How did World Wars I and II contribute to the development of music therapy?

Following World Wars I and II, the field of music therapy experienced a significant surge in activity and professional development. During this period, veterans' hospitals in the United States began employing musicians to work with soldiers suffering from what would now be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder.1

These clinical experiences were instrumental in transitioning music therapy toward a formal professional practice. The success of these interventions spurred the creation of structured, college-level curricula to train practitioners, eventually leading to the founding of the National Association for Music Therapy in 1950.1