Advanced Analysis of Music Therapy Research Frontiers: In-Depth Exploration of Research Themes and Interdisciplinary Integration Using CiteSpace

As an interdisciplinary field, music therapy has shown significant efficacy in improving mental health, promoting neurorehabilitation, and enhancing quality of life.However, a systematic review is still needed to examine its overall research landscape, the evolution of core themes, and interdisciplinary collaboration models.This study used CiteSpace to analyze 500 articles related to music therapy from the Web of Science Core Collection (1983Collection ( -2024) ) to fill this gap.The study included only peer-reviewed journal articles, excluded reviews and conference papers, and ensured that the research topics were directly related to music therapy.Through co-citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and author collaboration network analysis, this study revealed the distribution of academic achievements, core themes, and the current status of international cooperation in the field.The results show that the number of academic achievements in music therapy has increased annually, with two important nodes in 2015 and 2021.The main research themes are emotion regulation, neuroscientific mechanisms, psychological intervention, and rehabilitation therapy.The degree of international cooperation is relatively high, forming an academic network core group represented by Michael J. Silverman, although the institutional collaboration network is relatively fragmented.Current research hotspots include (1) exploring the neuroscientific mechanisms of how music affects brain function and structure; (2) designing personalized treatment plans based on individual characteristics; (3) integrating music therapy with other therapeutic methods, such as cognitivebehavioral therapy and physical therapy.Additionally, this study reviewed the practical pathways of music therapy in various application scenarios, including Alzheimer's disease, developmental disorders in children, depression, anxiety, and postoperative pain management.Future development of music therapy should focus on deepening interdisciplinary collaboration, expanding the application of emerging technologies, and further optimizing personalized treatment plans.These findings provide a clear direction and scientific basis for music therapy's theoretical construction and clinical application.