The Perceived Applicability of Applied Music Requirements in the Vocational Practices of Professional Music Therapists

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to investigate the attitudes of music therapy clinicians and students towards the importance and applicability of their applied instrument requirements. Surveys were mailed to 250 music therapy clinicians chosen by a random sampling process. Student participation was sought by randomly selecting one NAMT-approved school from each of the eight regions of NAMT. Clinicians were asked to describe their educational experiences with regard to the study of a principal instrument and their uses of the skills developed through that study in their music therapy practices, as well as in their other musical pursuits. Students were asked to describe their student status, prior degrees, and principal instrument studied. Both groups rated their opinions on nine items relating to the importance and applicability of applied music instruction on their current/future functioning as music therapists. The response rate for clinicians was 58%; student responses were received from 50% of the schools surveyed. Both groups agreed on the overall importance of applied instrumental instruction to success as a music therapist. Separate univariate analyses of variance were conducted on each of the nine opinion variables. Significant differences between the two groups were found for the variables of music therapy instructors' emphasis, applied instructors' emphasis, and ensemble participation. For the first two of these variables, the students indicated that they agreed more strongly than the clinicians that their music therapy and studio instructors placed greater emphasis on applied instrumental instruction. In addition, the students planned to participate in ensembles following the completion of their music therapy training more than the clinicians actually had. Implications for music therapy education are discussed.