Music therapy: an evidence-based allied health service applicable through the life span

This chapter outlines the importance of understanding the dynamics of the service context along with the needs of the population being served in order to achieve effective implementation of music therapy programmes. The new music therapist, and the student, must take care to ensure they understand as much as possible about the population, the services, and the wider policy context in the place where they are providing services before translating research findings or the techniques described in case studies to their own developing practice. Music therapy has an emergent evidence base as provided through case reports, expert opinion, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analyses of existing studies. The evidence base points to the effectiveness of music therapy to address a range of needs, particularly in improving communication and social skills.