Experience Of Music Therapy Research Articles

Windows of student music therapy experience during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse effects on many individuals. This report aims to explore the impact this pandemic has had on the lives of five music therapy students. Three students from South Africa, one from Scotland, and one from New Zealand came together to write about their experiences of studying music therapy during this global outbreak. Each student shared their responses to three broad questions through writing essays and offering non-verbal creative responses. The report ends with a reflection which ties the individual contributions together and includes a synopsis of the concerns they share as music therapy students entering into the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of group music therapy for individuals with eating disorders

This mixed-methods study examined the impact of group music therapy upon individuals receiving inpatient treatment for eating disorders. There was a total of 21 participants ranging between the ages of 16 and 58. Participants’ lived experiences of music therapy, including music’s effects on mood and emotion regulation, were explored. Data collected through the “PANAS” (Positive and Negative Affect Scale) (Watson et al., 1988), and subscales of the “DERS” (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale) (Gratz & Roemer, 2004), and “ERQ” (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire) (Gross & John, 2003), demonstrated that participants experienced a decrease in negative affect, as well as an increased ability to express emotion after participating in music therapy. Data collected through audio recordings and transcriptions of music therapy and focus group sessions suggested that, through creating and playing music together, participants discovered music’s ability to represent various aspects of themselves and their recovery journeys, music’s potential to support them to externalise, shift, and stay with emotions, and music’s capacity to foster social connection.

Music therapy in the hospital-at-home: A practice for children in palliative care

This pilot research study investigated music therapy in a hospital-at-home setting for children in palliative care, focusing on parental and nurses experiences of music therapy. Nine families included in the study were interviewed after receiving a maximum of five individual music therapy sessions at home with a Music Therapist. In addition, a focus group interview with allied health professionals involved in the patients’ care was conducted investigating the multidisciplinary team’s experiences with music therapy. Results revealed that the families drew attention to the feeling of being isolated–yet connected due to music therapy. All the families reported the importance of the relationship to the Music Therapist, while emphasizing flexibility and joint music-making. Music therapy within hospital-at-home treatment was reported as a meaningful and much appreciated form of therapy, while the multidisciplinary teamwork was highly valued by both the health personnel and the families. The results showed the need for a highly skilled Music Therapist to support the families’ complex and dynamic needs within a hospital-at-home setting. The results demonstrated the need for, and the possibilities of, a dynamic music therapy programme adapting not only to the patients’ individual needs but additionally providing family-centred care that considered shifting locations.

Music Is Life-Follow-Up Qualitative Study on Parental Experiences of Creative Music Therapy in the Neonatal Period.

Developmental problems in extremely preterm (EP) infants and the associated longitudinal burden for their families are major health issues worldwide. Approaches to social-emotional support such as family-integrating Creative Music Therapy (CMT) are warranted. We aimed: (1) to explore parental perspectives on the use of CMT with EP infants in the neonatal hospitalization period and (2) to examine the possible longitudinal influence of CMT. A qualitative design was used to examine the perspective of six families from various backgrounds. Semi-structured interviews were carried out when the infants reached school age. We used an inductive–deductive thematic analysis to identify three main themes, each with three sub-themes: (1) the positive impact of CMT on the infants, the parents, and bonding; (2) the attitude toward CMT, from being open-minded to recommending it as complementary therapy; and (3) the experience of overall healthy infant development despite unique developmental delay issues. The findings elucidate the positive and formative impact of CMT on both infants and parents in the stressful NICU setting and beyond. CMT may empower positive transformation in the parents through individualized early nurturing musical interactions, capacity building, and positive reinforcement. Further research may help to identify and implement potentially modifiable factors for improving health care in this vulnerable group through early family-integrating, resource-based approaches such as CMT.

Participation in group music therapy: A preliminary study of the experiences and perceptions of adolescents who stammer

Music therapy and music-based interventions are increasingly used in the treatment of speech, language, and communication needs, and music therapy has been extensively applied to adolescent groups. To date, however, there has been no published work examining music therapy for adolescents who stammer. The aim of the current study was to explore adolescents’ experiences and perceptions of a group music therapy intervention. Four adolescents who stammer participated in semi-structured interviews examining their experience of group music therapy intervention. The music therapy group intervention consisted of five therapeutic sessions conducted at a summer camp for children and adolescents who stammer. Analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews revealed four main themes and several subthemes. Recurrent themes revealed a variety of psychosocial benefits related to the experience of group music therapy, such as developing new friendships and facilitating peer support, increasing self-confidence and self-expression. There was also an emphasis on fun and enjoyment. This paper highlights a number of key benefits of music therapy for adolescents who stammer. These preliminary results highlight the potential of music therapy for adolescents who stammer, and the role of addressing psychosocial aspects of stammering within this creative arts intervention.

Understanding how humour enables contact in music therapy relationships with persons living with dementia: A phenomenological arts-based reflexive study

This article details part of a phenomenological arts-based reflexive study investigating humour in music therapy with persons living with dementia. Rooted in psychosocial and relational-centred methodology, the study arose from the first author’s experience as a music therapist. As part of a larger study, three interview-encounters with persons living with dementia and their music therapists (n=8) provided opportunities for shared reflection on humour in their work. Arts-based reflexivity within a phenomenological frame was used to address the question of how humour enables contact in music therapy with persons living with dementia. Furthermore, Christopher Bollas’ (1987) concept of “aesthetic moments” is used to think into the relational and existential importance of humour in this context and explore more deeply what contact may mean. Links between methodology and topic are explored and the correspondence between humour and intersubjective experiences in music therapy is highlighted in relationships with persons living with dementia.

Implementing music therapy in a Norwegian neonatal intensive care unit.

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) music therapy is an emerging discipline. There is a growing evidence base supporting its use, with an emphasis on the immediate and short-term positive effects on infants' physiological responses and parents' experiences. To explore the implementation of music therapy aligned with standards of neonatal care and as an integral part of the care routinely provided in a Norwegian NICU. Parents of infants hospitalised in the NICU were offered music therapy sessions based on the First Sounds: Rhythm, Breath and Lullaby model. Before discharge from the NICU, parents were asked to complete an electronic survey about their experiences of music therapy. Nurses' feedback and observations were also elicited and collected. A total of 16 parents completed the survey. Overall, their experiences of music therapy were positive, and they noted several benefits for themselves and their infant. In addition, nurses observed that parents' interactions with their infant increased after participation in music therapy. However, nurses reported it was challenging to invite parents to participate in music therapy at a time of uncertainty, anxiety and grief. Nurses also found it challenging to disseminate information about music therapy to parents from other cultures. Furthermore, it was identified that most parents learned about the music therapy sessions from the music therapist, rather than from NICU medical or nursing staff, which indicates that music therapy was not fully integrated among the unit's multidisciplinary team. Music therapy can reinforce family-centred care and promote parent-infant bonding, but additional efforts are required to integrate it into the care routinely provided by the NICU multidisciplinary team.

A Preliminary Overview of Music Therapy Reimbursement Practice in the United States

Abstract Music therapy services are currently being reimbursed through state and private insurance funding streams, yet to date, there is no known systematic exploration on music therapy reimbursement practices. Such information would be helpful to include when communicating with third-party payers and can assist in tracking reimbursement trends. Thus, we sought to provide baseline information on how music therapy services are currently being reimbursed in the United States, with a focus on approved treatment parameters, referral sources, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes used, and types of music interventions and music therapy experiences implemented. Board-certified music therapists in private practice who had successfully obtained reimbursement for music therapy services between 2012 and 2018 completed a 28-item online survey. In total, 7 respondents provided information on 55 unique reimbursement cases from 5 different states, most of which were based on Medicaid waiver programs. We conducted descriptive analyses to summarize music therapy reimbursement practices. Most of the clients were referred by doctors or physician’s assistants. The most common CPT code utilized was 97530 (Therapeutic Activities, one-on-one, each 15 minutes), and most of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic codes were based on specific diagnoses rather than general clinical needs. In most of the cases, reimbursement of music therapy was ongoing, and services incorporated a variety of music therapy methods, with few specific music interventions identified. Most notably, reimbursement practice varied by state; thus, we recommend the creation and dissemination of state-specific surveys.

The influences of inter music therapy on music therapists who experience it

ABSTRACT Introduction To date, there is sparse literature addressing analytical music therapists’ experiences in analytical music therapy (AMT) training. Method This study incorporated transcendental phenomenological research methodology to explore the lived experiences of six analytical music therapists who underwent inter music therapy (IMT) with Benedikte Scheiby. The main research questions driving this study were as follows: (a) What is the IMT experience like for an AMT trainee? (b) How does IMT shape the clinical practice of music therapists who have experienced it? Data were collected through interviews. Data analysis was systematic and carried out in two multi-step phases. Results This study revealed that IMT is intense, challenging, and transformative, and shaped music therapists’ clinical skills in several ways. The following themes emerged: (a) Celebrating skill development through experiencing challenging situations, (b) the experiential process as a path towards therapist self-awareness, (c) the value of music in the therapeutic process, (d) the non-hierarchical learning environment, (e) trust, and (f) the importance of recordings and log writing to integrate learning. Discussion The impacts upon music therapists’ clinical skills were vast and rich, suggesting that learning through self-experience is deeply meaningful. This, coupled with the significance of the trainer’s physical presence throughout the process, led to the following recommendations to music therapy training programs: programs should incorporate authentic self-experiences with music; the field should create competencies for music therapy supervisors, and provide training to supervisors; and professors/supervisors should increase opportunities for students/supervisees to have live observation of their clinical work to enhance their supervision experience.

Music Therapy for Delinquency Involved Juveniles Through Tripartite Collaboration: A Mixed Method Study.

This study introduces a music therapy project for young offenders through community collaboration and its efficacy through a mixed method. The project called Young & Great Music is carried out via collaboration among three parties, which are the educational institution, the district prosecutor’s office, and corporate sponsor, forming a tripartite networking system. In this paper, we present an efficacy evaluation of the project’s implementation with 178 adolescents involved with the juvenile justice system: 115 youth was on suspension of indictment and 63 youth was under supervised probation. Quantitative and qualitative measures were collected and analyzed to examine the efficacy of the project. The music therapy program was developed for 15 sessions based on the use of music to prompt positive resources through music making and song writing. The efficacy was examined using three scales; self-concept, resilience, and stress coping skills. The paired t-test showed that there were significant improvement in all three scales respectively (p < 0.000). In order to examine the group difference between suspended indictment and supervised probation groups, Welch–Aspin t-test was conducted due to unequal variance of the group. Results showed there was a significant group difference in self-concept (p = 0.006) and resilience (p = 0.022). The study further examined participant’s experience of music and perceived benefits. Twenty participants had in-depth interviews about their music therapy experience which were recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Of the 109 statements derived from a qualitative content analysis of the interview transcripts, music making and song writing was repeatedly reported as helpful in gaining “new perspectives,” “courage to challenge and pursuit,” “perseverance,” and “self-acknowledgment.” The positive result of the study showed that the collaborative networking of regional and social resource to support for adolescents at-risk was successful. The results of this project are promising and suggest that other arts-based rehabilitation services and programs should be developed and implemented in juvenile justice system. For this, strategies for program sustainability for long-term facilitation are needed.

Exit Music: The Experience of Music Therapy within Medical Assistance in Dying.

Since the 2015 Canadian legalization of medical assistance in dying (MAiD), many Canadian music therapists have become involved in the care of those requesting this procedure. This qualitative study, the first of its kind, examines the experience of music therapy within MAiD, exploring lived experience from three perspectives: the patient, their primary caregiver, and the music therapist/researcher. Overall thematic findings of a hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of ten MAiD cases demonstrate therapeutically beneficial outcomes in terms of quality of life, symptom management, and life review. Further research is merited to continue an exploration of the role of music therapy in the context of assisted dying.

Showing the way, or getting in the way? Discussing power, influence and intervention in contemporary musical-social practices

Abstract This article presents a broad discussion of power and influence within contemporary participatory music practices in relation to practices of intervention. The discussion is presented through the respective experience and professional perspectives of music therapy, music education and community music – each illustrated by current practice examples and their accompanying dilemmas; and covering both local and international projects. In a shared closing discussion, the four authors review the key question: whether professional influence and power in participatory music practices ‘shows the way’ or ‘gets in the way’. They conclude that intervention takes place on a continuum, in different ways, and to different degrees and levels. What is vital is to retain practical and ethical reflexivity on the dimensions of intervention as a practice that can offer both creative opportunities, but which can also be part of subtly oppressive power relationships.

Music Therapy with Active-Duty Service Members: Group Protocol Description and Secondary Analysis of Protocol Evaluations

AbstractBased on the growing need for music therapy programming at military treatment facilities and clinics that specialize in the rehabilitation of service members, this article describes a music therapy group protocol and the findings of 201 post-session evaluations. In addition, we present clinical perspectives and recommendations from three music therapists who have facilitated this group protocol on four military bases across the United States. The group session outlined in the protocol is intended as an introduction to music therapy. It familiarizes service members to various music therapy experiences specifically structured to enhance feelings of safety during emotional risk-taking. In addition, the protocol functions as an initial assessment of service members’ responses to the various receptive and interactive music experiences and includes psychoeducation regarding the role of music therapy in an interdisciplinary treatment model. The post-session evaluation data suggest that service members endorsed this introductory group as moderately to very helpful. Perceived benefits included the opportunity to express various emotions and increased awareness of somatic responses through music. A large number of requests for continued music therapy services following the introductory session suggest that the protocol is successful in facilitating understanding in service members regarding the potential benefits of music therapy in interdisciplinary treatment. Feedback from the music therapists indicated that the group protocol is a helpful initial experience for service members to acclimate to music therapy and for music therapists to learn about their patients’ specific needs to inform subsequent treatment.

Four Relational Experiences in Music Therapy with Adults with Severe and Profound Intellectual Disability

AbstractThis paper describes a conceptual framework in music therapy with adults with severe and profound levels of intellectual disability. Drawing from Carl Rogers’ person-centered work and his notion of the good life as a direction, the author presents four core relational experiences (curiosity, invitation, celebration, and recognition) that underpin the therapeutic process with this client population. Case vignettes from the author’s clinical work illustrate how core experiences are presented through improvisational musical experiences. Considerations are given to the clinical significance of good-life-oriented experiences on the emotional health of individuals with severe and profound intellectual disability, and to its implications beyond the music therapy space.

A Study of the Experience of Music Therapy in Cancer Patients With Delirium

A Study of the Experience of Music Therapy in Cancer Patients With Delirium

Adolescents’ Experiences of Music Therapy in an Inpatient Crisis Stabilization Unit

Abstract Fourteen adolescents on an inpatient crisis stabilization unit were interviewed about their experiences of group music therapy in order to understand how sessions impacted their mental health recovery. Using analytic procedures consistent with qualitative content analysis, 13 preliminary themes captured their session experiences. From these themes, 4 central concepts emerged: (1) music therapy affirms participants’ strengths, (2) music therapy affirms coping resources, (3) music therapy integrates cognitive and affective processes, and (4) music therapy provides continuity of experiences. Each theme and concept is defined, along with implications for clinical implications and future research.

Quantitative comparison of group-based music therapy experiences in adults with substance use disorder on a detoxification unit: a three-group cluster-randomized study

ABSTRACT Background: Service users’ values and preferences are components of evidence-based practice and recovery. Methods: Adults (N = 113) with substance use disorder (SUD) on a detoxification unit were cluster-randomized to one of three group-based single-session conditions: Recreational music therapy (RMT), educational lyric analysis for illness management and recovery (ELA-IMR) or educational songwriting for illness management and recovery (ESW-IMR). Participants completed the Ferrara Group Experiences Scale after their session. Results: There were significant differences in the sharing of emotions and experiences subscale between the RMT and both the ELA-IMR and ESW-IMR conditions, with the educational conditions having higher scores. There was a significant difference in the total group experience between the RMT and ELA-IMR conditions, with the ELA-IMR condition having a higher score. Conclusions: Merging the results of previous literature with the current study, educational music therapy interventions can positively impact recovery-based objectives and the group-based experience in adults with SUD.

Quantitative comparison of group-based music therapy experiences in an acute care adult mental health setting: A four-group cluster-randomized study

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Acute care mental health inpatients have the expertise to evaluate different group-based music therapy interventions. Moreover, from an objectivist worldview, there is a need for data concerning non-symptom measures that are specific to group-based music therapy experiences using randomized designs. The purpose of this posttest-only study is to compare how adult acute care mental health inpatients rated group experiences of three different types of educational music therapy for illness management and recovery (EMT-IMR) interventions and a recreational music therapy (RMT) intervention.Methods: Participants (N = 91) were cluster-randomized to one of four single-session group-based conditions: EMT-IMR-songwriting, EMT-IMR-lyric analysis, EMT-IMR-social story, or RMT-music therapy game.Results: There were significant between-group differences concerning RMT and EMT-IMR (both lyric analysis and songwriting conditions) in the sharing of emotions and experiences subscale. Participants in the EMT-IMR conditions rated this subscale higher than participants in the RMT condition. Although no other difference was significant, descriptive statistics tended to favor the three EMT-IMR conditions. Group experiences descriptive data from people in community mental health services from a previous study were also compared with data collected in the current study. Results indicated tendencies for the three EMT-IMR conditions to have slightly higher mean group experiences scores across all subscales than participants in the non-music therapy community mental health services condition.Discussion: Specifically targeting illness management and recovery via EMT-IMR may be practical, effective, and constitute an ideal model within acute care mental health facilities. Limitations, suggestions for future inquiry, and implications for clinical practice are provided.

Music therapy and dementia care practice in the United Kingdom: A British Association for Music Therapy membership survey

The place of music therapy in the spectrum of musical interventions in dementia care needs to be better understood in light of the ‘supply’ and ‘demand’ of this provision. A semi-structured, online survey of British Association for Music Therapy members and affiliates was undertaken in summer 2017. It asked respondents to report on employment practice and settings, and experience in dementia-related music therapy. It asked about training received and given, and what barriers prevent wider availability of music therapy for people with dementia in the United Kingdom. Replies came from 188 people, 142 of whom were working with people with dementia. Most respondents reported working in the public or voluntary sector, but one in five was self-employed. Most (61%) were employed in residential care or hospital settings, for an average of 20 hours per week. The main factor that would increase music therapy provision in dementia care was seen as ‘greater awareness’ of music therapy amongst the general public and within the National Health Service. Nearly one-quarter (23%) thought that training and development could help increase provision. This was the largest survey undertaken to date of dementia practice by Music Therapists in the United Kingdom. It has implications for recruitment, professional development, promotion of the specialism and research.

Book Review: Clinical Training Guide for the Student Music Therapist (2nd edition)

Clinical Training Guide for the Student Music Therapist (2nd edition), written by Donna Polen, Carol Shultis, and Barbara Wheeler, is an updated resource book for student music therapists with various levels of training. A multitude of resources, references, and personal and professional insights are organized into an easy-to-read layout and covers areas such as assessments, goals and objectives, documentation, planning and implementing music therapy experiences with groups and individuals, as well as encourages self-reflection and special considerations for the student music therapist and their supervisors. This book is reviewed with a sociocultural lens.