Why have psychiatric hospitals used music therapy?

Psychiatric hospitals utilize music therapy as a clinical discipline to address nonmusical goals, including improvements in mental health, cognition, and communication. By engaging patients in activities such as music listening, songwriting, improvisation, and lyric analysis, therapists provide health services that complement traditional medical care.1

Historically, the use of music in institutional settings gained momentum following World Wars I and II, when veterans' hospitals employed musicians to assist soldiers suffering from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. These interventions are effective because music serves as a familiar and powerful medium that can help reduce anxiety, facilitate social skill development, and provide comfort to patients who may be experiencing agitation or distress. By fostering a therapeutic relationship, music therapists use these techniques to help individuals enhance their overall state of well-being and reduce reactivity to daily stressors.12