Individual Music Therapy Sessions Research Articles

The effects of music therapy on enhancing the overall health of elderly patients receiving home health care: A controlled study

Music therapy can be defined as the application of sound and music to integrate cognitive, affective, and motor aspects, fostering awareness and enhancing creative processes. Scientific literature lacks studies that standardize music therapy procedures and assessments for elderly patients receiving home health care. This study aimed to systematically analyze the effects of music therapy on the overall health of elderly patients receiving home health care. Twenty elderly individuals were divided into control and intervention groups, and two blinded examiners used the Individualized Music Therapy Assessment Profile (IMTAP) and system of music therapy evaluation for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias scales to evaluate them before and after 12 weeks of treatment. Only members of the intervention group received weekly individual music therapy sessions. Statistical analysis included inter-rater correlation, comparison between independent samples (group pairings), and comparison between related samples (differences between initial and final evaluations within groups) with a significance threshold of P ≤ 0.05. In the initial condition, the two groups exhibited dissimilarity only in the IMTAP scale’s Musicality and Fine Motricity domains domain among the 15 evaluated domains. Comparing the initial and final conditions within each group, the intervention group demonstrated significance in 11 subscales, whereas the control group showed significance in only two subscales. These results highlight more significant improvements in the intervention group, extending across all dimensions of life. The findings from this study suggest that music therapy may offer benefits to elderly patients receiving home health care, contributing to their overall health.

Music therapy, quality of life and efficacy of immunotherapy for NSCLC

ObjectiveOur study examines how non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors undergoing immunotherapy can experience reduced anxiety and psychological distress, improved quality of life (QOL) and increased immunotherapy efficacy.Methods133 men and...

Music therapy, neural processing, and craving reduction: an RCT protocol for a mixed methods feasibility study in a Community Substance Misuse Treatment Service

BackgroundMusic therapy has been shown to be effective for multiple clinical endpoints associated with substance use disorder such as craving reduction, emotion regulation, depression, and anxiety, but there are a lack of studies investigating those effects in UK Community Substance Misuse Treatment Services (CSMTSs). Furthermore, there is a demand for identifying music therapy mechanisms of change and related brain processes for substance use disorder treatment. The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of music therapy and a pre-test, post-test, and in-session measurement battery in a CSMTS.MethodsFifteen participants, from a community service based in London, will take part in a mixed-methods non-blind randomized-controlled trial. Ten participants will receive six-weekly sessions of music therapy in addition to the standard treatment offered by the CSMTS—five of them will receive individual music therapy and five of them will receive group music therapy—while a further five participants will act as a control group receiving standard treatment only.Satisfaction and acceptability will be evaluated in focus groups with service users and staff members following the final treatment session. Moreover, attendance and completion rates will be monitored throughout the intervention. Subjective and behavioral indexes will be assessed before and after the interventions to explore the effects of music therapy on craving, substance use, symptoms of depression and anxiety, inhibitory control, and will be correlated with associated neurophysiological signatures. In-session analysis of two individual music therapy sessions will serve to explore how music and emotion are processed in the brain within the therapy. The data collected at each step will be included in an intention-to-treat analysis basis.DiscussionThis study will provide a first report on the feasibility of music therapy as an intervention for participants with substance use disorder engaged within a community service. It will also provide valuable information regarding the implementation of a multifaceted methodology that includes neurophysiological, questionnaire-based, and behavioral assessments in this cohort. Notwithstanding the limitation of a small sample size, the present study will provide novel preliminary data regarding neurophysiological outcomes in participants with substance use disorder that received music therapy.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrails.gov, NCT0518061, Registered 6 January 2022, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05180617

베이스기타 연주중심의 음악치료가 뇌성마비 청소년의 양측 손 기능에 미치는 효과

This study determined the effect of bass guitar-playing music therapy on the hand functions of adolescents with cerebral palsy. The subjects of this study were four adolescents who receive social welfare program in a center located in city S. Half-hour individual music therapy sessions were conducted two or three days per week for five weeks, consisting of 15 sessions in total. The music therapy program based on playing bass guitar was aimed at improving dexterity, grasping, and coordination of both hands of adolescents with cerebral palsy. The music therapy sessions were consisted of twanging the guitar string and practicing chromatic scale, accompaniment, as well as applied practices of accompaniment.
 In order to assess the hand functions, Purdue Pegboard Test and Box & Block Test were carried out by an occupational therapist, before and after the music therapy intervention. The researcher also designed modified Functional Independence Measure (FIM) to measure the differences of performance skills between dominant hand and non-dominant hand, and both hands during chromatic scale performances, by setting up lists of observed criteria. This modified FIM test was estimated by comparing and contrasting the total scores of dominant, non-dominant, and both hands, based on the analysis of six recorded sessions, once per week. The results showed that the four adolescents with cerebral palsy who participated in this program displayed the significant improvement in dexterity of dominant hand, in both Purdue Pegboard Test and Box & Block Test. Moreover, the subjects' performance skill of playing bass guitar enhanced, as evidenced in FIM assessment. Results suggested that bass guitar playing based music therapy could be a useful intervention in rehabilitating hand functions of adolescents with cerebral palsy.

Research into increasing resilience in children with autism through music therapy: Statistical analysis of video data

ABSTRACT Introduction This article describes a retrospective research evaluation of data generated within the international music therapy trial TIME-A. In this retrospective evaluation, the main objective was to investigate the effects of individual music therapy sessions on resilience in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method Video excerpts of individual music therapy sessions over a period of five months with 13 children between the ages of four and six with ASD were analysed. Six children received weekly music therapy sessions and seven children received music therapy sessions three times a week. An improvisational music therapy model was used. Short sections of music therapy session videos were selected for microanalysis. A five-second time sampling method was used. For every five-second interval, observed behaviour indicative of resilience was documented using video annotation software. Generalised Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) were chosen for the statistical analysis. Results Out of the 11 response variables, seven yielded a significant p-value in the full-null model comparison. Intrapersonal protective resilience factors, such as the ability to express emotions, awareness of others and goal-directed behaviour were strengthened by music therapy. In addition, treatment intensity had a significant effect on one variable and verbal ability a significant effect on four variables. Discussion Results suggest that music therapy enhances the likelihood of resilience in young children with ASD. The importance of increasing resilience for children with ASD rather than reducing symptoms is emphasised. GLMM models of statistical analysis are recommended for future music therapy research.

A Personalized, Telehealth Music Therapy Intervention for Lonely Older Adults: A Feasibility Study

<h3>Introduction</h3> Music listening interventions, facilitated by a qualified music therapist, have been shown to reduce late-life depression and anxiety but their impact on loneliness has not been well-studied. Risks associated with loneliness in older adults include depression, cognitive decline, poorer disease outcomes and premature mortality. This study evaluated the feasibility of a remotely-delivered, personalized music therapy intervention for older adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic, and assessed measures of socioemotional well-being before, during, and after the intervention. <h3>Methods</h3> We recruited community-dwelling cognitively unimpaired older adults who lived alone, endorsed loneliness and were able to use Zoom video conferencing. Individuals with cognitive impairment (TICS < 31), moderate-severe depression (GDS > 10), or hearing impairment were excluded. Eight weekly, individual music therapy sessions were conducted with a board-certified music therapist via Zoom to develop personalized music playlists and to learn specific music listening techniques. Participants listened to playlists for one hour daily, completed a daily journal, and answered online questionnaires at weeks 0 (pre), 4 (mid), and 8 (post). The primary outcome was the PROMIS Social Isolation Scale [PROMS] score. Other questionnaires included the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale [BADS], Positive Affect and Well-Being Scale [PAWB], Perceived Stress Scale [PSS], Brief Symptom Inventory [BSI], and the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale [SHAPS]). Qualitative data were collected at week 8 for thematic analysis. <h3>Results</h3> From March to August 2021, 11 participants were enrolled (mean age 74.82 [66-85], 88% women), eight completed the study, and one dropped out, leaving two actively enrolled. Among those who completed, numerical scores for loneliness and all other outcomes changed in an improved direction. Pre- and post-study mean scores and baseline standard deviation for those who completed are reported: PROMS (x¯=20.0, 16.8; sd=5.88), BADS (x¯=36.3, 40.8; sd=10.48), PAWB (x¯=33.5, 37.1; sd=6.61), PSS (x¯=14.5, 11.6; sd=7.89), BSI (x¯=33.3, 23.5; sd=17.1), SHAPS (x¯=47.0, 50.62; sd=6.74). Qualitative interviews were notable for themes of joy and improvements in sleep, health, focus, and physical pain. Participants also reported increased connectedness to culture, country of origin, loved ones, and the music therapist. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Recruitment and participant acceptability of a virtual, personalized music therapy intervention have been positive. Interim data analysis points to a possible improvement in loneliness and other outcome measures, though limited by low statistical power. Music therapy appears to be a novel and feasible approach to address loneliness and emotional wellbeing in at-risk community-dwelling older adults.

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 therapist collaboration with teaching assistants for facilitating verbal and vocal development in young children with special needs: A mixed methods study

Music Therapists increasingly work collaboratively alongside other professionals and families. This article presents research into transdisciplinary work with teaching assistants in a school. A mixed methods investigation was carried out to evaluate the development of verbal and vocal skills in young children who received both individual music therapy and additional music sessions carried out by teaching assistants. Qualitative data were gathered to support quantitative video analysis results. The Music Therapist organised music sessions for the teaching assistants to carry out independently, to assess whether this enhanced the children’s verbal development. Statistical analysis of vocal scores from video material utilising bootstrapping techniques indicated that there was a statistically significant difference pre- and post-intervention for the children who had additional teaching assistant music sessions. This indicated that the collaborative approach was effective in enhancing verbal skills. The qualitative evidence also supported this theory. Due to the small number of participants, these results cannot be generalised to other situations and larger scale research could be carried out to demonstrate conclusive results. This study shows that Music Therapists and teaching assistants in schools can work collaboratively and this may potentially enhance the progress children make, with reinforcement of verbal development strategies in the class context.

The Analysis of the Music Therapy Program’s Effect on Taking Turn-Sharing Skills and Expressing Feelings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study aimed to reveal the influence of a music therapy program on the development of the abilities to taking turn-share and express feelings of a child of 8 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This research was designed using mixed research methods. The study was carried out in a state school, which had a source class, in 2016-2017 academic year. A music therapy program was developed by the researcher and applied to the participant in the individual format. The participant participated in 70 individual music therapy sessions and 19 classroom observations. Music therapy sessions and lesson observations were quantitatively analyzed by using Oldfield’s Video Analysis Method. The results of the analysis revealed that the social skills of the participant to taking turn-share and express feelings are improving both in music therapy and in lesson observations. The results of the research were discussed with the support of the litearture.

Patient Reflections on Individual Music Therapy for a Major Depressive Disorder or Acute Phase Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder.

Reflections of patients have not been studied qualitatively after a completed course of individual music therapy for a major depressive disorder (MDD) or an acute phase of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Our interpretivist study explored patient reflections through individual interviews with 15 hospitalized patients after a completed course of eight individual music therapy sessions that were flexibly structured in blended fashion utilizing a set of active and receptive music therapy methods. Our analyses yielded 8 themes, supported by 23 subthemes. These themes were grouped into three domains, capturing respectively participants' praise for music therapy, the distress from which change emerged, and various perceived gains. Participants cast the perceived gains from music therapy in the wake of their distress. The domain of distress comprised two themes: distress before and during therapy, and a process of opening up and dealing with old wounds. The themes expressing their gains were: new perspectives, growing strong, emotional fulfillment, becoming socially closer and more adept, and becoming liberated and creatively inspired. These client perspectives on a completed course of music therapy augment the evidence base established in clinician terms of what matters as a potential gain from music therapy. These perspectives, furthermore, inform on the gains and the distress from which gains emerged, congruent with a strengths-oriented therapeutic pursuit in music therapy for an MDD or an acute phase of SSD. Music therapists in similar settings may draw on these perspectives in the planning and strengthening of a course of music therapy.

Verbal affordances of active and receptive music therapy methods in major depressive disorder and schizophrenia-spectrum disorder

Previous research on active and receptive music therapy methods mostly reports on response to musical processes and therapeutic impact. Preceding such interests, our study examined qualitatively the verbal affordances during a course of eight individual music therapy sessions among twenty participants with a major depressive disorder or a schizophrenia-spectrum psychotic disorder. Audio-video recordings of 131 sessions were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis, following which comparisons for music therapy method and diagnostic group were made.The themes that emerged from the thematic analysis, reflect the content of verbal responses to participation in active music making, receptive music listening and client-therapist dialogue. These themes were i) not to feel; ii) to do or not to do; iii) grappling with the desired future; iv) hurt and fear of undesirable outcomes; v) sadness, brokenness and futility; vi) anger, trust and vulnerability; vii) desire for connection with and affection of others; viii) barricaded from being (in the) present; ix) tensing and un-tensing; x) personal relating to one’s musical expression; xi) reflections on the music and music making in therapy, xii) resilience in courage and xiii) invigoration and liberation.The emerging verbal affordances showed responses within a therapeutic relationship that express inter- and intra-personal connection, increased motivation, grappling with difficulty, emotional expression, and the reclamation of energy, spontaneity and resilience.

A randomised controlled pilot and feasibility study of music therapy for improving the quality of life of hospice inpatients

BackgroundEvidence about the effectiveness of music therapy for improving the quality of life of palliative care patients is positive but weak in terms of risk of bias.MethodsThis study aimed to determine the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy for improving the quality of life of hospice inpatients, as measured by the McGill Quality of Life questionnaire. Objectives included recruitment of 52 participants over 12 months and provision of data to support the calculation of the required sample size for a definitive randomised trial, taking into account the retention rates of recruited participants; and evaluation of the viability of the intervention and the acceptability of the assessment tool. The design was a single-centre, researcher-blinded randomised pilot and feasibility study involving two parallel groups. Participants were recruited from one inpatient hospice unit in Northern Ireland. Eligibility criteria were an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of two or lower and an Abbreviated Mental Test score of seven or more. Consenting patients were randomly allocated to the intervention or control group using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The intervention group received up to six individual music therapy sessions over 3 weeks in addition to usual care. The control group received usual care only.ResultsFifty one participants were recruited over 12 months. Twenty five were allocated to the intervention group and 26 to the control group. Seventy one percent of participants were lost to follow up by week 3, the proposed primary endpoint. The primary endpoint was moved from week 3, when 71% were lost to follow up to week 1, when 33% were lost. The McGill Quality of Life questionnaire was generally acceptable to participants. In order to detect a small to moderate effect size of 0.3, a fully powered study would require the recruitment of 698 participants.ConclusionsA Phase III randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy in improving the quality of life of hospice inpatients is feasible.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02791048. Registered 6 June 2016.

Songs created by military service members in music therapy: A retrospective analysis

A successful transition to civilian life is challenging for many service members returning from deployment. Psychological and physical injuries may hamper successful reintegration into home life and communities and, as a result, many service members report feeling lonely, isolated and misunderstood. This study analyzed 14 songs written by 11 active-duty service members with post-traumatic stress disorder, mild traumatic brain injury, and psychological health conditions, who received music therapy services at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, a Directorate of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the United States of America. Service members wrote songs over the course of two or more individual music therapy sessions. Latent thematic analysis of the song lyrics yielded four main themes: (a) personal struggles and barriers to recovery, (b) moving forward, (c) relational challenges, and (d) positive relationships and support. The songs offer a window into service members’ lived experiences of military service, injury, recovery, homecoming, and transition from active-duty. Songwriting enabled service members to share their thoughts, emotions, fears and hopes with family, friends and other providers, often for the first time, and as such played an important role in their personal growth and recovery process. This is the first study to examine the therapeutic benefits of songwriting in a military population.

Relationship Completion in Palliative Care Music Therapy: Clinical Case Example-Part 1

The following case study represents an example of music therapy research in palliative care with a focus on relationship completion. This case of ‘Bill’, presents one of the four participant’s experience in the research study on relationship completion in palliative care. The results of Bill’s case are presented in Part II of this paper.(1) Bill received 30 individual music therapy sessions provided at three levels of practice.(2) The music therapy techniques utilized included: song choice; lyric discussion and analysis; songwriting, singing and playing pre-composed songs; life review; and song dedication. Bill’s wife (a study co-participant) also joined in the music therapy sessions towards the end of the process.

Music Therapy Reduces Radiotherapy-Induced Fatigue in Patients With Breast or Gynecological Cancer: A Randomized Trial.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of music therapy on the reduction of fatigue in women with breast or gynecological malignant neoplasia during radiotherapy, since it is one of the most frequent side effects of this type of treatment, and may interfere with self-esteem, social activities, and quality of life. Experimental Design: Randomized controlled trial (control group [CG] and music therapy group [MTG]) to assess fatigue, quality of life, and symptoms of depression in women undergoing radiotherapy using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: Fatigue (FACT-F) version 4, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT-G) version 4, and Beck Depression Inventory in 3 separate times, namely, during the first week of radiotherapy, on the week of the intermediary phase, and during the last week of radiotherapy. Individual 30- to 40-minute sessions of music therapy with the presence of a trained music therapist were offered to participants. Results: In this study, 164 women were randomized and 116 (63 CG and 53 MTG) were included in the analyses, with mean age of 52.90 years (CG) and 51.85 years (MTG). Participants in the MTG had an average of 10 music therapy sessions, totaling 509 sessions throughout the study. FACT-F results were significant regarding Trial Outcome Index (P = .011), FACT-G (P = .005), and FACT-F (P = .001) for the MTG compared with the CG. Conclusions: Individual music therapy sessions may be effective to reduce fatigue related to cancer and symptoms of depression, as well as to improve quality of life for women with breast or gynecological cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Further well-designed research studies are needed to adequately determine the effects of music therapy on fatigue.

Therapeutic Singing-Based Music Therapy for Patients With Dysphagia: Case Studies

본 연구는 세 명의 연하장애환자들을 대상으로 후두관련기능의 개선을 목표로 한 치료적 노래부르기 중심의 음악중재를 시행하고, 각 사례 별로 관찰된 변화를 기술한 개별 사례연구이다. 중재는 개별세션의 형태로 매 회기 30분, 주 3회씩 총 12회기 동안 진행되었으며, 시행된 프로그램은 호흡근 이완, 구강근육운동, 후두상승 유지를 위한 발성과 치료적 노래부르기 등의 순서로 구성되었다. 대상자들의 연하 및 말하기 기능, 삶의 질 등의 변화를 알아보기 위해 매 회기 후두교호운동속도, 최대발성시간, 음성 질 관련 항목 등을 측정하였고, 중재 전후로 설문을 통해 삶의 질을 평가하였다. 중재 과정에서 대상자의 기능적 특성에 따라 구분되는 변화의 양상이 관찰되었고, 중재 후에는 모든 대상자의 후두교호기능 및 음성 질 지표 측정값에 변화가 있었으며, 연하관련 삶의 질 평가점수도 증가하였다. 본 연구를 통해 치료적 노래부르기 중심의 음악중재프로그램이 다양한 원인에 의한 연하장애환자들의 후두관련기능 및 삶의 질 영역에 공통적으로 혜택을 줄 수 있다는 점과, 중재 시 대상자의 기능적 특성에 따라 고려해야 할 부분에 대해 구체적으로 알 수 있었다.The aim of this study is to examine changes in swallowing function and quality of life with therapeutic singing-based music therapy for patients with dysphagia. The music therapy program was based on the previous study (Kim, 2010), and designed to improve breathing, phonation, and swallowing functions focusing on laryngeal elevation. Three patients with dysphagia participated in this study and each participant received a total of 11 or 12 individual music therapy sessions and each session was conducted for 30 minutes. In this study, three kinds of measurements were used. First, the measures of maximum phonation time (MPT), fundamental frequency, average intensity, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonics ratio (NHR) by Praat test, second, laryngeal-diadochokinesis (L-DDK) to investigate laryngeal elevation, and last, the Swallowing-Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL) was measured. These cases have shown improved breathing, phonation, swallowing function, and the scores of SWAL-QOL in all of the patients. It suggests that this music therapy intervention was effective on laryngeal elevation, and the music intervention with therapeutic singing can be effectively implemented in further research for patients with dysphagia.

The Observed Experiences of Music Therapy on Parent-Child Interaction for Families with Children with Down Syndrome

The relationship between the quality of parent-child interactions and positive child development is well established in the literature. Nevertheless, parental and familial factors may pose risks to parents’ capacity to participate in quality interactions with their children. Families with a child with a disability in particular are more likely to experience social isolation, and higher levels of parenting stress. Early intervention programmes to promote positive parent-child interaction for these families is well recognised. However, there is a lack of literature about the effectiveness of such programmes for these families. This research study explores music therapy on parent-child interaction, specifically focusing on children with a diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS). This case study involves two in-depth cases of children diagnosed with DS and their primary caregivers. The study documents individual music therapy sessions which took place over a six week period. The case study materials were gathered through the researcher’s direct observations, fieldwork notes, and reflective journal logs. The music therapy block encouraged the primary caregivers to be more responsive during parent-child interactions. Furthermore, the children involved learned to engage and share musical activities with their mothers.

Parent perceptions of music therapy in an on-campus clinic for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Although researchers have investigated parent perceptions of family-based group music therapy sessions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), no researcher has examined parent perceptions of individual music therapy sessions for children with ASD in a university-based clinic. The purpose of this study was to understand parent perceptions of individual music therapy sessions in an on-campus university clinic for children with ASD. Research questions included: (a) How do parents of children with ASD perceive music therapy in an on-campus clinic? (b) How might parents differentiate music therapy from other treatments their child may be receiving? Four mothers of children with ASD receiving music therapy participated separately in semi-structured interviews. Using an inductive approach to thematic analysis, the authors identified and established code categories and themes during repeated readings of the data. Parents perceived music therapy to be a meaningful treatment for their children with ASD and five themes emerged: 1) music therapy is a unique and enjoyable multisensory approach that engages and motivates their children and distinguishes itself from other therapies 2) working with music therapy students is beneficial for children with ASD as it provides a change of routine and fosters flexibility; 3) the collaborative approach benefits all aspects of treatment and promotes rapport and alliance; 4) gains and progress resultant of music therapy generalize to other settings; 5) parents independently implement techniques used in music therapy in other settings. Implications for clinical practice and suggestions for future research are provided.

Psychotherapy with mentally disabled persons: the importance of non-verbal qualities in music therapy with adults with severe autism

Background: Adults with severe autism or mental disability in general have limited abilities in both understanding and usage of verbal language. Music Therapy is the psychotherapeutic approach that is addressing their emotional needs. The study describes the significance of the tonal/musical interaction on the client’s difficult journey towards intensive social interaction. At the end of the process, first moments of jointly making music has become a reality with the assistance of the Music Therapist.Methods: Twenty-two Individual Music Therapy sessions with an adult with ASD including a qualitative evaluation.Discussion: Music Therapy is the appropriate psychotherapeutic treatment for adults with ASD. Especially the non-verbal qualities of Music Therapy empower these clients to respond to this kind of treatment. An increasing emotional participation by using their musical and interactive potential can be observed and will be proved by evidence-based secondary studies.Conclusions: Adults with ASD who have...

Music Making Interventions with Adults in the Forensic Setting – A Systematic Review of the Literature – Part II: Case Studies and Good vibrations

The purpose of this systematic review of international research is to summarize the available literature on active music making interventions with adult offenders in forensic settings (i.e. forensic psychiatry or correctional facilities at different security levels). A systematic search of 13 electronic databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analysis (PRISMA) statement was employed. 28 articles fitting the inclusion criteria were included in the review. The search revealed mainly qualitative and narrative reports including articles on group music therapy, educational music making, choir interventions, individual music therapy sessions and musical projects. The musical interventions are described in detail to provide therapists with ideas on how to set up session with clients who may be in this particular situation and to help them understand the possible impact of musical interventions in the forensic setting. Furthermore, implications from the current evidence and ideas for future research are discussed. Note: Due to the length of the review it is published in two subsequent issues. This is the second part of the review focusing on case studies and the Good Vibrations program. The first part of the review was published in the previous issue of Music and Medicine focusing on group interventions.