the adaptation of the Emobook Life Story Book App for a Reminiscence Music Therapy Program for people living with dementia.METHODS: An interdisciplinary team comprising an interaction designer, a software engineer, a music therapist, and a research assistant engaged in a Participatory Design process. The study comprised two distinct phases: "Adaptation Phase," aimed to identify features requiring adjustment to integrate Emobook into MT effectively and the "Implementation Phase," focused on evaluating the adequacy of these changes for Emobook's use within the Music Therapy ProgramRESULTS: By merging the requirements identified during each phase, additional improvements were generated, leading to the decision to evolve Emobook Post-Prototype towards a version tailored specifically for Music Therapy.CONCLUSION: Collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts are essential in advancing the incorporation of technology into music therapy practice. This study demonstrates the value of a Participatory Design approach in this regard.

Notes on notes: A critical reflection on clinical writing in music therapy practice

Therapeutic encounters are swathed in writing from referral and consent forms, clinical and process notes, evaluations and assessments to reports. However, there has been very little research into the broader meaning, function and context of writing in music therapy. In this article, I hope to encourage music therapists to think critically about the writing they produce and use in clinical practice. I draw on guidance from professional bodies, theories of memory, phenomenology, existentialism, the psychoanalytic perspectives on language of Lacan and Kristeva and post-modern ideas around the meaning and contextual understanding of a text through the writings of Foucault, Barthes and McLuhan. I encourage more reflexivity regarding the role of the music therapist’s self and intersubjective elements within the writing. I ask what influence the act of writing itself exerts on clinical practice and reflect on the role of language and its adequacy for describing the music therapy encounter. I further explore how music therapists contextualise the writing they produce, speculating on some of its functions in relation to the therapist, client and institution. In conclusion, I argue that clinical writing in all its forms potentially has a powerful impact on the therapy process as a whole.

Music Therapy to Facilitate Relationship Completion at the End of Life: A Mixed-Methods Study.

The concept of relationship completion is embodied as the core belief for end-of-life care in Taiwan, known as the Four Expressions in Life. No studies have been published investigating and trying to understand how music therapy facilitates the Four Expressions in Life. This convergent mixed-methods study examined the effects of music therapy to facilitate relationship completion for patients at the end of life and their families in Taiwan, and explored their personal experiences in music therapy sessions. Thirty-four patients at end-of-life care and 36 of their family members participated in a single music therapy session with a one-group pretest-posttest design using standardized quality-of-life measures for patients at the end of life and families. A nested sample of 5 patients and 9 family members completed semi-structured interviews. Significant differences between the pre and post session scores were revealed for patients in the Life Completion subscale of the QUAL-E (p < .001), and the global QoL Indicator (p < .001), and for families in the Completion subscale of the QUAL-E (Fam) (p < .001), and the Overall Quality of Life (p < .001). Four themes around opportunities emerged from the interviews: the opportunity for exploration, for connection, for expression, and for healing. The integrated findings suggest that music therapy facilitated relationship completion and improved quality of life for both patients and their families. Furthermore, this study supports that the transformative level of music therapy practice within a single session for end-of-life care is attainable.

“Music therapy is the very definition of white privilege”: Music therapists’ perspectives on race and class in UK music therapy

The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd highlighted, once again, the racial and socioeconomic inequities permeating western countries, and galvanised music therapists in the UK and elsewhere to reflect on the importance of race and social class in their profession and therapeutic practice. These discussions have a longer history in the US; in the UK they are in their infancy. Building on the 2020 British Association of Music Therapy Diversity Report (Langford et al., 2020), this study aimed to contribute to the burgeoning discussion in UK music therapy by inviting trainee and qualified music therapists to reflect on how – often intersecting – racial and socioeconomic inequities impact on music therapy training and practice and what changes are needed for music therapy to become more relevant to and representative of minoritised communities. Data were generated using an online qualitative survey (N=28) and five follow-up telephone interviews, allowing for both breadth and depth in an area where there is a paucity of research, and a higher level of “felt anonymity” for a potentially sensitive and threatening topic. Reflexive thematic analysis informed by critical race theory was used to develop three themes from the data: 1) Posh white ladies: the typical music therapist; 2) White normativity and fragility in music therapy; and 3) Music therapy: undervalued and too costly. In the conclusion, we synthesise the participants’ accounts into recommendations for diversifying the music therapy profession in the UK.