Crisis, Connection and Care
Contemplation on Establishing a Early-Pandemic-Era Online Music Therapy Project in China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v26i1.4700Keywords:
COVID-19, virtual music therapy, frontline healthcare workers, collective task force, crisis intervention, volunteer servicesAbstract
The COVID-19 outbreak in China brought multidimensional impacts on healthcare workers. This paper aims to report a rapid-response online music therapy project initiated by a volunteer team from a Chinese conservatory in early 2020, aiming to offer biopsychosocial support to the frontline healthcare workers and their children. The project was delivered via WeChat and Tencent Meeting, including Individualized Music Companionship and Individualized Music Caring sessions for healthcare workers, and Group Music Caring for their children. This report is based on organizational documents, coordination notes, media reports, and team debriefings, avoiding direct participant data to ensure ethical compliance. A total of 25 volunteers engaged in providing music support to 55 healthcare workers and 11 children. Daily supervisions identified the importance of music, the present moment, and positive resources, generalization and therapist’s balance. Ethical sensitivity was maintained throughout. Public feedback highlighted the program’s social value during the crisis. The project underscores the critical role of teamwork, ethical awareness, and adaptability of online technology. It offers a practical model for online music therapy and encourages further theoretical frameworks of music therapy to support biopsychosocial care in crisis preparedness and intervention.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the music therapists, music therapy interns, and music therapy students who participated in this volunteer-driven project. In the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, they generously devoted their time, expertise, and care. Their commitment and professionalism were essential to the rapid launch and effective delivery of this program under highly uncertain circumstances. We are particularly grateful to the following volunteers for their dedicated participation and invaluable contributions (in alphabetical order): Lo-Ting Chen, Wenyi Chen, Yiyun Cui, Qiulei Duan, Yangyang Han, Qianyu Huang, Qiaoyan Li, Shang Li, Zehui Li, Huanyu Lin, Sisi Lin, Bolin Liu, Sen Liu, Sifang Qiu, Yingying Shi, Yixuan Tong, Chenchen Wang, Yundi Wang, Gangyuan Yu, Han Xiao, Wan Yang, Lu Ye, Diandian Zeng, Liang Zhao, Jiatong Zhu. This project would not have been possible without their collective effort and personal commitment.
Generative AI Statement
The authors used multiple AI-assisted tools during the preparation of this manuscript. Youdao Translation AI and Bimuyu Academic Writing Assistant were used to support Chinese-English translation and to refine language expression. Open AI’s Chat GPT was used to assist in checking the APA 7 formatting of references. All AI-assisted content was carefully reviewed, edited and verified by the authors to ensure accuracy, appropriateness, and originality.
Funding
This article was funded by the Scientific Research Funding Program of the Central Conservatory of Music (general project) “Innovative Research on the Application of Music Therapy in the Context of Epidemic Prevention and Control” (21YB08).
References
American Music Therapy Association. (2013). AMTA Professional Competencies. https://www.musictherapy.org/about/competencies/
Berk, L. E. (2018). Development through the lifespan (7th ed.). Pearson.
Blanky-Voronov, R., & Gilboa, A. (2022). The “Ensemble”: A group music therapy treatment for developing preschool children’s social skills. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9446.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159446
Bruscia, K. E. (2014). Defining music therapy (3rd ed.). Barcelona Publishers.
Cai, C., Jin, H.-T., Zhang, Z., Li, S.-M., Zhang, R., Wang, S.-M., Zhang, Y., An, S.-L., Liu, K., Jiang, Y.-M., Lu, L., Chen, Y., Li, Z.-W., Ji, C.-H., & Cai, L. (2020，March 28). Voices from colleges and universities resuming operations and production. Guangming Daily. Retrieved from https://m.gmw.cn/baijia/202003/28/33692990.html?sdkver=7d05c2f1.
Caplan, G. (1964). Principles of preventive psychiatry. Basic Books.
Chen, T., & Zhao, X. (2022). Study on the “proximal factors” of medical staff during the COVID-19 outbreak: Analysis of 200 medical diaries. Medicine & Philosophy, 43(5), 55– 60. https://doi.org/10.12014/j.issn.1002-0772.2022.05.11
Chu, H.-C. (2020). Using music to heal pain. National Centre for the Performing Arts, 141, 34–61.
Chutian Metropolis Daily. (2020, February 9). Wuhan Conservatory of Music establishes therapy radio to provide professional psychological “sound” support. https://www.csmes.org/show-14-125989-1.html
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Seligman, M. (2000). Positive psychology. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14.
de Witte, M., Pinho, A. da S., Stams, G. J., Moonen, X., Bos, A. E. R., & van Hooren, S. (2020). Music therapy for stress reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 16(1), 134–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2020.1846580
Else, B. A., & González, M. (2023). Global trends in music therapy for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. In L. E. Beer & J. C. Birnbaum (Eds.), Trauma-informed music therapy: Theory and practice (pp. 19–27). Routledge.
Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196(4286), 129–136. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.847460
Fancourt, D., Steptoe, A., & Bu, F. (2021). Trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms during enforced isolation due to COVID-19 in England: A longitudinal observational study. Lancet Psychiatry, 8(2), 141–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/S22150366(20)30482-X
Finnerty, R., Zhang, K., Tabuchi, R. A., & Zhang, K. (2022). The use of music to manage burnout in nurses: A systematic review. American Journal of Health Promotion, 36(8), 1386–1398. https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171221105862
Gao, T. (2022). The Earworm Technique applied in telehealth music therapy program during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Creative Arts in Education and Therapy, 8(1), 46-55. https://doi.org/10.15212/CAET/2022/8/5
Ginman, K., Anttila, E., Juntunen, M.-L., & Tiippana, K. (2022). Classroom-integrated movement and music interventions and children’s ability to recognize social interaction based on body motion. Education Sciences, 12(12), 914. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120914
Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 271–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/10892680.2.3.271
Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2014.940781
Ip-Winfield, V., & Grocke, D. (2021). Virtual Group Music and Imagery (GrpMI) with healthcare staff during the Covid-19 pandemic in Melbourne. Australian Journal of Music Therapy, 32(1), 97–111. http://www.austmta.org.au/public/151/files/AJMT/2021/Issue%201/9_%20AJMT%2 032(1)%20-%20Ip-Winfield%20%26%20Grocke.pdf
Jing, J. (2020). The epidemic is merciless, but music is full of love: The teachers and students of our school’s music therapy department have joined hands to assist the medical staff on the front line of the fight against the epidemic in Wuhan [in Chinese]. Central Conservatory of Music. Retrieved from https://www.ccom.edu.cn/info/9841/92521.htm
Kantorová, L., Kantor, J., Hořejší, B., Gilboa, A., Svobodová, Z., Lipský, M., Marečková, J., & Klugar, M. (2021). Adaptation of music therapists’ practice to the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic -Going virtual: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5138. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105138
Li, L.-Y., Liu, C.-X., Wei, Y., & Tang, Q.-B. (2021). Psychological status and quality of life of quarantined medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Medical Theory and Practice, 34(22), 4010–4012. https://doi.org/10.19381/j.issn.10017585.2021.22.070
Li, R.-L., Xiong, Z.-F., Liu, L.-L., Zong, S.-Q., & Li, H.-X. (2020). Anxiety status and its influencing factors among frontline nurses in designated hospitals for COVID-19 in Wuhan. Journal of Practical Cardio-Cerebral Pulmonary Vascular Disease, 28(3), 19–23.
Lin, S. (2020, December 5). Heartwarming moments in music therapy [Conference presentation]. International Academic Forum on Music and Health amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Online. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ycPs6yH46icEoNO12NJnKg
Liu, J., Zhao, S.-G., Zhou, L.-H., Zhang, C.-X., & Hu, Y.-L. (2020). Mental health of healthcare workers’ families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical Information, 33(24), 133–136+ 150.
Malloch, S., & Trevarthen, C. (Eds.). (2009). Communicative musicality: Exploring the basis of human companionship. Oxford University Press.
National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China. (2020). Notice on issuing the guiding principles for emergency psychological crisis intervention for pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus infection. Bulletin of the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, 1(Issue 1), 11–15. Retrieved from https://www.nhc.gov.cn/jkj/c100063/202001/76bf8b32864442c3b1a68e35316380f4. shtml
Newman, L. J., Stewart, S. E., Freeman, N. C., & Thompson, G. (2022). A systematic review of music interventions to support parent–child attachment. Journal of Music Therapy, 59(4), 430–459. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thac012
O’Brien, E., Bedggood, J., & Ayling, A. (2021). Evolving and thriving – Keeping music therapy alive in a pandemic world: The Royal Melbourne Hospital music therapy response in 2020. Australian Journal of Music Therapy, 32(1), 80–96. https://www.austmta.org.au/public/151/files/AJMT/2021/Issue%201/8_%20AJMT%2032(1)%20-%20O’Brien%20et%20al.pdf
Pfefferbaum, B., & North, C. S. (2020). Mental health and the Covid-19 pandemic. The New England Journal of Medicine, 383(6), 510–512. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2008017
Reybrouck, M. (2023). A dynamic interactive approach to music listening: The role of entrainment, attunement and resonance. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 7(7), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti7070066
Rolvsjord, R. (2010). Resource-oriented music therapy in mental health care. Barcelona Publishers. Schellenberg, E. G., Corrigall, K. A., Dys, S. P., & Malti, T. (2015). Group music training and children’s prosocial skills. PloS ONE, 10(10): e0141449. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141449
Shanafelt, T., Ripp, J., & Trockel, M. (2020). Understanding and addressing sources of anxiety among health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA, 323(21), 2133–2134. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.5893
Tekin, S., Glover, N., Greene, T., Lamb, D., Murphy, D., & Billings, J. (2022). Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 13(1), 2057166. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2022.2057166
Thompson, Z., & Khalil-Salib, L. (2021). Online music therapy groups during COVID-19: Perspectives from NDIS participants and caregivers. Australian Journal of Music Therapy, 32(1), 52–63.
Tian, T.-F., Pan, W.-G., Meng, F.-Q., Zhang, S.-N., & Li, X.-H. (2021). Depression among frontline medical staff managing imported COVID-19 cases. Sichuan Mental Health, 34(1), 9–13.
Wang, C., Pan, R., Wan, X., Tan, Y., Xu, L., Ho, C. S., & Ho, R. C. (2020). Immediate psychological responses and associated factors during the initial stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) epidemic among the general population in China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(5), 1729. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17051729
Wang, K.-L., Zhu, X.-B., Huang, X.-T., & Sun, L. (2022). Effect of psychological intervention for healthcare workers during COVID-19 [in Chinese]. Journal of Hebei North University (Natural Science Edition), 38(2), 33–34+37.
Wang, L. (2020, October 10). Music therapy supports psychological intervention. Anti-epidemic songs by mental health professionals across the country have been released. Beijing News. Retrieved from https://05vig8.smartapps.cn/pages_sub/article/article?dataid=comos%3Aivhuipp8882445&_swebfr=1&_swebFromHost=baiduboxapp
Wang, Y., & Wan, X.-Y. (2022). Job burnout and satisfaction of public hospital doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Chengdu Medical College, 17(1), 114–118. World Health Organization. (2020, March 11). WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19. https://www.who.int/news-room/speeches/item/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefingon-covid-19---11-march-2020
Xia, W., Bi, J.-J., Fan, L.-C., & Chen, H. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and brain function of Wuhan frontline healthcare workers. Journal of Neurological Damage and Functional Reconstruction, 16(11), 633–635, 659. https://doi.org/10.16780/j.cnki.sjssgncj.20200857
Xiang, Z.-Y., & Tang, Y.-H. (2022). Occupational risk and its prevention among healthcare workers during epidemic prevention. Medicine and Law, 14(3), 18–24.
Yang, L.-M., Su, Y.-X., & Shen, J.-T. (2021). Sleep quality and influencing factors of medical staff during COVID-19 outbreak. Health Vocational Education, 39(2), 126–128.
Zhang, L., Que, J.-Y., Wang, Y.-J., Meng, S.-Q., Bao, Y.-P., Shi, L., Chen, L.-X., & Lu, L. (2021). Burnout and mental health among mental health professionals during COVID19. Chinese Journal of Drug Dependence, 30(6), 428–434. https://doi.org/10.13936/j.cnki.cjdd1992.2021.06.006
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Lo-Ting Chen , Zehui Li, Sisi Lin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Articles published prior to 2019 are subject to the following license, see: https://voices.no/index.php/voices/copyright
