Which of the following is an example of 'Treatment As Usual' in the context of music therapy research?

• A. Medication - antipsychotic, antidepressant, mood stabilizers, psychotropic drugs
• B. Musical improvisation
• C. Listening to music
• D. Singing one's favourite songs

Answer: (A)

In research terms, Treatment As Usual means the standard care the patient would receive without the experimental intervention. In a music therapy study, this is the baseline medical and clinical care that typically includes medications prescribed by clinicians. That’s why medication is the best example here—it's part of ordinary treatment for many conditions, not a new music-based intervention being tested. The other options—musical improvisation, listening to music, and singing favorite songs—represent active music therapy approaches that would be added to or tested against the usual care rather than serving as the usual care itself.