Development of a music therapy micro-intervention for stress reduction

Negative stress is a serious risk factor for the onset and progression of a wide range of physical illnesses and emotional problems. In the literature, an increasing examination of music therapy interventions for stress reduction over the past decade is seen, yet music therapy interventions for stress reduction have not been systematically developed and described. Moreover, there is a growing need for micro-interventions, which are defined as short-term interventions in which the therapist uses specific therapeutic techniques to work on a client’s goals. In this study, a music therapy micro-intervention for stress reduction was developed based on both empirical and practice-based knowledge. First, the micro-intervention was described based on both findings from empirical studies (N = 52) focused on the effects of music therapy on stress reduction, and from a previously conducted focus group study focused on the perspectives of music therapists. Second, the Delphi technique was applied to collect feedback on the micro-intervention described, by surveying a panel of 16 music therapy experts. This procedure resulted in an improved description of the music therapy micro-intervention for stress reduction, including a receptive and an active intervention variant. Implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.