A history of music therapy journal articles published in the English language

Music therapists have had an interest in bibliographic research for over 20 years, beginning with Jellison's 1973 analysis of the frequency and types of articles appearing in the existing music therapy literature. Since then, several other researchers have continued in this line of inquiry. The purpose of this study was to (a) identify historical trends in the types of articles that have been published in major music therapy periodicals in the English language, (b) identify historical trends for each type of article within each music therapy journal, (c) to compare percentages of article types within each music therapy journal and (d) to compare percentages of article types across journals. Specifically, how many quantitative, qualitative, historical, philosophical/theoretical, clinical and professional articles have been published throughout the history of the following journals: Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy: Journal of the American Association for Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, The Arts in Psychotherapy, Journal of the Association for Music & Imagery, The Australian Journal of Music Therapy, The Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, The British Journal of Music Therapy, and The New Zealand Society for Music Therapy Journal.     

A descriptive study of private practice in music therapy

Of professional music therapists in the American Music Therapy Association, 9% report being self-employed or in private practice. The purpose of this paper was to provide initial data concerning music therapists who are in private practice. The researchers successfully sent out 353 surveys and 118 were completed and returned via electronic mail for a response rate of 33.4%. Although general, results indicate that music therapists in private practice are active within the profession, doing presentations and inservices, conducting research, supervising practica students and interns, and keeping current with forthcoming research. Data indicate that most music therapists chose private practice due to a more flexible schedule, increased salary, and the lack of previously established job opportunities. Additionally, 65.8% of respondents reported having a bachelor's degree in music therapy, 29.2% reported having a master's degree, and 5.1 % reported having a doctoral degree. Quantitative results, rationale, and suggestions are included in an attempt to assist music therapists who are interested in starting private practices.     

Implications of technology in music therapy practice and research for music therapy education: a review of literature

This article reviews the use of technology in music therapy practice and research for the purpose of providing music therapy educators and clinicians with specific and accurate accounts of the types and benefits of technology being used in various settings. Additionally, this knowledge will help universities comply with National Association of Schools of Music requirements and help to standardize the education and training of music therapists in this rapidly changing area. Information was gathered through a literature review of music therapy and related professional journals and a wide variety of books and personal communications. More data were gathered in a survey requesting information on current use of technology in education and practice. This solicitation was sent to all American Music Therapy Association approved universities and clinical training directors. Technology applications in music therapy are organized according to the following categories: (a) adapted musical instruments, (b) recording technology, (c) electric/electronic musical instruments, (d) computer applications, (e) medical technology, (f) assistive technology for the disabled, and (g) technology-based music/sound healing practices. The literature reviewed covers 177 books and articles from a span of almost 40 years. Recommendations are made for incorporating technology into music therapy course work and for review and revision of AMTA competencies. The need for an all-encompassing clinical survey of the use of technology in current music therapy practice is also identified.     

Personality, burnout, and longevity among professional music therapists

The purpose of this study was to examine possible relationships between personality, burnout level, longevity, and demographic variables among professional music therapists. The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) were used to test personality and burnout. Subjects were 137 professional music therapists from all seven American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) regions with an overall average longevity of 17.85 years. The 16PF showed the personality traits that most describe music therapists are emotional sensitivity, reasoning, apprehension, warmth, openness to change, self-reliance, extraversion, anxiety, abstractedness, rule-consciousness, and self-control. Logistic regressions showed that the personality factor of anxiety (p < .007) significantly predicts the MBI-HSS subscale of emotional exhaustion and the personality factor of dominance (p < .01) significantly predicts the MBI-HSS subscale of personal accomplishment. While no personality factor significantly predicts the MBI-HSS subscales of depersonalization, social boldness (p < 0.07) and vigilance (p < .09) strongly contributed to this relationship. Logistic regressions also showed that highest degree earned is significantly (p < .000) predictive of longevity. Since the overall burnout level was in the average range, in essence this study described the profile of music therapists who are staying and thriving in the profession.     

A descriptive analysis of internet information regarding music therapy

The purpose of the two studies reported here was to investigate and describe information available about music therapy that is likely to be found on the Internet. The top 20 Internet search engines were surveyed using the term "Music Therapy." Information concerning the first 25 sites listed per engine was collected. The following categories of information were described: the frequency of mention across the search engine sites, the type of site, whether the site gave a definition of music therapy, the orientation of that definition, the number of links, orientation of links, and the number of hits shown on the main page. A rank order was then compiled of the 267 sites listed across all searches. Results showed that American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) web page was the most frequent and highest ranked site across the 20 search engine sites. Sites from educational institutions were frequent, as were commercial sites. Most of the highest ranked sites gave traditional definitions (as defined by AMTA) for music therapy and associated links were conventional as well. These procedures were replicated one year later, although the question "What is Music Therapy?" was used as the search term. Results from this second search revealed only 145 sites. Of those, American Music Therapy Association web page was again the most frequent and highest ranked site across the search engines. Sites from educational institutions were frequent, as were commercial sites, however, only half of the highest ranked sites gave traditional definitions for music therapy.     

Ira Maximilian Altshuler: psychiatrist and pioneer music therapist

The purpose of this study was to examine the life of Ira Maximilian Altshuler, psychiatrist and pioneer music therapist. In 1938, Dr. Altshuler initiated one of the first large-scale music therapy programs for mentally ill persons in the country at Detroit's Eloise Hospital. His innovative programs combined psychoanalytic techniques and music therapy methods specifically designed for use with large groups of clients. He later trained some of the first music therapy interns in the country, including Carol Collins, who served for many years as Professor of Music Therapy at Wayne State University, and Esther Goetz Gilliland, who later became President of NAMT. Dr. Altshuler promoted the practice and profession tirelessly, speaking to numerous audiences over the years and writing 19 articles about music therapy. Altshuler participated in the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) organizational meeting held in New York City in 1950. An active member of the organization for many years, he served on the Research Committee and hosted the 1955 national NAMT conference in Detroit. Even after Altshuler's retirement from Eloise Hospital in 1963, he remained active in numerous civic, music, and music therapy activities until his death 5 year later. Ira Altshuler should be remembered along with other music therapists from the time-Willem Van de Wall, Harriet Ayer Seymour and others-who vigorously embraced and advanced the status of the profession.     

Evidence-based music therapy practice: an integral understanding

The American Music Therapy Association has recently put into action a plan called its Research Strategic Priority, with one of its central purposes to advance the music therapy field through research promoting Evidence-Based Practice of music therapy. The extant literature on music therapy practice, theory, and research conveys a range of very different perspectives on what may count as the "evidence" upon which practice is based. There is therefore a need to conceptualize evidence-based music therapy practice in a multifaceted, yet coherent and balanced way. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a framework based upon four distinct epistemological perspectives on evidence-based music therapy practice that together represent an integral understanding.     

Music therapy assessment in school settings: a preliminary investigation

The present investigation was undertaken in response to music therapists working in school settings for information relating to the availability of music therapy assessments and the feasibility of standardizing an assessment instrument for music therapists to use in school settings. Five research questions were identified, and the music therapy literature was surveyed to compile responses to those questions. Three different online data bases (ERIC, PsycINFO, and Article 1st) were used, covering articles published between 1980 and 1997. Individual hand searches were done of the Arts in Psychotherapy, Journal of Music Therapy, Journal of Research in Music Education, Journal of the International Association of Music for the Handicapped, Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives. The questions and responses were as follows: 1. Which music-based assessment tools are being used with children with disabilities? Little commonality in assessment tools being used by music therapists and researchers was discovered. Of the total 41 studies, 20 (49%) reported using a "named" or "titled" assessment tool, and in the remaining 51% of studies, the authors reported using an untitled, and usually experimenter-designed, original assessment tool. 2. Have certain assessments been used in more than one study? Very limited replication of existing assessments was found. Of the 16 "named" assessments, only 3 were found to be used in more than one research study. 3. Are the actual assessments published along with the articles describing their use? Only 3 of the 20 studies using named assessments were published along with the journal article. Of the remaining 21 studies using original, experimenter-designed assessment tools, only 6 (28%) had the assessment instrument published with the article. 4. What is the primary purpose for using the assessment? Six primary purposes emerged from the review of the literature: to compare with data obtained from other assessment measures or from other populations (39%), as a baseline or pretest measure (29%), to determine eligibility for services or the receipt of treatment (12%), to determine the psychometric properties of the assessment (7%), suitability of the instrument for the given population (7%), and the identification of musical preferences (5%). 5. What are the musical or nonmusic elements being assessed? Musical elements were: music perception (37%), musical aptitude (29%), musical preferences (12%), and attention to/enjoyment of music (2%). Nonmusical behaviors/responses were: self-expression (10%), motor responses (10%), behavioral responses (7%), cognitive development (2%), and acts of communication (2%). 6. What subject populations are being assessed? Subject populations were: children with developmental disabilities/mental retardation (44%), children with autism (10%), children with hearing impairments (17%), "psychiatric" clients or emotionally disturbed (22%), individuals described as "handicapped" (5%), individuals with physical disabilities (2%), and a student with a speech impairment (2%). Nondisabled individuals were also included in 12 of the aforementioned studies.     

The history of the undergraduate curriculum in music therapy

The undergraduate curriculum determines the quality of student preparation and serves to ensure consistency in clinical practice, thus promoting acceptance of music therapy by the medical community. As members of the newly-formed American Music Therapy Association strive to integrate diverse viewpoints, a historical review of the curriculum may provide direction for future revisions. Columbia University offered the first music therapy course in 1919, yet the profession did not establish an official undergraduate curriculum until 1952. This paper chronicles the events occurring prior to 1952 which contributed to curriculum development. Preceding university degree offerings, hospitals provided music therapy training. Hospital music directors established detailed guidelines for both lecture courses and clinical work. Authorities also outlined specific qualifications for potential students, including musical ability and suitable personality traits, and discouraged students who did not meet these criteria. As university programs grew in number, notable figures such as Roy Underwood and E. Thayer Gaston influenced curricular decisions through their personal beliefs and professional activities. Exploring this chain of events may assist contemporary authorities in understanding and strengthening the educational foundation for music therapists.     

Charles E. Braswell: a man with vision

The purpose of this paper was to sketch a biography of Charles Edward Braswell, and to examine the contributions he made to the field of music therapy, including his work at Loyola University, his influence on the growth of music therapy in Louisiana. The paper also examined Braswell's involvement in the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT), and his myriad contributions that influenced the growth and development of NAMT.     

A Collaborative Approach to Defining Neonatal Therapy

The purpose of this article is to provide a reference for occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists on a shared definition of neonatal therapy. This article will further outline the collaborative efforts, process and recommendations of a multidisciplinary team of neonatal occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists, who participated in an inaugural meeting on February 12, 2012, as part of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT). One of the first goals of the NANT Professional Collaborative was to define the practice of neonatal therapy. To move forward as one group, two questions were considered: first, who are we as neonatal therapists and, second, what is neonatal therapy? The American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, and the American Speech and Hearing Association have all published three separate articles outlining skills, knowledge, and scope of practice. However, all three disciplines share common ground in the neonatal intensive care unit, and the NANT Professional Collaborative took on the task of creating one definition that could be shared by all.     

Anthropology, occupational therapy, and action research.

This paper describes the research process and methodology used in the American Occupational Therapy Association/American Occupational Therapy Foundation Clinical Reasoning Study. This study examined the clinical reasoning of occupational therapists through a 2-year ethnography of therapists at one hospital site. The research was innovative in several important respects. One important innovation was a combined ethnographic and action research design that involved collaboration between the research team and those therapists being studied. Therapists who were research subjects became actively involved in examining and reflecting on their own practice through group analysis of videotaped sessions with clients. One outcome of this action research component was that the study served as both a research and a staff development project.     

Music therapy career aptitude test

The purpose of the Music Therapy Career Aptitude Test (MTCAT) was to measure the affective domain of music therapy students including their self-awareness as it relates to the music therapy career, value in human development, interest in general therapy, and aptitude for being a professional music therapist. The MTCAT was administered to 113 music therapy students who are currently freshman or sophomores in an undergraduate music therapy program or in the first year of a music therapy master's equivalency program. The results of analysis indicated that the MTCAT is normally distributed and that all 20 questions are significantly correlated with the total test score of the MTCAT. The reliability of the MTCAT was considerably high (Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha=0.8). The criterion-related validity was examined by comparing the MTCAT scores of music therapy students with the scores of 43 professional music therapists. The correlation between the scores of students and professionals was found to be statistically significant. The results suggests that normal distribution, internal consistency, homogeneity of construct, item discrimination, correlation analysis, content validity, and criterion-related validity in the MTCAT may be helpful in predicting music therapy career aptitude and may aid in the career decision making process of college music therapy students.     

The early beginnings of Nordoff-Robbins music therapy

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy is an improvisational and compositional approach to individual and group therapy that resulted from the pioneering teamwork of Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins over a period of 17 years. Nordoff and Robbins developed this approach for practical clinical purposes while working with the children at Sunfield Children's Home in 1959. This paper explores the critical academic year of 1959-1960 as a watershed in the early development of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. By way of context, it also examines (a) how Paul Nordoff, as a distinguished American pianist and composer, became a music therapist; (b) how Nordoff's former musical career as a composer and pianist affected his clinical musicianship as a music therapist; (c) how Clive Robbins, as a British special educator, became a music therapist; (d) how their team work emerged; and (e) how they developed their own approach. In conclusion, the early development of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy resulted from Nordoff and Robbins' similar philosophical background, the supportive environment of Sunfield Children's Home, the guidance of Herbert Geuter, M.D., and their courage. Since the 1959-1960 academic years, the application and practice of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy has undergone many changes. However, the pioneering spirit of Nordoff and Robbins manifested in that watershed year remains strong among contemporary Nordoff-Robbins music therapy practitioners.     

Searching PubMed/MEDLINE, Ingenta, and the Music Therapy World Journal Index for articles published in the Journal of Music Therapy

The purpose of this study was to carry out a comparison between references to articles published in the Journal of Music Therapy before December 2002 identified through searching PubMed/MEDLINE, the Ingenta database and those actually published in the journal. To carry out this comparison we have created a new database, called the Music Therapy World Journal Index, which includes complete indexes of selected music therapy journals. All articles published in the Journal of Music Therapy since its commencement in 1964 are referenced in this database. We found a large number of articles that are not identified by searching PubMed/MEDLINE. There is an under-representation of both the amount of articles published in this journal and in the range of areas for clinical application and research in music therapy. The Ingenta database is comprehensive but limited in its coverage of the early years. To carry out a comprehensive research of the literature, it is necessary to consult an expert database, such as the Music Therapy World Journal Index, that guarantees an unequivocal level of completeness.