Improving Health and Well-Being Through Community-Based Music Programs
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 186
Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Music activates cognitive, sensorimotor, and emotional processes that trigger biological, psychological, social, and behavioral outcomes. These are strongly associated with better health, increased level of wellbeing, and a higher quality of life and enhance feelings of social and cultural inclusion. Therefore, engaging in music is a promising, accessible, inclusive, and low-barrier option for enhancing health and wellbeing.
Previously, formal music therapy was the sole intervention using music for therapeutic purposes. In recent years, community-based music programs, with a focus on health and wellness, have been growing, with musicians and music educators introducing their skills into care contexts. However, research on the effects of these programs remains limited, as music programs have proliferated without corresponding studies and rigorous scientific evidence is still lacking.
To address these gaps, this Special Issue will showcase well-established community music programs, where impacts have been evaluated using common research designs and standardized measurements, preferably across multiple sites over several years. This will generate new insights into the benefits of community-based music program by providing rigorous research results that will help identify what works, for whom, and in what settings. It will also promote capacity building in communities by reporting on evidence-informed music programs that are appropriate, relevant, and beneficial for the wellbeing of individuals and communities. By bringing together researchers and practitioners from across various disciplines, this Special Issue will address health promotion, wellbeing, and improvements to quality of life. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, we aim to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among diverse fields, contributing to a holistic understanding of health promotion and wellbeing.
This Special Issue will (1) demonstrate how the power of music can be harnessed to transform the way health and wellbeing is promoted in community settings through evidence-informed music programs, and (2) contribute to scientific advancement by providing evidenced-based best practices that have strong health and social benefits, as well as offering long-term sustainability.
Prof. Dr. Gilles Comeau
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- community-based music programs
- musicians
- music educators
- music education
- music and wellbeing
- music and health
- psychosocial conditions
- mental health
- cognitive impairments
- physical disabilities
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
