The Importance of Research in Educating About Music Therapy

Abstract

In this "Essay" article, the author explores some ways in which music therapy research is important in educating people—music therapists and those outside of music therapy—about music therapy. There are different levels and types of research, and different levels are appropriate at different points in the development of music therapy in a country. However, some type of music therapy research is important for the development of music therapy in all cases and in all situations and all countries. The author suggests that music therapy research may be used to: (a) describe a situation, (b) identify and examine processes and causal factors, (c) provide evidence about outcomes, or (d) change a situation. Information on music therapy research for each purpose is provide. The article examines how all of these may be used to educate people about music therapy. It is suggested that music therapists in different countries have different needs for research and that one thing that leads to these variations is how highly developed music therapy is in the country.