“My Tune: Music Therapy from OUR Perspectives”

A Joint Reflection on the Research Process

Authors

  • Julia Fent University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5363-3739
  • Irene Stepniczka University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • My Tune Team Members University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v25i1.4211

Keywords:

music therapy reflection, participatory research, co-creation, diverse perspectives, empowerment, agency

Abstract

Participatory research is an increasingly popular research approach in music therapy. It allows diverse perspectives to be included in the research process thereby affording agency to all participants. Yet, it is challenging to involve various actors at all stages of a research project, including dissemination. In the My Tune project we used a co-creative approach, where young people, music therapists, and caregivers were involved as coresearchers. Within the project we developed a tool for reflecting on music therapy processes from the clients’ perspectives. At the end of the project, we strived to find a way of involving as many participants as possible in the composition of a common article. Two group discussions were held, where project participants conjointly reviewed the My Tune project. In the qualitative analysis of these discussions, key topics were identified, such as motivations, conditions for success, challenges, lessons learned, personal benefits, and characteristics of participatory research. These findings reflect the experiences of the participatory collaboration from diverse perspectives. They give an insight into the research process and refer to the resulting My Tune tool, offering important impulses for future participatory research.

Funding

We are grateful that the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft [Ludwig Boltzmann Society] supported this project by funding it as part of the Patient and Public Involvement and
Engagement in Research 2021 call.


Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our colleague Elsa Campbell for proof-reading the manuscript.

Author Biographies

Julia Fent, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Julia Fent (she/her), music therapist and singer holding a PhD in Gender Studies, is a research associate at WZMF—Music Therapy Research Centre Vienna at mdw—University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Research interests: anti-discriminatory perspectives in music therapy, gender and queer studies, qualitative and participatory research.

Irene Stepniczka, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Irene Stepniczka (she/her), musicologist and cognitive scientist, is a research associate at the WZMF—Music Therapy Research Centre Vienna at mdw—University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Examples of research interests: mixed-methods research, effects of music therapy, and linking music therapy to cognitive science.

My Tune Team Members, University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Vienna, Austria

My Tune Team Members: The My Tune team comprised young people with music therapy experience, music therapists and caregivers. Together with the two project initiators they developed the My Tune tool in a participatory research process. Nine out of these 12 persons also collaborated in writing this article (according to the definition of the role of authors by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, 2025).

Authors Fent and Stepniczka

Published

2025-03-01

How to Cite

Fent, J., Stepniczka, I., & My Tune Team Members. (2025). “My Tune: Music Therapy from OUR Perspectives”: A Joint Reflection on the Research Process. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v25i1.4211

Issue

Section

Research