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ABSTRACT
Introduction
The development of music therapy in the Czech Republic is closely connected with the development of other arts therapies (AsTs). This cross-sectional study aims to provide a research-based description of the current state of Czech music therapy and offer comparisons with other AsTs.
Method
Data were obtained through a modified version of “The Practice in Arts Therapies” questionnaire, which was distributed to arts therapists registered with professional associations in the Czech Republic. From the total sample (N = 144), there were 50 music therapists. The remainder of the sample were drama, dance movement, art therapists, and combinations of these therapies (N = 94). Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed relating to work environment, client groups, and preferred therapeutic trends.
Results
Czech music therapy is closely connected to working with special needs populations in social care and educational environments. Practitioners follow humanistic, active/directive and artistic/creative trends. Significant differences were found between music therapists and other arts therapists with regard to the client populations (in their age and type of needs), and therapeutic trends.
Discussion
Czech music therapy has strengths in the area of special needs, but it will be important to achieve further growth, especially in health care. This may have a crucial impact on the formation of a common legislative framework for art therapists. We recommend repeating this survey in the future to see how the university-based program for music therapy will have influenced the profession.
Disclosure statement
No financial conflict of interest declared, but there may exist an intellectual conflict of interest – JK is a co-founder of Music Therapy Association of the Czech Republic (CZMTA). Both, JK and MG are active members of CZMTA.
Supplemental data
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Jiří Kantor
Jiří Kantor: Education, practice and research in special education and music therapy (also arts therapies), focused on people with physical and multiple disabilities, programme leader of the newly established MA programme in music therapy at Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Vicky Karkou
Vicky Karkou is the director of the Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing at Edge Hill University, an arts therapist, a researcher and educator with long-standing research experience in the field of arts therapies. This project uses the questionnaire used in the survey of arts therapy practitioners in originally in the UK and since its original usage in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Russia.
Miroslav Chráska
Miroslav Chráska specialises on the use of information technology in education and the methodology of pedagogic research. He is a guarantor of a doctoral study program Information Technologies in Education at the Faculty of Education at Palacky University, Olomouc.
Jana Duhovská
Jana Duhovská, Mg. Sc. Sal., Mg. Art., practicing music therapist and doctoral student at Rīga Stradiņš University study programme “Medicine”, also Head of MA programme “Arts therapies” (since 2014). Among others, her practical and scientific interests include assessment in music therapy, psychosocial rehabilitation of cancer patients and application of Expressive Therapies Continuum in music therapy.
Elena Fitzthum
Elena Fitzthum: Psychotherapist and Music Therapist. Working at University for Music and Perfoming Arts Vienna (MDW); Zurich University of the Arts, MAS in clinical music therapy; University of Palacky in Olomouc, Institute for Special Educational Studies; also establishing a music therapy course at Ukrainian Catholic University, department psychology, Lviv/Ukraine together with MDW Vienna.
Markéta Gerlichová
Markéta Gerlichová: music therapist, special educator, physiotherapist and supervisor, national delegate for Czech Republic in The European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC); long-term practice and treatment of patients after acquired brain injury, focuses on neurorehabilitation and psychosomatic diseases, education.
Elisabeth Kaczynski
Elisabeth Kaczynski: trained at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Clinical practice in psychiatry in Germany and Austria. Co-founder of the Working Group „Music Therapy in Psychiatry“ of the Professional Association in Austria (ÖBM). Country Representative of Austria in The European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC).
Krzysztof Stachyra
Krzysztof Stachyra, music therapist and music teacher. Head of Postgraduate Music Therapy Study Program and assistant professor at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland. President of the Polish Music Therapists Association (PSMT), Chair of the Accreditation & Certification Commission, World Federation of Music Therapy.
Melanie Voigt
Melanie Voigt, Ph.D.: currently Secretary General of The European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC), broad work experience as a teacher, head of the music therapy department at the kbo-Kinderzentrum München, head of the private training course in Orff Music Therapy, a lecturer for Orff Music Therapy and co-coordinator of master’s programme at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, member of the Ständige Ausbildungsleiterkonferenz Musiktherapie (SAMT), a Delegate for the Federal Association of Music Therapy in EMTC (2011-2016).
Lucia Kantorová
Lucia Kantorová: Is a medical doctor with a degree from Commenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, currently working as a methodologist for the creation of medical guidelines in the Czech Republic. Is also a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Education at Palacky University in Olomouc.