Music-based interventions in rehabilitation of children and adolescents with chronic diseases: Sharing an experience from a Brazilian public hospital

Music-based interventions (MBI) in therapeutic routine have been observed as an effective tool for adjuvant therapy for patients with chronic diseases and for those with various types of disabilities. Music can serve as a pedagogical and therapeutic strategy for development of psychomotor skills in children and adolescents with long-lasting illnesses, and also as a secular way of promoting comfort and spiritual health for patients and families during difficult times; it can also be used to alleviate suffering during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures throughout the long recovery and/or rehabilitation processes. In this article, a musician and art therapist describes some simple MBI used daily in a tertiary children's hospital in Sao Paulo, where patients with chronic diseases and from lower socioeconomic background represent most of outpatients and inpatients. Some MBI developed or adapted by the author are described in detail, some of them using only the voice and others utilizing simple musical instruments, usually percussion ones, by the patients themselves. There are also reports describing MBI in special situations, such as long-lasting isolation of immunosuppressed patients (for bone marrow transplantation, for example), regular day-hospital visits for hemodialysis and religious songs for families of end-of-life or critically ill patients. In conclusion, MBI can be beneficial for improving patient experience in hospital settings, particularly for those with long-lasting or repeated stays, and can be performed in a simple and playful way, with contribution of other health professionals with some background in music, since music therapy specialists are still scarce in many countries.

Cognitive Behavioral-Active Music Pastoral Therapy for Millennials' Academic Anxiety: How & Why?

This study used quasi-experimental design with repeated measures (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up). Based on the post-test and the follow-up comparison, active music therapy was effective in reducing academic anxiety after two weeks of the treatment. Active music therapy which are integrated in CBT group counseling not only can overcome individual problems, but the therapies can also help individuals analyze their own thoughts and behavior.

A survey of the use of music by hospice chaplains: a call for collaboration

Music is an integral tool in creating sacred space, and research indicates the potential for music to advance spiritual goals. However, little evidence exists on the use of music by hospice chaplains. In an online survey, 313 hospice chaplains were asked about their work including their use of music and perception of the effectiveness of music in meeting spiritual goals. Most respondents named supporting those actively dying and providing compassionate presence as a top reason for referral. Many used prayer and life review to meet spiritual goals. Participants reported playing recorded religious music (66.54%) or singing religious music (61.54%) with their patients and only 8.08% never use music. Collaboration with board-certified music therapists to use music to support actively dying patients and prompt life review is encouraged. Seminary and CPE educators are urged to incorporate the use of music into their curricula.

It’s...Complicated: A Theoretical Model of Music-Induced Harm

While literature exists supporting the use of music for health promotion, scholars have also noted the potential for music-induced harm and other maladaptive effects of music. Harm is a multifaceted construct that can include affective, behavioral, cognitive, identity, interpersonal, physical, and spiritual aspects. As music also represents a multifaceted experience, the relationship between music and harm is complex and can include numerous contextual-, deliverer-, music-, and recipient-based factors. Music-induced harm (MIH) also needs to be clearly defined to understand and protect against it. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to explore the numerous factors influencing how music can result in harm and develop a theoretical model that could be used to inform safe music practices. Drawing from existing models of emotional responses to music, music intervention reporting guidelines, therapeutic functions of music, and holistic wellness, we explored how the interplay between the deliverer, music, and recipient can result in various types of MIH in diverse contexts. We then developed the MIH model to integrate these factors and connect the model with the existing literature. The MIH model highlights the relevance of academic and clinical training, credentialing, occupational regulation, continuing education, and professional organizations that provide accredited curricular oversight to protect people from MIH. Implications for clinical application, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Music Therapy as a Psychospiritual Ministry of Intercession During Imminent Death

Imminent death is a critical stage in end-of-life care requiring a shared attention to the preparatory needs of both patient and caregiver(s). For many patients and caregivers who identify as Christian, the Holy Spirit can be an integral resource capable of facilitating a healthy death experience. Music therapy, as a resource-oriented practice, has the potential to be a ministry facilitating access to the Holy Spirit for patients and caregivers to use for unique purposes. Drawing from both music therapy and theological concepts and identifying their intersections, this paper frames an ethical and effective model of music therapy as ministry as shaped through three unique stakeholder roles: music therapist as minister of intercessory prayer; patient as vertically transcendental worshiper; and caregiver(s) as horizontally transcendental worshiper. These roles are implicitly and simultaneously assumed, fulfilling the functions necessary for a holistic, comprehensive plan of care to be enacted during a time-limited stage of urgent need such as imminent death. Theoretical postulations related to each stakeholder role are posited and discussed in context of clinical practice. Future examinations of music therapy as ministry through other faith lenses have the potential to yield additional psychospiritual functions of music therapy at the end of life, including identifying additional resources music therapy can address with Christian patients in end-of-life care settings.