The role of technology in music therapy, occupational therapy, and co-treatment of an injured United States service member

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) have negative consequences on the health, rehabilitation, and quality of life for many United States (U.S.) military personnel. Digital technologies offer opportunities for the co-treatment of music therapy and occupational therapy to enhance the rehabilitation of injured service members. Method: After sustaining multiple TBIs and experiencing prolonged bouts of excessive traumatic stress, an active duty service member in the U.S. military presented with intractable dyspnea and anxiety. An interdisciplinary team approach addressed these comorbid symptoms through music therapy, occupational therapy, and co-treatment. Initially, active music-making was introduced for regulation and coping; however, this elevated the patient’s stress. Therefore, the treatment pivoted to incorporate active music listening, intentional music selection, and song segmenting using digital music technology in conjunction with relaxation exercises to help the patient design desired physiological and emotional environments. Results: This intervention supported emotional state shifting from stress/anxiety to calm/regulated to stabilize their respiratory functioning and stress symptoms. Relaxation was further measured using heart rate variability (HRV) via biofeedback. Discussion: Music technology played an essential role in the co-treatment space. Active music-making through traditional instrumentation and music listening to unaltered recorded songs did not comprehensively address the patient’s treatment goals. Combining a customized music listening tool, relaxation exercises, and HRV biofeedback demonstrated improvement in the service member’s physiological and psychological symptoms. Further investigation is needed to understand the impact of integrating digital music, health technologies, and a supportive co-treatment environment on rehabilitation success.