African American boys often face systemic racism in educational systems, negative microaggressions, and societal stigmas that can result in lowered expectations. Thus, more discourse is needed on strategies practitioners can use to engage African American youth via technology. Music-based play therapy activities, such as building playlists, can help validate such populations who are often marginalized in American society. Such music-based activities can hone social and emotional skills in African American boys while fostering a sense of connection and empowerment. While most research on music-based interventions focuses on listening to, writing, and performing music, this article captures key music-based technology strategies used in play therapy to engage with two African American teenage boys. Effective strategies are classified into five areas: (a) engaging African American students in youth-led practices, (b) creating playlists, (c) listening to music, (d) building rapport, and (e) expressing emotion. Creating playlists is an example of a music-based activity that can empower students to cope with past experiences and connect to current emotions, and the playlists become future resources that youth can use to activate social skills and that therapists can continue to use as coping strategies outside of sessions.

Owens, C. L., Bradfield, T. B., & Frew, K. (2023). Playlists in play therapy: Using music-based technology to engage African American boys. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32(2), 75–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000189

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

Special Topics
Cultural and Social Diversity

Katylyn Frew MSW

Appearances