Can music therapy in medical contexts ever be evidence-based?

This essay seeks to consider some of the issues around evidencethat provide an ongoing challenge to the profession of music therapyto be vigilant and critical with regards the undertaking, butalso the appropriation or application, of research in our alliedhealth discipline. It is written in response to the statement that“medical music therapists need to continue to discuss and debateour views as to what constitutes knowledge, expertise and ‘evidence’in our profession.” (Edwards, 2002, p. 33). A critical perspectiveto current demands for evidence is provided, and the useof quantitative method as the basis for trustworthy research inmusic therapy is discussed. The paediatric medical context is themain site of professional research of the author, however, some ofthe points made will have relevance for other fields of clinicalservice.

Oxford handbook of music therapy

In the Oxford Handbook of Music Therapy, international leaders in the field from 10 countries have contributed their expertise to showcase contemporary music therapy.

Collaborating together: finding the emergent and disruptive in and between the fields of music therapy and medical rthnomusicology

Editorial for special issue

Conceptualizing music therapy: five areas that frame the field

New students of music therapy soon find that the most common inquiry about their field of study is “What is music therapy?” They may also be asked questions such as “Does that work?” Even experienced practitioners in the field can find these questions annoyingly routine in meeting new colleagues. In answering these questions, providing a definition of music therapy is important. There are multiple constructs through which the functions and capacities of music therapy can be usefully discussed.

"Music therapy helped me get back doing": perspectives of music therapy participants in mental health services

BACKGROUND: Mental health service development internationally is increasingly informed by the collaborative ethos of recovery. Service user evaluation of experiences within music therapy programs allows new phenomena about participation in services to be revealed that might otherwise remain unnoticed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to demonstrate how asking service users about their experience of music therapy can generate useful information, and to reflect upon the feedback elicited from such processes in order to gain a deeper understanding of how music therapy is received among service users in mental health. METHODS: Six mental health service users described their experiences of music therapy in one or two individual interviews. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed using the procedures and techniques of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS: Interviews with mental health service users provided rich, in-depth accounts reflecting the complex nature of music therapy participation. Super-ordinate themes refer to the context in which music therapy was offered, the rich sound world of music in music therapy, the humanity of music therapy, and the strengths enhancing opportunities experienced by service users. CONCLUSIONS: Participants indicated that they each experienced music therapy in unique ways. Opinions about the value of music therapy were revealed through an interview process in which the researcher holds an open attitude, welcoming all narrative contributions respectfully. These findings can remind practitioners of the importance of closely tuning into the perspectives and understandings of those who have valuable expertise to share about their experience of music therapy services in mental health.