Resources & references

Read an article discussing the use of music in the lives of children with Batten Disease. Three key themes are discussed: music and well-being, music's role in supporting functional skills, and the use of music in care settings. Findings also suggest that access to more structure intervention forms, such as music therapy, is important for this population.

The DRUMBEAT program uses drumming to engage at-risk youth in musical expression and discussions on healthy relationships. Findings support its theory that integrating music therapy with cognitive–behavioural principles promotes emotional control, better relationships, and higher self-esteem.

This paper conceptualizes songwriting as an ‘after-queer’ approach for exploring notions of gender and sexuality with young people. It draws on songs created by adolescents in music-based workshops in schools.

This research article presents a case study of an adult man with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who participated in music therapy sessions. The results determined that music improvisation improved affect regulation, exploration of trauma-related issues, and self-agency.

A music therapy program piloted in a British Columbia mental health clubhouse in 1997 and later expanded to group homes was originally shown to promote rehabilitation through a client-centered empowerment model. This article updates the program’s status 20 years later with new data.

Read about how different research methodologies and collaboration across disciplines can be used to better research the use of music therapy in pain management.

Read an article exploring the feasibilty of incorporating mindful self-compassion into music therapy sessions for patients living with chronic pain. Results highlighted the need for future research to better interpret the results, but found a general increase in levels of pain acceptance following the treatment sessions.

This research journal integrates clinical practice and research on music interventions and strategies in medicine, translating insights from music, psychology, cognition, neurology, and therapy into clinical applications while unifying knowledge across disciplines.

Previous literature in music therapy suggests a need for greater clarity and insight concerning correlations between music and spirituality for the modern clinician. The purpose of this article is to provide a clear explanation of these correlations and some possible implications for the practice of music therapy.

This literature review explores existing research pertaining to speech and language development in young children, both in the field of music therapy and from other fields which may be relevant to music therapy practice. It seeks to determine the treatment implications for music therapists.

Click here to watch a playlist of music videos to target speech sounds.

This study compares the impact of play-based and music-based group sessions on attention behaviours in blind/visually impaired preschoolers. Results indicated greater attentive behaviour in the music-based sessions.

Read a Cochrane review on the use of music interventions for acquired brain injury. Results indicate positive effects in motor and communication/speech rehabilitation, as well as on quality of life, and that interventions lead by a qualified music therapist were more effective.