Attitudes towards Cross-Cultural Empathy in Music Therapy

Abstract

ABSTRACT: According to the current literature, special skills in empathy are needed to implement sensitive and appropriate music therapy services. The purpose of this study was to assess levels of cross-cultural empathy among music therapists in two countries. Professional members of the Australian and the American Music Therapy Associations (N = 78) completed on-line tests of cross-cultural empathy and social desirability. Test scores were analyzed according to (a) country of residence, (b) academic degree, (c) previous crosscultural training received, and (d) years of clinical experience in music therapy. Results showed a significant relationship between cross-cultural training and cross-cultural empathy scores. Common misconceptions concerning aspects of cross-cultural music therapy are discussed as is the need for systematic and comprehensive cross-cultural training programs. The Role of Cross-Cultural Empathy in Music Therapy Empathy is an integral aspect of the client-therapist relationship. It is a complex process in which the therapist uses the client's evident and subtle cognitive, affective, perceptual, somatic, and communicative dimensions in order to gain a more complete understanding of the client's world-view (Ridley & Lingle, 1996). The definition most frequently cited by current writers explains empathy as a therapist's experience of entering the private perceptual world of the other . . . being sensitive, moment to moment, to the changing meanings which flow in this other person . . . temporarily living in his/ her life, moving about in it delicately without making judgments, sensing meanings of which he/she is scarely aware (Rogers, 1975, p. 4). Rogers identified empathy as one of the necessary conditions for therapeutic change, and empathy has since become an integral aspect of the therapeutic process across counseling disciplines (Ridley & Udipi, 2002). During the therapeutic process, empathy enables the therapist to assist in the client's meaning-making from ideas that may seem vague or clouded while simultaneously confirming the client's separate and valuable being and empowering his/ her sense of self. Empathy is discussed as a key concept in the client-therapist relationship in client-centered or personcentered approaches (McLeod, 1999). It is found to have a substantially positive impact in cognitive-behavioural therapy (Burns & Nolen-Hoeksma, 1992) and is evidenced as a crucial element of psychotherapy (Orlinksy, Grawe, & Parks, 1994). This indicates that empathy plays a vital role in the successful outcome of the therapeutic process. In order to successfully use empathy within a therapeutic relationship, the therapist relies on a multitude of cues from the client to gain an understanding of his or her internal experience and reality (Ridley & Udipi, 2002). In order to attempt to perceive the client's reality, the therapist is encouraged to understand that reality is developed over time and is influenced by the ideals, values, and beliefs of others within the person's familial and social groups. Ridley and Lingle (1996) describe self-experience as a culturally contextualized (p. 21) phenomenon. Therefore, therapists should be aware that reality can be cultivated and influenced by the culture in which the client is embedded. Cultural context defines reality (Draguns, 2002) and determines patterns of relating, of meaning-making, and of selfexperience (Ridley & Udipi, 2002). It is the current author's belief that an individual's cultural context influences the manner in which he or she learns to relate to the environment, to others, and to the self. In addition, the cues from which the therapist facilitates the growth and development of the client are embedded in the client's cultural history and cultural context. Therefore, the client's cultural background must be recognized as a central and fundamental element of the therapeutic process. …