Music therapy in grief resolution

The multifaceted nature of grief and the enormous variation in individual clients' responses to losses make it necessary for therapists to have wide background knowledge and well-developed skills in counseling and/or psychotherapy. The author describes an innovative method of facilitating grief resolution using precomposed music that is significant to the patient after a major loss. In this method, music is of equal importance with verbal processing as part of the overall therapeutic approach. Musical improvization is also used as a primary tool to reflect back to, and affirm for, the patient the affective content of his or her life story. This approach requires the therapist to have particular musical skills and a wide repertoire of genres and specific musical pieces, as well as intuition. Several clinical vignettes illustrate the application of this approach.     

Taking gender into account: Brief report on a survey of music therapists’ attitudes to future use of a proposed computer aided evaluation system: The music therapy logbook

Analysis of an international survey of music therapists working in the field of neuro-disability (N = 44) identified differences in attitude between female and male therapists towards future use of a computer-aided recording and analysis system, the main purpose of which is to track changes in a client's and therapist's use of music over time. This article, a follow up report on the original survey ( Streeter, 2010), examines the effects of respondent gender on attitude in order to identify issues that will need to be taken into account during the next phase of research and development. Results indicate that male music therapists may hold more positive opinions about computer-aided practice evaluation than female music therapists. However, the data also shows that female respondents were more concerned than their male counterparts about the ethical and practical issues that might arise if they were to introduce computer-aided evaluation at work. Both genders expressed excitement at the prospect of a specialist system designed to record, store, and quantify changes in music play between a music therapist and a patient.     

Expectations of hospitalized cancer and cardiac patients regarding the medical and psychotherapeutic benefits of music therapy

Cancer and cardiac patients were surveyed to determine if their expectations regarding the potential medical and psychotherapeutic benefits of music therapy and the relative effectiveness of different musical activities and styles would vary according to diagnostic group, and musical background. A total of 182 patients participated, 55 with various forms of cancer, and 127 with various cardiac conditions. The mean age was 59.8 years. The results showed that their expectations varied in certain benefit areas, music activities, and musical styles, according to: whether the patient had cancer or a cardiac condition, whether the patient had received music therapy previously, and whether the patient had studied music previously. Implications are drawn for introducing music therapy to cancer and cardiac patients.     

Sowing seeds of compassion: The case of a music therapy integration group

The purpose of this research was to examine whether, and in what ways, compassion developed within the integrating children in a music therapy integration group. The group included two integrated PDD boys and two integrating girls and met for 14 half-hour weekly sessions. The audio recordings and the verbal documentation of the sessions were analyzed according to qualitative (interpretative-phenomenology analysis) and quantitative methods. Qualitative analysis resulted in five distinct categories that could be organized hierarchically, from the most basic compassion (“pre-compassion”) to very high standard, compassionate behavior (“high compassion”), the higher levels containing the basic ones. Each of these categories diverged into variants, resulting in 11 additional sub-categories. Quantitative analysis showed that compassion developed gradually. As the process progressed, more compassion events were observed. Connections between compassion expressions and the use of music were found. Results of this research are discussed in light of the debate concerning integration for children with special needs. Recommendations for further therapeutic and research activity are provided.     

Music therapy in children's hospices: An evaluative survey of provision

This paper presents the results of a survey of the range of music therapy practice in children's hospices in the UK. Music therapists are challenged to work with children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions during short periods of respite care over several years or at end of life. Flexibility is fundamental to working both individually and in small groups in response to the shifting needs of the children and their families. In the context of a children's hospice music therapists are called upon to work creatively with siblings and family members and members of the multidisciplinary team in addition to the children themselves. A questionnaire and focus group for music therapists working in the children's hospices provided evidence of the range of work, priorities and future plans for development. Telephone interviews with specialist staff at children's hospices where music therapists were not currently working provided evidence of how music and musical activities were perceived and utilised, with any plans for future provision for a music therapy service and some of the practical and resource issues being itemised.     

A musical assessment of psychiatric states in adults

In music therapy, joint musical improvisation of therapist and subject provides the framework for a spontaneous and intimate, non-verbal interaction. This study shows that such an interaction can be used to reveal the subject's capacity for emotional contact with another person, the nature of this contact and how well it is sustained. We examine the musical interaction in first music therapy sessions using a model of analysis specially developed for this study. A comparison between 15 schizophrenics, 15 depressed patients and 15 clinically normal controls revealed significant differences. The findings, which take into account subjects' musical background and perceptual functioning, have implications for the diagnostic use of music therapy in adult psychiatry.     

An individual music therapy assessment procedure for emotionally disturbed young adolescents

The use of the assessment procedure described can be of value to other music therapists within psychiatric settings. It can provide useful projective, diagnostic data and help to determine the suitability of music therapy as a treatment modality. Although this assessment was designed for young adolescents in particular, it has also been varied to suit other populations. The validity of this procedure would be determined by the systematic implementation of all tasks. This writter suggests changes in song lists or listening lists to realistically accommodate different age groups. It would necessitate careful documentation of musical/behavioral criteria indicators, as well as areas of assessment. When assessing a more disturbed or psychotic patient, the music therapist may choose to vary the order of tasks or do the assessment over a longer period of time.     

Music therapists’ attitudes and actions regarding the LGBTQ community: A preliminary report

This is a preliminary report on survey research currently being conducted by a team of music therapists across the United States. The study's purpose was to explore the attitudes and actions of music therapists across the globe in regards to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning (LGBTQ) clients, coworkers, and students. The survey questions were designed to explore areas of knowledge as well as deficits in order to direct future educational offerings for music therapists and music therapy students. These results are preliminary, reflecting the first 2 months the survey was open representing a total of 409 respondents. Results indicate a need for further education and training of music therapists regarding LGBTQ issues.     

The psychological impact of Ney music

The current study investigated whether music therapy carried with the Ney (a wind instrument used in classical Turkish music) has a positive effect on decreasing people's anger and psychological symptoms. The Ney is a Turkish folk instrument and known as a great symbol of Sufi music. In Mevlana philosophy, the Ney makes people feel at ease, and make them feel closer to God. The participants were 14 university students, who were randomly assigned to two groups. This experimental group received music therapy sessions twice a week during 7 weeks, resulting in a total of 14 sessions. The control group did not receive any therapy. The research instruments were administered as a pre-test, a post-test, and a follow-up test. The findings revealed that music therapy carried with Ney music has a considerable long term effect on reducing the participants’ anger and psychological symptoms.     

Music therapy techniques as predictors of change in mental health care

The application of music in therapy is realised through different working modalities which can be categorised into three types of techniques: production, reception, and reproduction. These techniques are commonly used in mental health settings in music therapy practice and previous research suggests that specific working modalities might be important predictors of change in music therapy. However, little is known about which ingredients specifically contribute to the outcomes of music therapy. This study aimed to investigate the application of music therapy techniques and whether they predict changes in clinical outcomes in mental health settings with individuals displaying a low therapy motivation. Participants (N = 31) were assessed before, during, and after participating in individual music therapy. Music therapy techniques were assessed for three selected therapy sessions per participant. Associations between music therapy techniques and outcomes were calculated using linear models with repeated measures. Results showed that reproduction techniques were used most intensely. In addition, relational competencies (interpersonal and social skills) amongst the participants improved when focusing on reproducing music (e.g. singing or playing familiar songs, learning musical skills). Results indicated that reproduction music therapy techniques may foster the development of relational competencies in individuals with low motivation.     

Emotion rendering in music: range and characteristic values of seven musical variables

Many studies on the synthesis of emotional expression in music performance have focused on the effect of individual performance variables on perceived emotional quality by making a systematical variation of variables. However, most of the studies have used a predetermined small number of levels for each variable, and the selection of these levels has often been done arbitrarily. The main aim of this research work is to improve upon existing methodologies by taking a synthesis approach. In a production experiment, 20 performers were asked to manipulate values of 7 musical variables simultaneously (tempo, sound level, articulation, phrasing, register, timbre, and attack speed) for communicating 5 different emotional expressions (neutral, happy, scary, peaceful, sad) for each of 4 scores. The scores were compositions communicating four different emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, calmness). Emotional expressions and music scores were presented in combination and in random order for each performer for a total of 5 × 4 stimuli. The experiment allowed for a systematic investigation of the interaction between emotion of each score and intended expressed emotions by performers.A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), repeated measures, with factors emotion and score was conducted on the participants’ values separately for each of the seven musical factors. There are two main results. The first one is that musical variables were manipulated in the same direction as reported in previous research on emotional expressive music performance. The second one is the identification for each of the five emotions the mean values and ranges of the five musical variables tempo, sound level, articulation, register, and instrument. These values resulted to be independent from the particular score and its emotion. The results presented in this study therefore allow for both the design and control of emotionally expressive computerized musical stimuli that are more ecologically valid than stimuli without performance variations.     

Family Therapists’ Perspectives on Implementing Musical Interventions in Family Therapy: A Mixed-Methods Study

Family musical interventions offer significant therapeutic outcomes when applied by music therapists. Although mainly focused on individuals with special needs, interventions contribute to family well-being by promoting family communication, shared emotions, relationships, roles, dynamics, mutual trust, and parental functioning. Despite the potential, family-based musical interventions are rarely used by family therapists or studied in family therapy programs. Thirty-five family therapists participated in an explanatory mixed-methods research aimed at identifying therapists’ perceptions toward musical interventions in clinical work, illuminating numerous sources influencing therapists’ inclination to refrain from using musical interventions. This article discusses implications for promoting use of musical interventions.     

Music technology usage in music therapy: A survey of practice

The purpose of this study was to determine (a) how many music therapists use music technology in their clinical work, (b) trends regarding music technology usage related to gender, age, and/or geographical location, (c) how music therapists acquire knowledge and/or training in music technology, (d) barriers to using music technology in clinical work, (e) types of music technology music therapists currently use, and (f) why music therapists do or do not use music technology in their clinical practice. Participants (N = 600) completed a 27-question survey with a 95% completion rate. The return rates for participants by country were: (a) US 27%, (b) Australia 6%, (c) Canada 9%, and (d) UK 9%. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data were conducted. A majority of the music therapists surveyed (71%, n = 443) reported using music technology in the clinical setting. Differences in technology usage were found according to age and gender of the participants. Most of the participants reported to be self-taught (61%, n = 464). Results of this study indicated that more training in music technology related to clinical practice is needed, with attention given to ways to make more technology accessible to a variety of learners.     

The role of music therapy in paediatric rehabilitation

Meeting the needs of the child in rehabilitation requires an interdisciplinary approach, whereby a variety of health care professionals are called upon to work together in planning and coordinating each patient's programme. The Registered music therapist is one of the allied health professionals who plays an integral role in this team approach. Music therapy is a recognized allied health profession, which is becoming acknowledged in the expanding world of health care as a therapy able to meet the expansive needs of the patient in rehabilitation. This article will present a literature review which advocates the role of music therapy in rehabilitation, with particular focus on the needs of the paediatric patient. Case vignettes will be used as further evidence to support the role of music therapy in this context, together with considerations for future research.     

Tuning‐in to the beat: Aesthetic appreciation of musical rhythms correlates with a premotor activity boost

Listening to music can induce us to tune in to its beat. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that the motor system becomes involved in perceptual rhythm and timing tasks in general, as well as during preference‐related responses to music. However, the role of preferred rhythm and, in particular, of preferred beat frequency (tempo) in driving activity in the motor system remains unknown. The goals of the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study were to determine whether the musical rhythms that are subjectively judged as beautiful boost activity in motor‐related areas and if so, whether this effect is driven by preferred tempo, the underlying pulse people tune in to. On the basis of the subjects' judgments, individual preferences were determined for the different systematically varied constituents of the musical rhythms. Results demonstrate the involvement of premotor and cerebellar areas during preferred compared to not preferred musical rhythms and indicate that activity in the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) is enhanced by preferred tempo. Our findings support the assumption that the premotor activity increase during preferred tempo is the result of enhanced sensorimotor simulation of the beat frequency. This may serve as a mechanism that facilitates the tuning‐in to the beat of appealing music. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Volunteer client attachment moderates the relationship between trainee therapist attachment and therapist interventions

Abstract

This study explored the association between attachment security of therapists (alone and in interaction with clients' attachment) and therapist interventions in early sessions of short-term psychotherapy. Trainee therapists and volunteer clients (N=24) in short-term therapy completed the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) as a measure of adult romantic attachment orientations. Therapist interventions were identified and related to client and therapist attachment orientation. Results indicated that in early therapy sessions client attachment moderated the relationship between therapist attachment and therapist interventions. Specifically, avoidantly attached therapists intervened with more directive interventions when clients were high in attachment avoidance.     

Constructing a grounded theory of young people's recovery of musical identity in mental illness

Musical identity is a highly relevant, yet little researched area within mental illness. In this study, the researchers explore how 11 young people's musical identities changed during their experiences of, and recovery from mental illness. The researchers use a constructivist grounded theory approach to collect and analyse in-depth interviews with young people attending a music therapy programme at a youth mental health service. Findings are presented as a constructivist grounded theory of young people's recovery of musical identity. This interpretation illustrates how aspects of these young people's pathology presents as ‘musical symptoms’ during acute illness and the ways in which young people engage in processes of ‘bridging’ and ‘playing out’ musical identity in the community. The role of music therapy in supporting young people's recovery from mental illness is presented, and the need to consider community-based music services is discussed.