https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2825-7639
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Kate A Aitchison, Katrina Skewes McFerran, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Music Therapy Assessment: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis, Journal of Music Therapy, Volume 62, Issue 1, Spring 2025, thaf005, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thaf005
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Abstract
Recovery-oriented mental health care emphasizes hope, empowerment, personally defined recovery, and the importance of systemic change and action on the social determinants of mental health and wellbeing. It has been argued that music therapy is highly compatible with recovery principles. This critical interpretive synthesis explores published music therapy assessments designed for use with children and adolescents experiencing mental health challenges, including assessment development, contextual influences, and potential applications in recovery-oriented mental health settings. Database searches, citation tracking, and hand searching identified nine relevant publications (1988–2019), reflecting eight separate assessments. Publications describe the assessment of multiple domains to inform planning; use a range of quantitative rating scales and qualitative descriptions; focus on information sharing and enhancing credibility; and reveal the influence of verbal psychotherapeutic models. Some assessments use terminology that was common in the era that they were published but are not considered congruent with recovery-oriented care. An emphasis on clinician dominance and duplication of information collected by other professionals in interdisciplinary settings is also apparent, potentially affecting usability in mental health services. Exploration of musical phenomena is evident in all assessments and may offer a unique contribution to interdisciplinary processes. Although a significant focus on individual pathology is evident, consumers’ resources and contexts are explored in many of the music therapy assessments. This synthesis reveals a need to explore and develop music therapy assessment practices that align with recovery-oriented principles to meet consumer needs and improve integration in interdisciplinary contexts.
