Motivations and skills investments of music therapists

Background: Investigating the motivations and skills invested by music therapists (MTs) in their work is useful and insightful for the continuing professional development.Objective: This study aimed to understand the motivations and skills that MTs in different clinical settings bring to their work to promote well-being in their clients.Methods: Focus group discussions were conducted with MTs who work with three different client groups: children with various needs, adults with disabilities, and adults with mental health issues. A thematic analysis was conducted for each group, and results were compared.Results: MTs were motivated by different group of clients who require different ways of using music. Therefore, MTs reported firstly investing in their musical skills to create a nurturing environment. They then invested in applying therapeutic skills to establish interpersonal relationships with their clients, which was deemed as being essential to promoting clients’ well-being.Discussion: MTs also reporte

Focus group · Interpersonal communication · Medical education · Mental health · Music therapy · Psychotherapist · Qualitative research · Social skills · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Work (physics · Applied Psychology · Diverse Music Education Insights · Medicine · Music Therapy and Health · Neuroscience and Music Perception · Psychology · Social Psychology