Music Therapy During COVID-19: Changes to the Practice, Use of Technology, and What to Carry Forward in the Future

Abstract

In recent years, the field of music therapy (MT) has increasingly embraced the use of technology for conducting therapy sessions and enhancing patient outcomes. Amidst a worldwide pandemic, we sought to examine whether this is now true to an even greater extent, as many music therapists have had to approach and conduct their work differently. The purpose of this survey study is to observe trends in how music therapists from different regions around the world have had to alter their practice, especially in relation to their use of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, because of limited options to conduct in-person therapy due to social distancing measures. Further, the findings aim to clarify music therapists’ perspectives on the benefits and limitations of technology in MT, as well as online MT. In addition, this survey investigated what changes have been necessary to administer MT during COVID-19, in terms of virtual therapy and online tools, and how the changes made now may affect MT in the future. We also explored music therapists’ views on whether special technology-focused training might be helpful to support the practice of MT in the future. This is the first survey, to our knowledge, to break down opinions of and trends in technology use based on geographical region (North America, Europe, and Asia), and several noteworthy differences were apparent across regions. We hope our findings provide useful information, guidance, and a global reference point for music therapists on effectively continuing the practice of MT during times of crisis, and can encourage reflection and improvement in administering MT.

Analysis of the Effectiveness of Music Therapy on Mental Health of College Students

“…Music therapy can let college students vent their emotions in the appropriate environment and atmosphere and then guide them correctly to get out of the haze and welcome the sunshine [ 5 ]. The soothing effect of music can enable college students to maintain stable emotions and actively detect their own psychological changes, so as to achieve the effect of self-regulation and self-healing [ 6 ]. It can be seen that music therapy has good feasibility in the intervention of college students' psychological problems, which can promote the improvement of college students' self-cognitive ability and interpersonal skills and make them maintain a good psychological state.…”

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

“…Three recent cross-sectional surveys (Table 2 ) evaluated the pros and cons in the transition of MT from “in person” (pre-COVID-19) to telemedicine services (since COVID-19) taking into account domains and techniques, the possible differences in terms of the occupational context of the music therapist, the potential benefits and future challenges [ 12 – 14 ].…”

“…Specifically, several notable differences emerged from a recent survey, where almost all respondents from North America and Asia/Oceania used technology, compared to the around three-quarters of those from Europe, probably due to the differences in the cultural context and theoretical orientation across regions [ 14 ].…”

The Power of Music: an exploration of the evidence [PREPRINT]

“…The COVID 19 pandemic has impacted on the way that music therapists across the world have undertaken their work particularly in relation to the use of technology (Agres et al, 2021). Cole and colleagues (2021) investigated the transition of neurologic music therapy services from in person to telehealth.…”