Music Therapy Commons^™

Diversifying Community Connections, Courtney Belt

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The focus of this reflective commentary is building authentic relationships with a wider variety of community partners toward greater collective impact and equity in community experiential learning. During my time as Clinical Coordinator in the University of Dayton undergraduate music therapy program, we have added 11 new practicum placement sites with one additional starting Spring 2024. The addition of several of these sites stemmed from music therapy faculty discussions about the desire to serve a greater diversity of clientele in our music therapy practicum courses and expand learning opportunities for music therapy students. In this paper, I describe our decision …

Intersections Of Trauma And Grief: Navigating Multilayered Terrain In Music Therapy To Support Youth Through Bereavement, Katherine Myers-Coffman Phd, Mt-Bc

Music Therapy: Faculty Publications

Experiencing the death of a loved one as a young person is challenging in its own right, and underlying trauma can complicate one’s bereavement. With little available research exploring the intersections of trauma and grief, this paper aims to provide a foundational understanding of how trauma contexts and histories manifest in music therapy bereavement support programming for young people. Theoretical models that are culturally grounded, resource-oriented, and adopting an ecological, multisystemic lens are presented. The impacts of interpersonal trauma, trauma from systemic oppression, collective trauma, and intergenerational trauma are explored within the context of bereavement support. Diverse music therapy approaches …

The Experiences Of Stigma Amongst Practicing Music Therapists Living With Depression And/Or Anxiety: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Hally Batterman

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of stigma amongst practicing music therapists living with depression and/or anxiety. Three study participants were selected from social media groups through purposive sampling. Participants were board-certified music therapists (MT-BC's) living in the United States. They all had been practicing as full-time music therapists for at least 5 years and had depression and/or anxiety for a minimum of 2 years during practice as an MT-BC. Qualitative data sources included in-depth interviews with participants conducted over Zoom. The results of the study suggest that music therapists' experiences of stigma for their mental illness (MI) had a negative …

Current Workplace Experiences Of Neurodivergent Music Therapists, Ana Odasso Weschenfelder

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the workplace experiences of neurodivergent music therapists, seeking to elucidate how they currently perceive and navigate their work environments, and how these environments accommodate their neurodivergence. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey methodology and collected both quantitative and qualitative data from board-certified music therapists across the United States. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Qualitative responses were subjected to inductive, iterative content analysis to capture personal experiences and perceptions. Results indicated that neurodivergent music therapists broadly disclose their neurodivergence for authenticity and to seek support and accommodations. Participants also reported finding their …

Reclaiming Voices: Songwriting As A Therapeutic Tool For Female Survivors Of Sexual Violence - A Literature Review, Rachael Slack, Rachael R. Angoh

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis explores the therapeutic potential of songwriting interventions designed for female survivors of domestic violence, serving as a means to empower survivors in reclaiming their voices and narratives. Drawing from existing from research it explores the psychological impacts of domestic violence, the silencing of survivors, the role of music therapy, and the portrayal of domestic violence in popular music. Highlighting survivor perspectives and therapeutic techniques, such as lyric rewriting, song collage, and narrative songwriting, the thesis emphasizes the transformative power of songwriting in facilitating healing and empowerment. By amplifying survivor voices, advocating for survivor-centered policies, and fostering inclusive environments, …

Music Therapy As A Support Model In Massachusetts Special Education: A Literature Review, Bonnie Diamond

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Mental health directly impacts student propensity for making academic progress in the public education system. For children with disabilities, it is especially vital to develop and implement techniques within special education that deliver personally tailored benefits. According to the United States Department of Education, music therapy offers highly effective support to a wide range of students within the school setting so that they may achieve academic success and be supported in their social/emotional development (U.S Department of Education, 2011; AMTA, 2021). In examining the multifaceted ways that music therapy can offer support within the structure of education and mental health, …

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 …

Development Of A Method Of Short-Session, Task-Divided Therapeutic Songwriting, Eric Schwartz

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The benefits of therapeutic songwriting (TS) in the context of music therapy sessions are well-documented. As music therapists are sometimes given brief periods in which to work, a method of therapeutic songwriting wherein the music therapist divides the writing process into multiple short sessions would be useful. This capstone thesis details the development of such a method. The researcher enacted this method with a group of youth who participated in an arts program in Massachusetts that utilized a resource-oriented approach. After each TS session, the researcher recorded the participants' reactions to the intervention's application. The researcher coded the reactions using …

Feldenkrais And Music Informed Listening: A Neurophenomenological Perspective On Autism, Arona Primalani

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Phenomenologists identify the subjective body and its felt-senses as the basis for human development and consciousness, including mental health. Several mental health disorders, when viewed from a phenomenological perspective, share common symptomology related to varying extents of fractured selves, which in turn hinders dynamic interaction between individuals, their actions, and their relationships with their social and material worlds. Autism is one such condition. Hence, I created an intervention to investigate how listening, which foster subjective and intersubjective experiences, lies at the heart of somatic and arts-based interventions. This thesis, first, begins with a summary of the presenting symptoms observed in …

Breaking The Silence: An Inside Look Of The Experiences Of Music Therapists Working With Children Who Have Selective Mutism, Elaine Chen

Theses & Dissertations

Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a consistent difficulty to speak in specific social situations, despite being able to speak in other settings. While existing literature has highlighted the efficacy of music therapy as a promising intervention for children with Selective Mutism, there remains a need to explore the experiences of music therapists working with this population. This interpretative phenomenological study aims to explore the experiences of music therapists working with children diagnosed with Selective Mutism. Two board-certified music therapists, selected for their extensive experience in treating children with Selective Mutism, were recruited through social media …

A Parent's Experience During Their Autistic Child's In-Home Music Therapy, Dana Raicaldo

Theses & Dissertations

Little is known about the lived experience of parents who participate in their child’s in-home music therapy sessions. This descriptive phenomenological inquiry explored the experience of a parent who participates in her child’s in-home music therapy sessions. Through a thematic analysis of the data, five themes emerged: Parental Concern Regarding Jack’s Participation Style, Appreciation for Music Therapist, Claire Finds Joy in Jack’s Joy, Ambiguity of Mother’s Role, and Questioning the “Right Way.” An important finding in this research highlights the necessity of a parent understanding their role in music therapy sessions with their children. The study underscored the importance of …

Improved Motor Skills In Autistic Children After Three Weeks Of Neurologic Music Therapy Via Telehealth: A Pilot Study, Nicole M. Richard Williams, Corene Hurt-Thaut, Jessica Brian, Luc Tremblay, Marija Pranjic, Jessica Teich, Melissa Tan, Julia Kowaleski, Michael Thaut

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Many autistic children experience motor skill deficits which can impact other areas of functioning, and research on therapeutic interventions for motor skills in autism is in a preliminary stage. Music-based therapies have been used extensively to address motor skills in non-autistic populations. Though a handful of studies exist on the effects of music-based therapies for movement in autistic children, none have investigated the possibility of administering sessions via telehealth. This mixed-methods pilot study investigated whether nine Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT)^® sessions via telehealth would improve motor and attention skills in autistic children.

Methods: Five autistic children between five …

Oblique, Edward Kijowski

Theses and Dissertations

Oblique is a multi-sensory art installation that provides a story of fragmentation in sound and light rendered by an obtuse hexagon arrangement of speakers and associated lighting prompts. The oblique direction of the soundwaves creates sonic sculpturing that propels listeners into an active state.

Building Community Through Athletic Activities, Alyssa D. Taylor

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Utah has a significant population of immigrants and refugees, which is constantly increasing. With the Cache Refugee and Immigrant Center recently recognized as an official resettlement agency, the refugee and immigrant populations are projected to grow, especially from Somalia and Syria. These families have a variety of physical, mental, emotional, and social needs. In Europe, formal athletic groups help migrant background families integrate into their communities through sport. Although research has been completed in the United States on informal soccer pickup games, no research has been done on formal groups and their ability to build community in the U.S. like …

Unscripted Journeys: An Exploration Of Music Therapy Practitioner Perspectives On Improvisation Within And Beyond Clinical Application, Abigail Lee

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Improvisation is a phenomenon used often in music settings, clinical settings, and in life in general. Within music therapy settings, clinical improvisation is one of the most common and useful skills music therapy practitioners use to help clients achieve their therapeutic goals. Proper acquisition and implementation of this skill is therefore crucial to the aspiring music therapist’s education. While many approaches to clinical improvisation are outlined within current literature, less literature exists regarding how the background and lifestyle of a music therapy practitioner may affect their development and implementation of clinical improvisation in session. Through qualitative data collection via seven …

Music Therapy Perspectives In Popayan By Music Graduates From The Universidad Del Cauca, Laura Piedad Parra Acosta

Theses & Dissertations

This research explored the perspectives of music graduates from the Universidad del Cauca in Popayán, Colombia, regarding music therapy. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to gather data from participants, who were music educators and performers. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the responses and derive insights. Findings revealed varying levels of awareness and knowledge about music therapy among participants, with the majority expressing interest in gaining a further understanding of how to incorporate music therapy techniques into their practice. Moreover, participants emphasized the potential benefits of music therapy for emotional well-being and mental health in educational and performance settings. This …

The Experience Of An Autistic And Neurotypical Sibling Dyad In Improvisational Music Therapy, Gianna Derusso

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the sibling relationship within improvisational music therapy, specifically the relationship between an autistic sibling and a neurotypical sibling. The following research question was posed: How does the relationship between a neurotypical and autistic sibling dyad present in improvisational music therapy? Subquestions to the research questions included: How do a neurotypical and autistic sibling dyad interact with one another within an improvisational music therapy session?, and How do a neurotypical and autistic sibling dyad interact with the music therapist within an improvisational music therapy session? An autistic and neurotypical sibling dyad was recruited, …

The Experience Of Home-Based Music Therapists Working With Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: A Thematic Analysis, Sarah Mayr

Theses & Dissertations

According to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), an estimated 7.38 million people in the United States live with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (2021). Many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs) reside in community-based settings, such as private residences, family members’ homes, or group homes (ACL, 2021). However, little research exists exploring home-based music therapy (HBMT) for people with I/DD, especially from the clinician’s perspective. Thus, this study examines the experiences of home-based music therapists working with individuals with I/DD to provide a foundational overview. Three music therapists working in home-based settings participated in semi-structured guided interviews, which …

Exploring Music Therapists' Experiences Of Utilizing A Family-Based Approach With Children Receiving Palliative Care, Faith Anne Agolia

Theses & Dissertations

This research study explored the experiences of three music therapists who employ a family-based approach with families whose children are receiving palliative care. Literature addressing the benefits of music therapy for people in palliative care exists, but little is known about the lived experience of music therapists who work in these settings. Music therapists were recruited through purposive sampling. Through phenomenological microanalysis, eight themes emerged: Family-based approach is natural, yet nuanced; the sacredness of the therapeutic relationship; positive memory making through legacy as a means to family connectedness; vicarious trauma; intentional self-care and coping; feeling siloed and experiencing challenges within …

Comparing The Impact Of Client-Led Music Therapy With Autistic Clients Enrolled In An Applied Behavior Analysis Program Versus Those In Standard Care, Annie Fitzgerald

Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates the efficacy of client-led music therapy as a complementary intervention for enhancing aspects of social and behavioral functioning in autistic children enrolled in applied behavior analysis (ABA) programs compared to those in standard care. Utilizing a quantitative approach with pre- and post-intervention assessments, the study evaluates changes across categories of Social Communication, Social Cognition, Social Awareness, Social Motivation, and Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behaviors using the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2). Findings reveal no statistically significant differences in pre- to postintervention scores for either group, yet promising trends emerge. In the study, child-led music therapy within ABA interventions …