Managing the Psychosocial Needs of Families Affected by ZIKA Virus: Exploring the Impact of Music as a Social Tool

The international crisis related to the outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in Brazil (2015) resulted in thousands of babies being born with severe disabilities. These children are now at a crucial stage of development, making it timely to introduce psychosocial interventions to support both children and their parents. Hospitals in Brazil are responding with volunteer rehabilitation programmes, but there is a striking lack of underpinning research. This project meets this gap through a UK-Brazil partnership that builds on the now robust evidence that music is a powerful tool for improving psychological and social well-being. The research will adopt a mixed methods approach to study the effects of singing on mother-child closeness and well-being in families affected by ZIKV in Brazil. Findings will feed back into hospital practices and be made available to practitioners and clinicians throughout South America, supporting families affected by ZIKV to reintegrate into society.