Resources & references

This article discusses the positive benefits on well-being of adding music therapy to kangaroo care, which stresses the importance of skin to skin touch for preterm infants.

Watch certified music therapist, Laurie Perez, support Karen, a hospital patient, in providing connection and something to look forward to amidst her medical treatment.

Click here to read more about how music therapy can support medical patients

This is a summary of a study, which reveals promising findings for the application of improvisational music therapy in assuaging the multidimensional acute pain of adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). 

This paper delineates the design and development of the mindfulness-based music therapy (MBMT) program implemented in a pilot study and includes clients’ narrative journal responses. Conclusions and recommendations, including recommendation for further exploration of the function of music in mindfulness practice are provided.

Read how a group drumming protocol was successfully utilized as part of the psychosocial training program for patients in an acute psychiatric hospital setting.

This research article investigates how music therapy influences the mood levels of adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), traumatic brain injury (TB), and other types of brain injuries. The results demonstrated that participants had elevated mood levels after engaging in individual music therapy sessions.

Read a study on the use of music therapy in burn patients, including both adults and pediatric cases, which found that participants in the music therapy program reported a significant reduction in pain compared to those not participating in the music therapy program.

This study examines how music can serve as a mnemonic to improve memory recognition in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

This study investigated feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a single-session electronic music improvisation with a music therapist to diminish pain intensity and improve pain relief and mood in adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Qualitatively, there were two prominent themes directly related to music: 1) music listening and music therapy offered many positive and few negative effects; and 2) music therapists provided comfort beyond the music. 

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the efficacy of a music therapy protocol on mood states and levels of group cohesiveness in adult oncology patients. Participants took part in "music making" sessions (where the mechanism for change included the process of making music) and "music responding" sessions (where the mechanism included the process of responding to music). 

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of caregiver-implemented music applications on engagement with their care receivers. Music therapy applications are effective in increasing mutual engagement in couples with dementia, and caregivers can effectively facilitate the engagement using music. Furthermore, once the engagement is established, it carries over into visitation without music.

This study explored the efficacy of group music therapy sessions for teenagers and adults receiving in-patient eating disorder treatment. The results determined that music therapy was effective in reducing negative affect, improving emotional expression, supporting social connection, and helping patients on their recovery journey.