Clinicians’ Views of Music Therapy: Emotional Support, Communication, and Quality of Life

Article Overview

This 2024 qualitative study explores clinicians’ views of music therapy for hospitalized children and adolescents. Published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing, the study used two focus groups with 18 healthcare professionals after an interactive music therapy session to examine how clinicians perceived the role of music therapy in pediatric hospital care.

Clinicians described music therapy as supportive of emotional support, communication, coping, and quality of life for children and adolescents in the hospital. They also identified benefits related to emotional expression, family support, and the overall care experience, suggesting that music therapy may contribute to more relational and holistic pediatric care.

Why This Matters

This article matters because it shows how clinicians in pediatric hospital settings view music therapy as part of patient care. While the study does not measure clinical outcomes directly, it offers valuable insight into how music therapy is recognized by professionals working with hospitalized children and adolescents every day.

For a public-facing music therapy library, this article helps explain that music therapy in hospitals is not simply entertainment. According to clinicians in the study, music therapy may support emotional support, communication, coping, and quality of life in pediatric care. That makes it a strong supporting article for families, hospitals, and referral sources interested in child and adolescent music therapy.

Barrio, M., Moreno-Mulet, C., Romero-García, M., & Ríos-Risquez, M. I. (2024). Healthcare professionals’ perceptions towards music therapy for hospitalized children and adolescents: A qualitative study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 79, e191–e198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2024.07.022

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Woman and Child, Kate Greenaway, 1883

Music Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Social Interaction, Communication, and Connection

Article Overview

Music therapy uses musical experiences and the relationships that develop through them to support communication, expression, and connection. In this Cochrane systematic review, researchers examined the effects of music therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder, with a focus on social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, initiating behavior, and emotional reciprocity.

The review suggests that music therapy may help improve social interaction, verbal communication, initiating behavior, and social-emotional reciprocity. The authors also describe possible benefits in areas such as social adaptation, joy, and the quality of parent-child relationships, while noting that more research is still needed.

Why This Matters

Autism support often involves more than reducing challenges. It also includes creating opportunities for connection, expression, relationship-building, and meaningful engagement. This review is important because it highlights music therapy as a relational and interactive approach that may support communication and social development in ways that feel motivating and accessible.

For families, educators, and clinicians, this review offers a helpful overview of how music therapy may support children with autism in areas that matter deeply in daily life. It also reinforces the idea that music therapy is not simply passive listening, but a trained, relationship-based process that can support growth in communication and social connection.

Geretsegger, M., Elefant, C., Mössler, K. A., & Gold, C. (2014). Music therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014(6), CD004381. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004381.pub3

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The Dance Lesson, Edgar Degas, ca. 1879.