Adaptation of Music Therapists’ Practice to the Outset of the COVID-19 Pandemic—Going Virtual: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: In the midst of a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, music therapists previously not involved in telehealth had to develop effective remote forms of music therapy. The objective of this review was to systematically explore how music therapists previously working in-person adapted to the transfer to remote forms of therapy in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. Methods: We searched Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest Central, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and PsyARTICLES, grey literature (to October 2020), and websites of professional organizations. We followed the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Results: Out of the 194 screened texts, we included ten very heterogeneous articles with an overall very low quality. Most texts described remote therapy in the form of synchronous video calls using the Internet, one paper described a concert in a patio of a residential home. We report the authors’ experience with the adaptation and activities, challenges and benefits of remote forms of therapy, recommendations of organizations, and examples and tips for online therapies. Conclusions: Music therapists have adapted the musical instruments, the hours, the technology used, the therapeutic goals, the way they prepared their clients for sessions, and other aspects. They needed to be more flexible, consult with colleagues more often, and mind the client-therapist relationship’s boundaries. It seems, when taken as a necessary short-term measure, online music therapy works sufficiently well. The majority of papers stated that benefits outweighed the challenges, although many benefits were directly linked with the pandemic context.

Neurological music therapy during the COVID-19 outbreak: updates and future challenges

“…Specifically, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many music therapists showed uncertainty regarding the RAS methods application in telemedicine, linked to the increased risk of falling and the lack of physical support [ 12 , 13 ].…”

“…Therefore, the specificity of this new approach could be challenging, such as Internet connection problems, familiarity of patients and CG with these modern technologies, breaks in the line, strange sounds, asynchronous harmony and rhythm, overlapping speech and call disconnections. MT as a relationship therapy can lack important aspects based on physical contact when transferred to virtual space [ 13 , 14 , 30 ]. For these reasons, many patients may refuse this practice rather than using it with a poor quality level.…”

“…Another study [ 13 ] reported how music therapists during the pandemic were encouraged to review and share their protocols adapting their services and also providing practical recommendations.…”

Preferences for Virtual Music Therapy and the Use of Technology in the Practice of Czech Music Therapists – A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

“…More scientific evidence about VMT was published after the beginning of the pandemic. We conducted a scoping review and found 10 articles published from the onset of the pandemic to the 25 th October 2020 (Kantorová et al, 2021). Moreover, we described different adaptations to music therapy practice, including adaptations to the goals, methods/techniques, space, musical instruments, technologies, flexibility and logistics, etc.…”

“…Addressing these challenges requires the knowledge of specific adaptations (Berman, 2020;Knott & Block, 2020). Although there is only limited scientific evidence for VMT (Kantorová et al, 2021), it is desirable to implement previously mentioned recommendations in therapy practice and ensure the highest possible quality of music therapy carried out in the virtual environment.…”