Parents’ and music therapists’ perspectives on children’s participation in music therapy

Abstract

Background: Music therapy is recognised as a meaningful intervention that helps support children’s communication, emotional regulation, social interaction, and participation. However, limited research has explored both parents’ and music therapists’ perspectives on children’s participation in music therapy, particularly within the Maltese context. Aim: This study aimed to explore parents’ and music therapists’ perspectives on children’s participation in music therapy. It sought to understand how music therapy is experienced and its perceived impact on children’s communication, emotional regulation, social interaction, and participation in daily life. Method: A qualitative research design was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain in-depth insights into participants’ experiences and perspectives. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling from a Maltese non-governmental organisation providing music therapy services. The sample consisted of five participants, including three parents of children attending music therapy and two registered music therapists. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings: The analysis identified five main themes: music as a medium for communication and emotional expression; supporting participation and engagement in everyday life; development of social and interpersonal skills; music therapy as a motivating form of therapy; and interprofessional collaboration enhancing children’s participation. Findings indicated that music therapy supports non-verbal communication, emotional expression, and emotional regulation, contributing to improved attention, calmness, and readiness to engage. Increased confidence, self-expression, and motivation were also reported, alongside improvements in social interaction, turn-taking, and sense of belonging. Some carryover into home and school contexts was reported, although this varied across participants. Discussion: This study highlights the value of music therapy as a meaningful and engaging intervention that supports children’s participation across multiple domains. It also identifies the importance of incorporating both parental and therapist perspectives to understand participation holistically. The findings also highlight the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration between music therapy and occupational therapy. Recommendations for future research were proposed to enhance children’s participation in music therapy and support the possibility development of interdisciplinary collaboration and optimise children’s participation through the integration of music-based approaches across paediatric contexts.