Translating music therapy to clinical practice for mental health

Music-based interventions (MBIs) are emerging as evidence-based non-pharmacological approaches to mental health treatment. They are appealing because of their multifaceted nature, targeting biological, psychological (i.e. cognitive and emotional), and social aspects of mental health. Prof. Gold will give an overview of different MBIs, including music therapy and others, and review applications, mechanisms, and effects.

In areas such as autism spectrum disorder, depressive disorders, dementia, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder, a growing body of evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) has been documented in Cochrane Reviews [1,2]. Music therapy has beneficial effects on symptom severity, functioning, and quality of life if enough sessions are provided by an adequately qualified therapist. Given promising effects but high clinical and statistical heterogeneity, recent studies have attempted to identify mechanisms of music therapy. Communication and emotional processing have long been considered and remain relevant across disorders [3]. Cognitive training and behavioural activation have received less attention but are now being re-considered [4]. The motivating power of music has long been known and is now being used in the framework of predictive processing and the brain’s reward system [5].

Music therapy and other MBIs can usefully complement each other and address mental health transdiagnostically. The balance between individual tailoring and standardisation is important to consider.

References

Geretsegger 2022 Cochrane Database Syst Rev https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004381.pub4
Ghetti 2022 Cochrane Database Syst Rev https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012576.pub3
Ruiz 2025 Arts Psychother https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2025.102375
Baker 2022 Lancet Healthy Longevity https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-7568(22)00027-7
Geretsegger 2026 medRxiv Addict Med http://medrxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.64898/2026.02.19.26346573