Keyboard competence and usage: A survey of board-certified music therapists in the Southwestern region

Although the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) requires specific piano competencies for all music therapists, limited research exists regarding how often and to what degree the piano/keyboard is used in music therapy sessions. The Southwestern Region of AMTA was used as a pilot region in order to find a foundational understanding of how the piano/keyboard is used in music therapy. Using an Internetbased tool, Board Certified Music Therapists currently practicing in the Southwestern Region of AMTA (n= 523, 509 deliverable) were surveyed regarding their use of the instrument and training. Specifically, participants were asked to indicate how they are using the piano/keyboard, the frequency with which they use it, and their competence and confidence on the instrument during their sessions. Responses (n=71) indicated that 40.84% of participants rate the importance of using the piano/keyboard as “low” or “not important at all.” Conversely, the majority of participants (59.15%) think further piano/keyboard training would increase their use of the instrument in clinical practice. Implications for further education and use in clinical practice are discussed.