Following a brief experience of prenatal music therapy resulting in the creation of a heartbeat memory track, investigators explored how memory making during complex pregnancy journeys could be offered. A literature review found evidence showing music during pregnancy, birth and neonatal admissions benefits the mother, baby and wider family but revealed little about specific use of heartbeat recordings in memory making. A single-arm study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of the Memories in Heartbeats experience for parents facing a life-limiting or life-threatening antenatal diagnosis. Five women and four partners participated, providing a recording of their baby’s heartbeat combined with music of their choice. The participants then took part in a semi-structured interview 6 months post-intervention. Thematic analysis highlighted accessibility, relationship to the music, control, privacy, legacy, diagnosis-specific relevance and recommendations for future use – echoing themes from other prenatal music therapy research. Results showed that, although challenging, creating memories in this way is feasible and acceptable to parents. Challenges related to palliative care acceptance and sensitivity of timing, but participants reported positive experiences. Further research should expand inclusion criteria and develop pathways for clinicians to access prenatal memory-making opportunities.
This pilot study explored the experiences of hospice nursing staff exposed to staff-preferred live environmental music therapy on an inpatient hospice unit. Using a qualitative, exploratory design, staff reflections were gathered following a series of live environmental music sessions provided within routine clinical care. Findings indicate that live, familiar music contributed to a calmer and more supportive emotional atmosphere, offering staff moments of respite, grounding and interpersonal connection amid the demands of end-of-life work. Participants described enhanced self-awareness, reduced stress and improved focus, alongside a greater sense of collegiality and shared presence. Participant engagement in music selection fostered ownership, familiarity and positive affect, while the live and responsive nature of the music distinguished it from recorded alternatives, deepening engagement and relational attunement. Staff perceived that their improved mood and attentiveness enhanced patient interactions, with observed positive responses from patients and families. The live music intervention was viewed as feasible and non-disruptive. While limited by its small scale and contextual specificity, this study offers preliminary evidence that staff-preferred live environmental music therapy may enhance emotional resilience and the relational climate of hospice care. Further mixed-methods research is warranted to examine comparative effects, sustainability and collaborative models of implementation within palliative settings.
One in five children and young people in the United Kingdom have a probable mental health condition and feel unhappy with their lives, presenting the lowest life satisfaction across Europe. Children and young people’s needs are now believed to have drastically exceeded the capabilities of the national healthcare system, and there is a call to radically rethink the scope of support and early interventions. In this pilot randomised controlled study, we aimed to investigate the delivery of a school-based music therapy intervention and to test whether all elements of the study design (e.g. recruitment, randomisation, follow-up) can work together in a larger study. The process and outcomes were evaluated by children and teachers through standardised questionnaires of quality of life, well-being and life functioning (Child Outcome Rating Scale), emotional and behavioural difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire with impact supplement), and biomarkers (FitBits) assessing children’s sleep. Adherence to the therapeutic protocol was rated by the researcher and the music therapist. Overall, improvements were observed in all outcome measures. However, in questionnaires of quality of life and Child Outcome Rating Scale, these improvements did not reach statistical significance when baseline differences were considered. Significant improvements were observed in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire with impact supplement and in children’s sleep, with children attending music therapy sleeping ~35 min longer than those who did not. All sessions were given an average rating of 9/10, indicating that children’s session quality ratings were high and consistent across sessions. Sample size calculations for future large-scale studies were performed, and recommendations were provided regarding how to improve the effectiveness of music therapy from children’s perspectives.
The Calm Place technique is an imagery-based stabilisation strategy used to support emotional regulation in children experiencing distress in school settings. This study examined whether integrating a Music Imagery-based intervention into the Calm Place technique enhances sensory engagement, imaginative detail, and emotional connection in children attending special education programmes. Eight elementary school students participated in three individual sessions. Session 1 involved the Calm Place technique without music, followed by a drawing and a verbal description of the imagined environment. In Session 2, AI-generated images based on each child’s initial description were presented alongside a selected music track within a Music and Imagery framework. In Session 3, a music listening intervention was applied; preparatory instructions were provided before music listening to facilitate internal exploration of the Calm Place, followed by narrative recounting and a second drawing. Drawings and narratives were analysed thematically across sessions. Results suggested that Music and Imagery was associated with richer sensory, emotional, and relational dimensions in children’s safe place representations. Drawings in Sessions 2 and 3 demonstrated greater complexity and personal symbolism, while narratives reflected enhanced vividness, emotional safety, and relaxation. These findings indicate that Music and Imagery may enhance Calm Place interventions within special education contexts.
