Call for papers - Music and sound therapies

Guest Editors

Artur C. Jaschke, PhD, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Jiří Kantor, PhD, Palacky University Olomouc, Czechia
Wolfgang Mastnak, PhD, Shandong University, China

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 13 February 2025

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies is calling for submissions to our Collection on Music and sound therapies.

This Collection welcomes studies on the diverse applications of music and sound in therapeutic contexts. We welcome contributions from researchers exploring the physiological and psychological impacts of music and sound therapies, assessing their efficacy in various clinical settings, and investigating the underlying mechanisms of these interventions.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Artur C. Jaschke, PhD, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Dr Artur C. Jaschke studied double-bass and drums at Dartington College of Arts. He holds a PhD in clinical Neuropsychology from the VU University Amsterdam. He is Lector in Music-Based Therapies and Interventions and in Ecologies of Clinical Neuromusicology: Creative AI , Music Sciences and Health Care Applications at the department of Music Therapy at ArtEZ University of the Arts (NL), as well as senior clinical Research Fellow of Cognitive Neuroscience of Music at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University Medical Center Groningen and the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research (UK). Furthermore, he is Research Associate at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge (UK).

Jiří Kantor, PhD, Palacky University Olomouc, Czechia

Dr Jiří Kantor is director of Center of Evidence-based Education and Arts Therapies: A JBI Affiliated Group at Palacky University Olomouc and co-founder of Music Therapy Association of the Czech Republic. His current scientific activities are focused on special / inclusive education, music therapy, vibroacoustic therapy, people with special needs and their families. With his team and numerous collaborators, he tries to develop systematic/scoping reviews, clinical guidelines, implementation projects as well as numerous primary studies in these areas. His experience in music therapy and other music-related approaches is connected mainly to children and young people with severe multiple disabilities.

Wolfgang Mastnak, PhD, Shandong University, China

Dr Wolfgang Mastnak holds six doctoral degrees in medical sciences, sports sciences, mathematics, arts therapies, music education and psychology, as well as professional diploma as psychotherapist and moto-therapist. Being full member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and the New York Academy of Sciences he was internationally honored with several awards. He is professor of Shandong University, Beijing Normal University and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich. His main research areas include cross-cultural psychosomatics and psychiatry, arts therapies, health education, public health and preventive medicine, sports therapy, long-term cardiac rehabilitation, perinatal health, neuropsychology, quantum consciousness, philosophy of science, and research methodology.

About the Collection

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies is calling for submissions to our Collection on Music and sound therapies.

This Collection welcomes studies on the diverse applications of music and sound in therapeutic contexts. We welcome contributions from researchers exploring the physiological and psychological impacts of music and sound therapies, assessing their efficacy in various clinical settings, and investigating the underlying mechanisms of these interventions. Additionally, we encourage studies that address the cultural and social aspects of music therapy, examine its role in mental health and well-being, and explore innovative approaches in this field, including the integration of technological developments such as AI and machine learning.

The historical roots of music therapy trace back centuries, with evidence of its use in ancient civilizations for healing and spiritual purposes. Over time, conventional and evidence-based disciplines have caught up with the field of music therapy. Today, music therapy encompasses a wide range of applications, from supporting cognitive function in individuals with dementia to aiding emotional expression and communication for autistic individuals. Moreover, music and sound therapies have shown promise in addressing mental health challenges, including conditions such as anxiety and depression, offering a non-invasive and culturally sensitive approach to well-being.

This collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Music and sound therapies" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.