Interdisciplinary Team Members' Perceptions of the Role of Music Therapy in a Pediatric Outpatient Clinic

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of interdisciplinary team members regarding the role of music therapy in a pediatric clinic. Medical and psychosocial support staff were administered a survey regarding the different roles of music therapy prior to and directly following a video inservice. Results of the pretest indicated significant differences between occupational groups. Child life specialists/creative arts therapists rated the task "Entertain the children and their families when they are not involved in medical procedures" as less relevant than other professionals (P < 0.01). Nursing staff rated the task "Provide distraction for children during painful procedures" as more relevant than child life specialists/creative arts therapists (P<0.05). Results also indicated significant differences (P<0.04) between pretest and posttest survey responses pertaining to goal setting, assessment, and procedural support, indicating staff's increased awareness of role of music therapy.