Journal article
Randomized Controlled Trials in Music Therapy: Guidelines for Design and Implementation
The Journal of music therapy, v 49(2), pp 120-149
2012
PMID: 26753215
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Background: Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) plays a powerful role in today's healthcare industry. At the same time, it is important that multiple types of evidence contribute to music therapy's knowledge base and that the dialogue of clinical effectiveness in music therapy is not dominated by the biomedical hierarchical model of evidence-based practice. Whether or not one agrees with the hierarchical model of evidence in the current healthcare climate, RCTs can contribute important knowledge to our field. Therefore, it is important that music therapists are prepared to design trials that meet current methodological standards and, equally important, are able to respond appropriately to those design aspects that may not be feasible in music therapy research.
Objective: To provide practical guidelines to music therapy researchers for the design and implementation of RCTs as well as to enable music therapists to be well-informed consumers of RCT evidence.
Methods: This article reviews key design aspects of RCTs and discusses how to best implement these standards in music therapy trials. A systematic presentation of basic randomization methods, allocation concealment strategies, issues related to blinding in music therapy trials and strategies for implementation, the use of treatment manuals, types of control groups, outcome selection, and sample size computation is provided.
Conclusions: Despite the challenges of meeting all key design demands typical of an RCT, it is possible to design rigorous music therapy RCTs that accurately estimate music therapy treatment benefits.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Randomized Controlled Trials in Music Therapy: Guidelines for Design and Implementation
- Creators
- Joke Bradt - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- The Journal of music therapy, v 49(2), pp 120-149
- Publisher
- American Music Therapy Association
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Creative Arts Therapies
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000306679100001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84865259812
- Other Identifier
- 991014877678204721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Music
- Rehabilitation