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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

A Music Therapist’S Clinical Improvised Songwriting To Explore Countertransference In The Therapeutic Relationship For An Individual With Multiple Disabilities, Isabella Sances May 2024

A Music Therapist’S Clinical Improvised Songwriting To Explore Countertransference In The Therapeutic Relationship For An Individual With Multiple Disabilities, Isabella Sances

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This qualitative and arts-based capstone thesis discusses working with individuals with multiple disabilities, songwriting in music therapy, intersubjective communication and theory, and countertransference in music therapy, by sharing the literature and presenting a method of how a music therapist’s own clinical improvised songwriting explores countertransference in the therapeutic relationship for an individual with multiple disabilities. Music therapy is used to treat individuals with multiple disabilities. The literature demonstrates that music therapy and improvisation can support communication development in clients with multiple disabilities. However, there is little research regarding countertransference and reflections by music therapists. This thesis explored post-session improvised songwriting …


Fostering Self-Awareness Through Songwriting: Development And Heuristic Self-Inquiry Of A Method For Graduate Music Therapy Students, Emily Damore May 2022

Fostering Self-Awareness Through Songwriting: Development And Heuristic Self-Inquiry Of A Method For Graduate Music Therapy Students, Emily Damore

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Self-awareness is considered a necessary competency and professional responsibility for graduate music therapy students to develop during their master’s training. However, few concretized methods have been established to support students in growing this skill. Existing research examining songwriting’s impact on music therapy students provides preliminary evidence that it can effectively foster self-awareness and facilitate personal growth, professional identity development, and processing of clinical experiences (Baker & Krout, 2012, 2011; Viega & Baker, 2019). This thesis continues to explore the connection between songwriting and self-awareness by investigating a student-created method designed for this research by the researcher-participant—a 25-year-old, white, female graduate …


A Narrative Approach To Songwriting In A Pediatric Medical Setting: Understanding Caregivers’ Lived Experience Through Development Of A Method, Izabella Lidrbauch May 2022

A Narrative Approach To Songwriting In A Pediatric Medical Setting: Understanding Caregivers’ Lived Experience Through Development Of A Method, Izabella Lidrbauch

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This exploratory Capstone project focused on understanding caregivers’ lived experience through a narrative-informed songwriting approach. Previous literature has explored the use of narrative therapy and songwriting with caregivers, but little research has focused on a narrative informed approach to songwriting with caregivers of children in a pediatric hospital. This four phase songwriting intervention was carried out over the course of four sessions with two caregivers (a mother and father) of one of the patients on the medical units at a Children’s Hospital in the metro Boston area. Data collection and analysis followed a qualitative iterative arts-based procedure that included writing …


Examining Sibling Relationships With Older Adults Through Songwriting: Development Of A Method, Amanda N. Bysheim May 2022

Examining Sibling Relationships With Older Adults Through Songwriting: Development Of A Method, Amanda N. Bysheim

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Sibling relationships have a profound influence on development, psychological health, and various interpersonal relationships. Within sibling relationships exists complex dynamics of both warmth and conflict that can easily lead to abuse. Many people could be victims of sibling abuse and not even realize it. Various cultural norms not only dismiss many signs of sibling abuse as normal, but minimize and hide the abuse as well. Despite the growing relevance of sibling relationships in adulthood, there is a significant lack of research on siblings in the field of music therapy. Using an individual, single session model, this research study explored the …


Providing The Opportunity To Access Playfulness In Music Therapy With Adults In A Partial Hospital Program: The Implementation Of A Method, Carolynn Walker May 2021

Providing The Opportunity To Access Playfulness In Music Therapy With Adults In A Partial Hospital Program: The Implementation Of A Method, Carolynn Walker

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis explores playfulness in the therapeutic relationship and in music therapy with adults in a partial hospital program. Playfulness is shown to be an effective tool in mental health treatment, aiding in the development of coping skills (Magnuson & Barnett, 2013). A method was applied in order to establish to what extent that playfulness is present and able to be accessed. Five music therapy groups took place with adults age eighteen and older in a partial hospital program that was being conducted in a hybrid (both virtual and in-person) format. Clinical observations concluded that playfulness can be accessed in …


Group Songwriting Process Of Adults With Mental Illness And Trauma, Corinne Waters May 2020

Group Songwriting Process Of Adults With Mental Illness And Trauma, Corinne Waters

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The field of music therapy is a growing community and the research reflects that. However, when looking at some of the different facets of music therapy – like songwriting and groups – it is discovered that there needs to be more research there. When looking at music therapy and songwriting groups in particular, there is also the need for studies on how songwriting interventions impact a group over the course of a longer time period. As a result, this capstone thesis explored the effects of group songwriting on adults with mental illness and trauma in a day treatment setting over …


Lyric Analysis And Songwriting With Adolescent’S Processing Complex Trauma, Peyton Mayzel May 2020

Lyric Analysis And Songwriting With Adolescent’S Processing Complex Trauma, Peyton Mayzel

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This study examines how lyric analysis and songwriting can aid adolescents processing complex developmental traumas. The use of music, lyric analysis, and songwriting can provide a space for adolescents to express themselves and process their struggles they have encountered in their lives. Music, lyric analysis, and songwriting can also be used as a way for adolescents to build their self-identity and help them to make important life decisions. These concepts are all related to the attachment, self-regulation, and competency (ARC) model created by Blaustein & Kinniburgh in 2005. This model is used in treatment with children and adolescents who have …


Decreasing Mental Health Stigma One Song At A Time: Using Community Music Therapy To Increase Social Connectedness And Decrease Self-Stigma And Perceived Stigma, Nora Woofenden May 2020

Decreasing Mental Health Stigma One Song At A Time: Using Community Music Therapy To Increase Social Connectedness And Decrease Self-Stigma And Perceived Stigma, Nora Woofenden

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

It is common for people to experience stigma related to their mental health issues. Research suggests that a supportive community can decrease this experience of stigma. Music therapy and performance have been shown to be effective in supporting people in expressing their stories and connecting, but there is little research into methods for building community through music therapy performance. This community engagement project uses the constant comparison method to analyze the impact of a public concert on the topic of mental health, designed to increase understanding and connection around mental health issues. The concert was performed at two different venues, …


Songwriting A Short Song Of Meaning With Adults With Severe Mental Illness: A Development Of A Method, Shari Hallas May 2020

Songwriting A Short Song Of Meaning With Adults With Severe Mental Illness: A Development Of A Method, Shari Hallas

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper describes a method of writing a short song of meaning with a group of adults with severe mental illness. To motivate patients to complete a song, the method explores combining improvisation and lyric writing with an element of meaningfulness within a single session. Adding improvisation is inspired by music-centered music therapy, where experiences of expression and connection take place in the music making. Resource-oriented music therapy influenced my providing choices for creative expression and recognizing different stages of song achievement. Literature shows reoccurring themes for music therapy, songwriting, and improvisation and drumming benefitting individuals with severe mental illness. …


Songwriting As Self-Care - A Burnout Prevention Tool For Mental Health Professionals: Development Of A Method, Brittany Leonard May 2019

Songwriting As Self-Care - A Burnout Prevention Tool For Mental Health Professionals: Development Of A Method, Brittany Leonard

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

In this capstone thesis, songwriting is examined through a critical, humanistic lens to determine whether or not it can be used as a legitimate method of self-care to prevent burnout and minimize perceived symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in mental health professionals. Therapeutic songwriting is an intervention grounded in analytical theory that aims to access the unconscious mind and uncover deep emotions, which is the foundation of this study. Rather than focusing on the effects songwriting has on clients, the researcher was interested in the benefits of songwriting for individuals working in the field of mental health. This project …


Structured Songwriting In Special Education Group Music Therapy From A Humanistic Lens: Development Of A Method, Katherine Marsh May 2019

Structured Songwriting In Special Education Group Music Therapy From A Humanistic Lens: Development Of A Method, Katherine Marsh

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone thesis project explored a method of structured group songwriting through a humanistic approach. While there was compelling research of songwriting with various populations in music therapy there was noticeably less documentation of work with developmental disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) populations (Baker, Wigram, Stott, McFerrin 2008). There was also limited research available on specific songwriting process elements and the theoretical framework behind such music therapy interventions (Stewart, 2016). More data on this topic would be beneficial to music therapists, particularly young professionals, who frequently use songwriting as an intervention with this population. Based on research and experiences, …


Group-Based Songwriting With Adolescents In A Partial Hospitalization Program, Jonathan Blake Mar 2018

Group-Based Songwriting With Adolescents In A Partial Hospitalization Program, Jonathan Blake

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The growing field of music therapy aims to help those who suffer from an array of disorders, anxieties, and diagnoses using a wide collection of interventions and activities. Songwriting has been a useful tool for music therapists for many years. Popular interventions that utilize lyric replacement, fill-in-the-blank or Mad Lib style, and improvisational blues songwriting, have been very effective across a range of populations including children, adolescents, and the elderly. This project aims to bridge a gap in the research by implementing an original idea, which I devised, which encouraged clients to engage organically in a group setting. This intervention …