Current trends and applications of virtual reality-assisted music therapy: a scoping review

With the proliferation of digital technologies, research on virtual reality-assisted music therapy (VR-assisted MT) has expanded across clinical, rehabilitation, and wellness contexts. This scoping review aimed to map the current applications and characteristics of VR-assisted MT, defined as interventions in which music or music therapy is intentionally integrated as a therapeutic component rather than used solely as incidental headset audio.

The review followed the scoping review framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley, was further informed by updated JBI guidance, and was reported in accordance with the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data. The search strategy included both abbreviated and unabbreviated terms for virtual reality and music therapy. English- and Chinese-language records published between 1 January 2015 and 30 November 2025 were considered. Formal critical appraisal was not undertaken because the objective was to map the breadth and characteristics of the field; however, study design, intervention reporting, and ethical reporting were considered during eligibility screening and data extraction.

The searches identified 107 records, of which 16 studies were included in the descriptive synthesis. Eleven full-text reports were excluded because they did not report ethics approval or informed consent procedures. The included studies addressed psychological therapy, neurological and motor rehabilitation, pain and symptom management, cognitive rehabilitation, and intervention feasibility or user experience. The available evidence suggested potential benefits for emotional regulation, engagement, pain relief, cognitive function, and motor rehabilitation.

VR-assisted MT represents an emerging interdisciplinary field with applications across several therapeutic and rehabilitative contexts. However, the evidence remains preliminary because of small sample sizes, substantial heterogeneity in populations and interventions, incomplete reporting of music therapy protocols, and limited follow-up. Future studies should adopt more rigorous designs and provide clearer reporting of VR characteristics, musical components, therapist involvement, ethical procedures, intervention fidelity, adverse events, and longer-term outcomes.