Music Therapy Commons^™

Church Music Leaders In The Usa: Prioritizing Technical Competence And Inclusion, Heather Maclachlan

Music Faculty Publications

Church music leaders in the United States pursue two priorities: technical accuracy and fluency in the music-making of their church ensembles, and, including as many volunteers as possible in those same ensembles. At times, the prioritization of technical competence and inclusion conflict, because volunteers whose playing or singing is less than competent seek to be included in church music groups. Facing this ethical dilemma, church music leaders operate ethically; that is, they employ strategies and develop policies based on their understanding of their responsibilities to other people (Warren 2014). During interviews, they verbally espouse an ethic of deontology, but in …

Exploring The Hinterland: The Development Of A Person-Centered Music Therapy Method For A Hospice Patient With Lewy Body Dementia, Paige Chaplin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis explores the development and implementation of a music therapy method with an individual diagnosed with dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) receiving home hospice services. There is very little known about the effect of music therapy on patients diagnosed with DLB. Informed by Tom Kitwood’s Person-Centered Care (PCC) philosophy for dementia care, Yumiko Sato’s Musical Life Review (MLR) model, and Lisa Kelly and Bill Ahessy’s Reminiscence-Focused Music Therapy (RFMT) model, a clinical method was developed to explore the effects of person-centered music therapy on reminiscence, caregiver connection, and identity. I drew inspiration from music therapy concepts by Tony Wigram …

Examining The Use Of Expressive Arts Therapies In Neurorehabilitation Treatment Planning, Rebecca J. Horner

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Those undergoing neurorehabilitation after stroke and traumatic brain injury report a diminished sense of overall wellness. This paper examines the conceivable benefits of introducing expressive arts therapies, which is the therapeutic use and combination of the visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing and other intermodal creative processes, into physical therapy and neurorehabilitation treatment planning. Expressive arts therapies have the capacity to engage with an individual’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual states concurrently. They simultaneously offer the ability to promote an increased sense of well-being, address mind-body disconnects, and process trauma non-verbally.

The sections of this narrative literature review focus on …

Jewish Wordless Singing In Music Therapy And Burnout Prevention With Outpatient Mental Health Clinicians, Elizabeth Zinn

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Existing literature has shown a rise in burnout levels for mental health clinicians, especially in light of the recent and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This capstone project focused on understanding how Jewish wordless melodies (niggunim) may be used as a technique in group singing in music therapy as a strategy for preventing clinician burnout. Research has demonstrated that music therapy techniques may be beneficial in addressing the causes and components of burnout though there is minimal research on the use of niggunim in music therapy, and none on the use of niggunim to prevent burnout. A single-session niggunim-based intervention was …

Using Vignettes To Change Music Therapists' Attitudes Toward Research, Adrienne Flight

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study used a three-condition experimental design to determine which was more effective in changing music therapists’ attitudes toward research: a vignette demonstrating positive outcomes of using research to inform clinical work (PO), a vignette showing negative outcomes of not using it to inform clinical work (NO), or a research summary (RS). The outcome measure had three subscales, focused on perceptions of usefulness, anxiety, and positive predispositions.

Respondents (N = 656) included students and professionals. Findings indicated that anxiety decreased more for the RS than the NO condition, F(2, 653) = 4.0, p = .02, η² = …

What Is Competency? Exploring Perceptions Of Functional Musicianship In Music Therapy, Catherine Befi-Hensel

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of music therapy clinicians, educators, clinical supervisors, and students in the United States regarding functional music skill competence. The study further attempted to identify potential factors that may influence perceptions of functional music skill competence, including the principal instrument, amount of clinical and supervision experience, and educational background of the rater. Data for this study were collected using an online survey that asked participants to listen to 12 musical excerpts and rate each for proficiency in overall musicality, instrumental accompaniment, vocal performance, and musical competence. Additionally, participants had the option …

Prescribing Music To Forensic Settings: A Literature Review, Sydney A. Bouchard

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Though prison is inherently musical, evidence-based forensic music therapy is rather understudied. This thesis critically reviews musical experiences in forensic environments and synthesizes its intersection with inmates' psychological distress. Additionally, the literature explores how forensic music therapy can act as a health and social resource for the incarcerated and their communities. Engaging in this work is vital because healthier correctional systems mean healthier communities (Hopwood, 2021). This review synthesizes relevant literature to inform better practices in music therapy, counseling, and healthcare and seeks to popularize discussion around an otherwise unpopular population, incarcerated folx. Emerging themes include (1) incarceration breeds negative …

Talk Box In Music Therapy With Speech And Language Impairments Resulting From Tracheostomy: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Jonathan Kang

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Tracheostomy patients struggle with one of the most significant and essential components to the human identity, that is, communication. When a person’s communication is obstructed, access to their intangible, inner world is also severed – leaving their thoughts, feelings, and memories, all of which are core to the human experience, unshared. Speech assistance for tracheostomy patients currently includes above cuff vocalization efforts using one-way speaking valves, augmentative and alternative communication methods such as speech generating devices and the electrolarynx. This thesis will introduce and discuss a musical instrument effect called the talk box as an integration of music therapy techniques …

The Breath As A Holistic Regulator: An Expressive Arts Therapy Community Project, Jacobita Munoz

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone offers the idea that evolution has challenged appropriate breathing and led humans to breathe incorrectly, thus negatively affecting their physical and mental health. As breath can damage the body, it can also serve as a regulator of the mind and body. This thesis points out the multiple effects when uniting controlled respiration, drumming and nature sounds. Breathing, music and nature have many things in common. These include repetition, pattern, awareness of the present moment and relaxation. They all contain a rhythm, and they offer self-regulatory skills. Music-based expressive arts therapies intervention is postulated to provide breathing techniques, united …

Hailey's Hearing Aids, Hailey Marie Garcia

Whittier Scholars Program

Individuals from the deaf and hard-of-hearing community are likely to experience more anxiety and depression due to defective cognitive, social, communicational, and emotional skills (Azizi et al., 2019). The word “disability” is embedded with historical negative connotations with phrases such as “deaf and dumb” because if they were deaf or mute then they were automatically labeled as inferior (Horovitz, 2007). Since the 18th century, the DHH community has been seen as incapable, even inhuman, hence the development of emotional deficiencies that bleed into one’s perception of society and their self esteem (Gallaudet, 1886).

How do you navigate a hearing world …

An Exploration Into Art Therapists' Experiences Of Collaboration With Music Therapists To Treat People With Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Heejoon Park Jun

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of art therapists who used music in art therapy sessions with and without the presence of a music therapist. Two participants were selected through purposeful sampling and participated in a 45-minute, virtual, semi-structured individual interview. Participants met the following criteria: (a) board-certified art therapist (ATR-BC), (b) a minimum of two years of professional work experience as an art therapist, (c) experience in working with music therapists and using pre-recorded music without the presence of a music therapist during the art therapy sessions for people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and (d) speaks Korean and/or English. …

Music Therapists' Perspectives On The Use Of Heavy Metal Music In Music Therapy, Jessie E. Davis

Theses & Dissertations

There is little research on heavy metal music in general, and even less research on the application of this genre in music therapy. This study collected data from 201 board certified music therapists who have experience using heavy metal music in their music therapy practice. A variety of open- and closed-ended questions were answered by these participants to gather their perspectives on this topic. Analyzation of quantitative data occurred using cross-tabulation descriptive statistics through Google Forms and qualitative data were analyzed through coding and a content analysis. Quantitative data concluded that participants would like to see an increase in the …

Early Childhood Educators' Understanding And Perspectives Of Music Therapy, Sophia G. Woods

Theses & Dissertations

Few research studies have explored early childhood educators’ understanding and perspectives of music therapy. In this study, 28 early childhood educators were surveyed, answering open- and closed-ended questions relating to what they understand about and how they perceive the profession of music therapy. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data and thematic analysis to analyze qualitative data. Quantitative data highlighted the little education provided to early childhood educators about music therapy and suggests that very few early childhood educators have worked with music therapists. The three participants who had worked with a music therapist reported that music therapy has …

How Music Therapists Experience Improvising With Nonspeaking Clients: A Thematic Analysis, Alexandra Timoshenko

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore music therapists’ subjective experience improvising with nonspeaking clients with intellectual disabilities. The research question addressed was: How do clinicians experience improvisatory music-making with clients who are nonspeaking? In music therapy, the client and the therapist both have significant roles to play within the therapeutic relationship. Three music therapists with at least five years of experience primarily using improvisation when working with nonspeaking clients with intellectual disabilities were chosen via purposeful sampling to participate in this study and were individually interviewed to discuss their subjective experiences. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews …

Grab A Mic: Making Intergenerational Connections Through Music Therapy Intervention, Alayna Bollinger

Honors Projects

This Honors Project looks into creating a hypothetical intervention program incorporating BGSU Students and residents from Wood Haven Healthcare in Bowling Green, Ohio. The program, which is called Grab a MIC: Making Intergenerational Connections, seeks to answer if intergenerational music therapy intervention will help alleviate negative perceptions of aging and geriatric depression, and promote intergenerational understanding. This program will include 5 BGSU students from the College of Musical Arts and 5 residents from Wood Haven Healthcare and persist over 7 weeks total. The students selected will be volunteers and will preferably all specialize in different instruments within the string family …

Effectiveness Of A Nurse-Led Songwriting Intervention On Quality Of Life For Individuals With Chronic Pain, Marcia Henry

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract

Chronic pain affects 20% of the U.S. and global population. With the worsening opioid crisis there is a growing need for alternative therapies. Individuals with chronic pain often experience depression, stress, and poor quality of life. The Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms guided this prospective cohort design project in a pilot study (N = 13) examining the effectiveness of songwriting to improve quality of life in this population. A master’s prepared nurse and experienced songwriter administered 6 weekly songwriting sessions in an online chronic pain support group. Chronic pain (Graded Chronic Pain Scale-Revised & Pain Enjoyment General Activities subscale), depression …

Heroes Or Villains: Modern Rappers And Their Effect On Young Adult Males, Jared J. Mccabe

Senior Theses

This paper examines the role of modern-day rappers and how they affect the growing mental health crisis for young adult males. Recently, an “emo-rap” genre has emerged where vulnerability is common, and rappers share both their mental health struggles and experiences with drug use. The degree to which these artists have influenced their listeners is unclear, and perceptions of them are polarized. There are some who view them as villains who sponsor violence and drug use and others who view them as heroes who break down societal barriers and build supportive networks among their listeners.

Based on the existing scientific …

Radical Youth Work: A Community Based Approach To Working With Youth, Young Adults And Families, Weston J. Robins

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Eternal Strength Center for Radical Youth Work is a blended community center with customizable mental health therapeutic support for youth, young adults and families. Providing humanistic and person centered psychotherapy and counseling, alongside experiential therapies and community engagement we support families and youth struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self harm, suicidality and other challenges on their developmental growth journey.

The Brief But Shining Life Of Paul Laurence Dunbar, A Poet Who Gave Dignity To The Black Experience, Minnita Daniel-Cox

Music Faculty Publications

Paul Laurence Dunbar was only 33 years old when he died in 1906.

In his short yet prolific life, Dunbar used folk dialect to give voice and dignity to the experiences of Black Americans at the turn of the 20th century. He was one of the first Black Americans to make a living as a writer and was seminal in the start of the New Negro Movement and the Harlem Renaissance.

Therapeutic Presence In Music Therapy Education: An Arts-Based Phenomenological Inquiry, Elizabeth Jane Eggerding

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

Little music therapy research has been published on therapeutic presence (TP). This study explored the inclusion of TP in music therapy education. Participants were eight credentialed music therapists who identified as music therapy educators and/or clinical supervisors. They attended one of two focus groups and were asked to submit a 1-minute excerpt of themselves improvising a reflection of their focus group’s discussion. Focus group data revealed four themes: (1) Defining TP; (2) Education and Supervision Responsibilities; (3) TP is Taught Through Experiential Learning; and (4) Learning TP is a Developmental Process. Participants defined TP as simultaneously incorporating both states of …