Claire Ghetti

Position

Professor, Music therapy

Affiliation

Research groups

Short info

I am a researcher, educator, and music therapist, and leader of research projects funded by Research Council of Norway. I have competence in a wide range of research methodologies and music therapy practice areas, and special interest in ecological perspectives and social justice in health contexts.
Research

Research projects

Sounding Relation (NFR 335416) - Use of musical microanalysis to explore parents' contributions to premature infant regulation (PI, 2023 - present)

LongSTEP (NFR 273534) - Longitudinal Study of music Therapy's Effectiveness for Premature infants and their caregivers (PI, 2019 - 2023)

Research areas

Music therapy as a resource in intensive medical contexts

Parent/infant interaction in the setting of prematurity

Music therapy as procedural support for invasive medical procedures

Music therapy as emotional-approach coping

Music therapy for substance use problems

Music therapy as anti-oppressive practice

Music therapy theory development

Teaching

MUTP 206 Music therapy theory development

MUTP 301 Music therapy in habilitation and medical contexts

MUTP 304 Music in mental health, substance abuse treatment and older adult care

MUTP 312 Music therapy research methods

MUTP 350 Master's thesis in music therapy

Master's thesis supervision

 

Publications
Academic article
Article in business/trade/industry journal
Lecture
Academic lecture
Programme participation
Academic literature review
Editorial
Short communication
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Chapter
Abstract
Poster
Book review
Letter to the editor

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

Articles in international peer-reviewed journals

Ghetti, C. M., Hjelmbrekke, S., & Morken, K., Dahl, T., & Stige, B. (2024). Steering the energy with music: Hermeneutic phenomenological study of user perspectives of music and music therapy for co-occurring ADHD and substance use problems. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19(10), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-024-00594-x

Bieleninik, Ł., Kvestad, I., Gold, C., Størksen Stordal, A., Assmus, J., Arnon, S., Elefant, C., Ettenberger, M., Gaden, T. S., Haar-Shamir, D., Håvardstun, T., Lichtensztejn, M., Mangersnes J., Nygård Wiborg, A.-M., Vederhus, B. J., & Ghetti, C. M. (2024). Music therapy in infancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm children: A secondary analysis of the LongSTEP Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open, 7(5): e2410721. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2818754

Ghetti, C. M., Schreck, B., & Bennett, J. (2023). Heartbeat recordings in music therapy bereavement care following suicide: Action research single case study of amplified cardiopulmonary recordings for continuity of care. Action Research, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14767503231207993

Ghetti, C., Gaden, T. S., Bieleninik, Ł., Kvestad, I., Assmus, J., Størksen Stordal, A., Aristizabal Sanchez, L., Arnon, S., Dulsrud, J., Elefant, C., Epstein, S., Ettenberger, M., Glosli, H., Konieczna-Nowak, L., Lichtensztejn, M., Lindvall, M., Mangersnes J., Murcia Fernández, L., Røed, C., Saá, G., Van Roy, B., Vederhus, B. J., & Gold, C. (2023). Effect of music therapy on parent-infant bonding among infants born preterm: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 6(5): e2315750. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.15750

Bauer-Rusek, S., Shalit, S., Yakobson, D., Levkovitz, O., Ghetti, C., Gold, C., Stordal, A., & Arnon, S. (2023). Music therapy and weight gain in preterm infants: Secondary analysis of the randomized controlled LongSTEP trial. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.12061

Gaden, T. S., Gold, C., Assmus, J., Kvestad, I., Stordal, A. S., Bieleninik, Ł., & Ghetti, C. (2023). Treatment fidelity in a pragmatic clinical trial of music therapy for premature infants and their parents: The LongSTEP study. BMC Trials, 24:160. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06971-w

Epstein, S., Elefant, C., Arnon, S., & Ghetti, C. (2023). Music therapy spanning from NICU to home: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of Israeli parents’ experiences in the LongSTEP trial. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/08098131.2023.2180773.

Ghetti, C., Chen, X.-J., Brenner, A. K., Hakvoort, L.G., Lien, L., Fachner, J., & Gold, C. (2022). Music therapy for people with substance use disorders (REVIEW). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Issue 5. Art. No.: CD012576. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012576.pub3

Epstein, S., Elefant, C., & Ghetti, C. (2022). Israeli parents’ lived experiences of music therapy with their preterm infants post-hospitalization. Journal of Music Therapy, 59(3), 239-268. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thac006

Arnon, S., Epstein, S., Ghetti, C., Bauer-Rusek, S., Taitelbaum-Swead, R., & Yakobson, D. (2022). Music therapy intervention in an open bay neonatal intensive care unit room is associated with less noise and higher signal to noise ratios: A case-control study. Children, 9(8), 1-12. doi: 10.3390/children9081187.

Gaden, T. S., Ghetti, C., Kvestad, I., Bieleninik, Ł., Størksen Stordal, A., Assmus, J., Arnon, S., Elefant, C., Ettenberger, M., Lichtensztejn, M., Mangersnes J., Janner Røed, C., Vederhus, B. J., & Gold, C. (2021b). Short-term music therapy for families with premature infants: The LongSTEP randomized trial. Pediatrics, 149(2): e2021052797. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-052797.

Gaden, T. S., Ghetti, C., Kvestad, I., & Gold, C. (2021). The LongSTEP approach: Theoretical framework and intervention protocol for using parent-driven infant-directed singing as resource-oriented music therapy. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 31(2), 1-26. doi: 10.1080/08098131.2021.1921014

Ullsten, A., Pölkki, T., & Ghetti, C. M. (2021). Parents as nurturing resources: A family integrated approach to music therapy for neonatal procedural support. Music & Medicine, 13(2), 99-111.

Ghetti, C., Vederhus, B. J., Gaden, T. S., Brenner, A. K., Bieleninik, Ł., Kvestad, I., Assmus, J., & Gold, C. (2021). Longitudinal Study of music Therapy's Effectiveness for Premature infants and their caregivers (LongSTEP): Feasibility study with a Norwegian cohort. Journal of Music Therapy, 58(2), 201-240. doi: 10.1093/jmt/thaa023

Ghetti, C., Chen, X.-J., Brenner, A. K., Hakvoort, L.G., Lien, L., Fachner, J., & Gold, C. (2020). Music therapy for people with substance use disorders (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 10. Art. No.: CD012576. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012576.pub2

Ghetti, C. M. (2020). Reflection and accountability: Towards acknowledging and dismantling oppressive structures [Editorial]. Voices: A world forum for musictherapy, 20(3). doi: 10.15845/voices.v20i3.3179

Ghetti, C. M. (2020). The crisis of the unacknowledged context [Editorial]. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 29(5), 395-397. doi: 10.1080/08098131.2020.1811576

Knott, D., Biard, M., Nelson, K.E., Epstein, S., Robb, S.L., & Ghetti, C.M. (2020). A survey of music therapists working in pediatric medical settings in the United States. Journal of Music Therapy, 57(1), 34-65. doi: 10.1093/jmt/thz019

Bieleninik, Ł., & Ghetti, C. (2019). Music therapy for preterm infants and their parents: A path forward for research in Poland. Roczniki Psychologiczne / Annals of Psychology, 22(2), 135-150. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18290/rpsych.2019.22.2-3

Ghetti, C., Bieleninik, Ł., Hysing, M., Kvestad, I., Assmus, J., Romeo, R., . . . Gold, C. (2019). Longitudinal Study of music Therapy's Effectiveness for Premature infants and their caregivers (LongSTEP): Protocol for an international randomized trial. BMJ Open, 0:e025062. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025062.

Giannelli, E., Gold, C., Bieleninik, Ł., Ghetti, C., & Gelo, O.C.G. (2019). Dialectical behaviour therapy and 12-step programmes for substance use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 00, 1-12. doi: 10.1002/capr.12228.

Due, F. B., & Ghetti, C. (2018). Implementation of music therapy at a Norwegian children’s hospital: a focused ethnographic study. Voices: A world forum for music therapy, 18(2), 1-21.

Potvin, N., Bradt, J., & Ghetti, C. (2018). A theoretical model of resource-oriented music therapy with informal hospice caregivers during pre-bereavement. Journal of Music Therapy, 55(1), 27-61.

Ghetti, C., Chen, X., Fachner, J., & Gold, C. (2017). Music therapy for people with substance use disorders (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012576

Bieleninik, L., Ghetti, C., & Gold, C. (2016). Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 138(3), e20160971. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-0971

Ghetti, C. M. (2016). Performing a family of practices: Developments in community music therapy across international contexts. Music Therapy Perspectives, 34(2), 161-170. doi: 10.1093/mtp/miv047

Ghetti, C. M. (2015). Maintaining the dialogue of influence: Developing music therapy theory in pace with practice and research. Approaches: Music Therapy & Special Music Education, Special Issue 7(1).

Magee, W. L., Ghetti, C. M., & Moyer, A. (2015). Feasibility of the Music Therapy Assessment Tool for Awareness in Disorders of Consciousness (MATADOC) for use with pediatric populations. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:698. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00698

Ghetti, C. M. (2014). Music therapy and music-based interventions for surgery, medical procedures and examinations. Journal of Medical Music Therapy, 7(1), 1-10.

Ghetti, C. M. (2013). Effect of music therapy with emotional-approach coping on pre-procedural anxiety in cardiac catheterization: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Music Therapy, 50(2), 93-122.

Ghetti, C. M. (2012). Music therapy as procedural support for invasive medical procedures: Toward the development of music therapy theory. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 21(1), 3-35.

Ghetti, C. M. (2011). Active music engagement with emotional approach coping to improve well-being in liver and kidney transplant recipients. Journal of Music Therapy, 48(4), 463-485.

Ghetti, C. M. (2011). Clinical practice of dual-certified music therapists/child life specialists: A phenomenological study. Journal of Music Therapy, 48(3), 317-345.

Ghetti, C. M. (2004). Incorporating music therapy into the harm reduction approach to managing substance use problems. Music Therapy Perspectives, 22(2), 84-90.

Ghetti, C. M. (2002). Comparison of the effectiveness of three music therapy conditions to modulate behavior states in students with profound disabilities: A pilot study. Music Therapy Perspectives, 20(1), 20-30.

Darrow, A.-A., Johnson, C. M., Ghetti, C. M., & Achey, C. A. (2001). An analysis of music therapy student practicum behaviors and their relationship to clinical effectiveness: An exploratory investigation. Journal of Music Therapy, 38(4), 307-320.

List of chapters in edited books

Stige, B., Solli, H. P., & Ghetti, C. M. (2021). Musikkterapi. In K. Lossius (Ed.), Håndbok i rusbehandling [Handbook of substance use treatment] (3rd edition)(pp.476-497). Gyldendal Norsk Forlag. [published in Norwegian]

Leinebø Steinhardt, T., & Ghetti, C. (2020). Resonance between theory and practice: Development of a theory-supported documentation tool for music therapy as procedural support within a biopsychosocial frame. In L.O. Bonde & K. Johansson (Eds.), Music in paediatric hospitals – Nordic perspectives (pp.109-139). Series from Centre for Research in Music and Health (CREMAH), vol.11. Oslo: NMH Publications.

Ghetti, C. M. (2020). Głos rodzica jako zasób: Rozważania nad użyciem śpiewu rodziców z dziećmi urodzonymi przedwcześnie w muzykoterapii w ramach badania LongSTEP [Parental voice as nurturing resource: Exploring parent-led infant-directed singing in the music therapy study LongSTEP]. In Ł. Bieleninik & L. Konieczna-Nowak (Eds.), Muzykoterapia dzieci przedwcześnie urodzonych i ich rodzin. Teoria i praktyka [Music therapy for premature children and their families. Theory and practice](pp.189-203). Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar [Warsaw: Scholar Publishing House]. [published in Polish]

Ghetti, C. M. (2016). The future of medical music therapy for children and adolescents. C. Dileo (Ed.), Envisioning the future of music therapy (pp.79-89). Temple University Press.

Ghetti, C. M. (2016). Correlation and regression in nonexperimental and experimental research. In B. Wheeler (Ed.), Music Therapy Research (3rd ed.). Barcelona Publishers.

Ghetti, C. M., & Keith, D. (2016). Qualitative content analysis. In B. Wheeler (Ed.), Music Therapy Research (3rd ed.). Barcelona Publishers.

Ghetti, C. M. (2016). Phenomenological research in music therapy. In J. Edwards (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Music Therapy (pp.767-800). Oxford University Press.

Ghetti, C. M. (2015). The girl who awoke with no voice: The Use of music-facilitated dramatic play for a child requiring unforeseen tracheotomy. In C. Dileo (Ed.), Advanced Practice in Medical Music Therapy: Case Reports (pp.62-74). Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books.

Ghetti, C. M. & Whitehead-Pleaux, A. (2015). Sounds of strength: Music therapy for hospitalized children at risk for traumatization. In C. Malchiodi (Ed.), Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children (2nd ed.) (pp.324-341). NY: The Guilford Press.

Ghetti, C. M. (2013). Pediatric Intensive Care. In J. Bradt (Ed.), Guidelines for Music Therapy Practice in Pediatric Care (pp. 152-204). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.

Ghetti, C. & Hannan, A. (2008). Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). In D. Hanson-Abromeit & C. Colwell (Eds.), Effective clinical practice in music therapy: Medical music therapy for pediatrics (pp. 71-106). Silver Spring, MD: American Music Therapy Association.

Ghetti, C. & Walker, J. (2008). Hematology, oncology, and bone marrow transplant. In D. Hanson-Abromeit & C. Colwell (Eds.), Effective clinical practice in music therapy: Medical music therapy for pediatrics (pp. 147-193). Silver Spring, MD: American Music Therapy Association.

Ghetti, C. M., Hama, M., & Woolrich, J. (2008). Music therapy in wellness. In A.-A. Darrow (Ed.), Introduction to approaches in music therapy (2nd ed., pp.131- 151). Silver Spring: MD, American Music Therapy Association.

Invited non-reviewed articles

Ghetti, C. M., & Ray, K. (2023). Reflecting on music therapy research on the occasion of the Journal of Music Therapy´s 60th anniversary [Invited commentary]. Journal of Music Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thad018

Projects

Music therapy for premature infants and their parents/caregivers:

Sounding Relation

(RCN 335416, 12 million NOK, 2023 - 2027)

Sounding Relation is an interdisciplinary, qualitative-dominant mixed-methods research project using video microanalysis to explore parent-infant interactions within the setting of music therapy in the neonatal intensive care unit. Our aim is to understand how parents musically contribute to the regulation of their infants and themselves within this intensive context. We are microanalytically analyzing video and audiorecordings from music therapy sessions that occurred during the LongSTEP project (see below). LongSTEP was a quantitative research project involving 213 families recruited from neonatal wards at eight hospitals in Argentina, Colombia, Israel, Norway and Poland.

Feedback from sites and participants in LongSTEP highlighted the importance of musical interaction between parents and infants, but such experiences were not reflected in the quantitative data. In Sounding Relation, we aim to identify what parents, infants, music therapists and staff do that support beneficial parent-infant regulation. The goal of new analysis of the video material is to arrive at a nuanced understanding of what happens in a musical meeting between parents and children, in a way that opens up for various perspectives.

The material from microanalysis will be taken into an interdisciplinary focus group consisting of parents, a professor of composition, a nurse, a music therapist, a music sociologist and a clinical psychologist. There they will look at the parents' contribution to interaction and the child's health from a socio-ecological perspective and emphasize the musical and aesthetic aspects of the newborn ward. 

 

LongSTEP 

(RCN 273534, 18.5 million NOK, 2018 - 2023)

"LongSTEP: Longitudinal Study of music Therapy's Effectiveness for Premature infants and their caregivers." This international, multi-site randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the long-term impact of music therapy on parent-infant bonding, infant development, and parental mental well-being. The trial was conducted in five countries, and in partnership with eight different neonatal intensive care units. LongSTEP was funded by the Research Council of Norway under the program BEHANDLING (grant no. 273534, grant period 2018 - 2022). LongSTEP is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03564184).

LongSTEP is an international project hosted by GAMUT – The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, a twin center collaboration between NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS and University of Bergen. LongSTEP links NICUs in Bergen and Oslo with those in four other countries with similar social support cultures (Poland, Israel, Columbia & Argentina).

Music therapy was offered during NICU hospitalization, and for the first six months following discharge. The model enables parents to assume a central role in the care of their infant, with the music therapist providing support and coaching to enable parents to use their innate resources to promote developmentally-appropriate musical co-regulation of the parent/infant dyad, improve quality of interaction and enable healthy bonding during this vulnerable time. The long-term aim was to assure healthy infant/parent relation and improve infant developmental outcomes and promote parental psychological well-being over the first year of the infant’s life.

LongSTEP project website:

https://www.norceresearch.no/prosjekter/longstep-musikkterapi-for-premature-barn-og-deres-foreldre-internasjonal-klinisk-studie

Meta-analysis available through American Academy of Pediatrics:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/08/23/peds.2016-0971

LongSTEP trial protocol published open access with BMJ Open:

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/8/e025062

Results from feasibility testing with Norwegian cohort published open access with Journal of Music Therapy:

https://academic.oup.com/jmt/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jmt/thaa023/6101131

Main time point results:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2805326

Music therapy for adults with substance use problems: 

I led a team that completed a Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of music therapy for people with substance use disorders (Cochrane Review published 2022: Music Therapy for People with Substance Use Disorders, Claire Ghetti, Xi-Jing Chen, Annette K Brenner, Laurien Hakvoort, Lars Lien, Jorg Fachner, & Christian Gold).