American Music Therapy Association

Music Therapy Research 2025 Begins July 16

Improving Access and Quality: Music Therapy Research 2025

The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) presents an historic and innovative research symposium, “Improving Access and Quality: Music Therapy Research 2025” (MTR 2025), beginning the evening of July 16, 2015 and ending at noon on July 18. This visionary special event is designed to recommend guidance for future research in music therapy and was made possible by a generous donation from David’s Fund and Tom and Lucy Ott.

The Editors of AMTA’s peer reviewed journals, Drs. Anthony (Tony) Meadows and Sheri Robb noted that, “when viewed as a whole, music therapy research has moved through several important stages of development, characterized by differentiation and integration of philosophies and perspectives that parallel changes occurring in the broader national health research community, including an emphasis on diverse methodologies.  Central to advancing the science and practice of music therapy is finding ways to develop and integrate this knowledge across these research cultures, while meeting both internal and external demands for research that demonstrates improvements in quality and access to care”.  The opening night keynotes will address these points and others.

Keynotes include:

• Importance of Research for Improving Access and Quality by Pamela Hinds, RN, PhD, FAAN, Associate Center Director, Center for Translational Science, Children’s Research Institute; Director, Nursing Research and Quality Outcomes, Children’s National™
• Cultures of Inquiry in Music Therapy and Research and the Changing Landscape of Knowledge Generation and Implementation by Sheri Robb, PhD, MT-BC and Tony Meadows, PhD, MT-BC. 

The Symposium agenda includes input from a broad and diverse group of professional music therapists including clinicians, educators, students, and researchers. 

• Panel One: Music Therapy Research Needs: a summary of surveys/interviews with clinicians and educators.  Followed by exploration of how the research process grows and evolves in music therapy practice and highlights the important questions, potential impact, and interplay of theories, methods, and approaches.
• Panel Two: Policy Imperatives: discusses the impact of research on Music Therapy recognition, access, and funding.   AMTA Government Relations Director, Judy Simpson, shares her thoughts regarding future music therapy research as it informs policy imperatives. Judy summarizes input from a variety of colleagues regarding the role and use of research in policy-making and advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Panel Three: Considerations for Future Research in Selected Clinical Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) were selected to highlight opportunities for future research. These topics involve large segments of practicing music therapists and have been identified by policy-makers and funders as areas where research findings impact policy and funding. Each topic leader will outline considerations for future research in music therapy, drawing from the literature and knowledge of trends in current music therapy practice. Respondents will add commentary and supplement remarks.
• Panel Four: Research Capacity Building: Infrastructure, Education, and Training: panelists will offer conceptual ideas and factors for consideration regarding research capacity building for two major topics: a) research infrastructure and b) music therapy education and training. In addition to the perspectives of educators, the perspectives of practicing clinicians and intern supervisors are presented because of their importance to the dialogue, and the unique set of challenges and needs of practicing clinician/scholars.

Breakout groups will convene in which participants will discuss topics, respond to a set of questions, and prepare and prioritize recommendations.  The results will be summarized and consolidated, and will be shared in the fall through the AMTA website and at the annual conference.  AMTA is proud to sponsor this unique opportunity to bring the many myriad members of the music therapy community together to openly explore our research future.

For more information contact:

Al Bumanis, AMTA Director of Communications
Bumanis@musictherapy.org; 301-589-3300, ext. 103, office; 240-401-1001, cell

Barbara Else, MTR Coordinator and Senior Research Consultant
Else@musictherapy.org; 520-245-7717, cell

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