Understanding professionals’ perceptions of using music as a therapeutic tool within substance abuse therapeutic communities

Abstract

Owing to music’s inherent versatility, music as a therapeutic tool for treatment-seeking substance abusers has increasingly been adopted to achieve various treatment objectives and to compliment other already-established practices. Despite the innumerable acknowledged effects within the treatment-seeking substance abuse population, the use of music as a therapeutic tool within substance abuse treatment in Malta has scarcely been acknowledged and there is a bereft of both research on professionals’ perceptions on music-based interventions, and their application within the local context. This study intended to explore the perceptions held by professionals in Malta towards the use of music as a therapeutic tool within substance abuse therapeutic communities. Answering its three primary research questions, this qualitative study employs the use of semi-structured group interviews to collect the data and inductive thematic analysis to analyse the data. A total of six themes were generated from the four group interviews conducted. This study’s findings indicate that professionals believe that music may be an effective therapeutic tool to treat substance abuse within therapeutic communities with eight beneficial effects acknowledged, compared to the two noted detrimental effects. Most professionals are willing to learn more and implement music within their practice and view music as another potential tool to have at one’s disposal, most effective when adjunctive to other treatment modalities. Professionals also explored key characteristics necessary for one to effectively implement music-based interventions, perceived barriers to its implementations and strategies to overcome these barriers.