Music Therapy Commons^™

Perspectives On Satisfaction For The Clinical Internship In Music Therapy: Differences Between American And International Music Therapy Students And Music Therapists, Wang Lu

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to survey music therapy intern students and professionals across the United States to evaluate their satisfaction regarding their internship experience. 465 responses were collected for this study, 50 American music therapy interns, 353 American music therapy professionals, 12 international music therapy interns, and 50 international music therapy professionals. Data indicated that in the areas of “therapeutic relationship”, “professional role/ethics”, “therapy implementation,” and “documentation”, which are categories of the AMTA competencies, over 91% of the participants indicated that their expectations were mostly or completely met during internship. In contrast, the competency that respondents felt was …

Intergenerational Music Therapy : Bridging The Generational Gap Through Community-Based Music Making., Michael R. Detmer, Petra Kern, Jill Jacobi-Vessels, Kristi M. King

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Closer Exploration Of Therapeutic Relationship Through A Musical Mediuem: An Arts-Based Research Study, Michael Kelliher

Theses & Dissertations

Arts-based research is emerging and becoming prominent in music therapy. The intention of this arts-based research study was to explore, experience, and gain awareness of the therapeutic relationship of a client and therapist engaged in music therapy through client and therapist journals. This study looked at several elements of artistic expression of music therapy, such as the aesthetic components of verbal journaling and musical portraits. The journals were mixed to create songs that illuminated the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist. The relationship between words and music were analyzed aesthetically to explore the congruence and conflict between the harmony and …

Music Therapists' Self-Care: Examining The Effectiveness Of Educational Preparation For Clinical Practice, Maureen C. Hearns

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of undergraduate academic and clinical training programs for music therapy in addressing the subject of personal growth, as it relates to the development of critical self-awareness and self-care strategies. The study further attempted to identify which self-care strategies are being used by practicing music therapy clinicians and how a practice of self-care impacts their work with distressed and/or traumatized individuals. An electronic survey sent to all board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs) (N = 6369) generated a demographic profile of music therapy practitioners who identified their clientele as distressed and/or traumatized. The …

Rebecca Center For Music Therapy Newsletter: Volume 4 Issue 1, John Carpente Ph.D., Mt-Bc, Lcat, Jill Mulholland Ms, Mt-Bc, Lcat, Suzanne Sorel D.A., M.T.-B.C., L.C.A.T, Michael Kelliher Mt-Bc, Diana N. Abourafeh Mt-Bc, Laura De Gennaro Psy.D., Audra Cerruto Ph.D.

The Rebecca Center for Music Therapy Newsletter

What's Inside: ASD Research Five Years in the Making; Beyond the Session Room Jason's Story; Experiential Learning at the Center; Campus Connections; Community Outreach; Research; Recent and Upcoming Presentations; Book Club

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Music Therapists’ Experiences When Working With Actively Dying Hospice Patients: An Analysis Of Words, Mandalas, And Music, Erin I. Fox

Theses and Graduate Projects

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of three music therapists when working with actively dying hospice patients. The participants spoke of their experiences, drew mandalas, and improvised music. Through the lens of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis the interview transcripts were coded two main themes emerged: clinical experiences and personal experiences. Subthemes under clinical experiences included use of ongoing assessment, clinical reasoning, clinical use of music to meet patient needs, roles as music therapist, facing challenges in the work, and working with patients’ spirituality. Subthemes under personal experiences included awareness of needs for self-care, physical and sensory experiences, emotions and new …

Analyzing Songs Used For Lyric Analysis With Mental Health Consumers Using Linguistic Inquiry And Word Count (Liwc) Software, Ashley M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Lyric analysis is one of the most commonly used music therapy interventions with the mental health population, yet there is a gap in the research literature regarding song selection. The primary purpose of this study was to determine distinguishing linguistic characteristics of song lyrics most commonly used for lyric analysis with mental health consumers, as measured by LIWC2015 software. A secondary purpose was to provide an updated song list resource for music therapists and music therapy students working with the mental health population. The researcher emailed a survey to 6,757 board-certified music therapists, 316 of whom completed the survey. Respondents …

An Analysis Of Burnout And Music Therapy Methodologies, Samara Berry

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this survey study was to explore professional burnout in music therapists and factors that may increase the likelihood of experiencing it. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey (1981) and researcher-developed questions were used to test for burnout and variables among board-certified music therapists, such as demographics, longevity, and the music therapists’ ideologies. The list of board-certified music therapists from 2017 was randomized and the survey was distributed to 1635 potential participants. Out of the 200 responses that were received, 199 agreed to participate in this study. On average, participants scored an average degree of burnout …

Drumming Up The Future: Musical Creativity And Drum Circles As A Vehicle For Personal And Social Change, And For Improved Wellbeing Amongst Women In A Pre-Release Facility, Nanna Faulkner

Theses : Honours

Some arts programmes have used drum-circle techniques with the aim of facilitating personal and social change. These include those developed by Arthur Hull in the USA (Hull & Marie, 2014) and Drumbeat projects in Australia (Martin, Wood, Tasker & Coletsis, 2014). There is, however, limited research in the field and none that focuses explicitly on females in pre-release detention facilities. In exploring a range of creative drumcircle activities, informed by theories and practices from music therapy, community music settings and arts programmes in prisons, the present study examines the impact of participation in a ten-week drumming project upon women’s senses …

The Perceptions Of Music Therapy Interns And Internship Supervisors: American Music Therapy Association Professional Competencies, Jordan Rebecca Novak

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptual differences of the AMTA Professional Competencies between music therapy pre-interns and internship supervisors in the Great Lakes Region. The participants (N = 33) were 19 pre-interns and 14 internship supervisors at AMTA Approved internship sites and academic programs. This 32 question survey study utilized a Likert-type 5-point scale that required the participant to rate their perceived need for assistance from little to no need for assistance to very high need for assistance. Results showed that pre-interns and supervisors differ significantly on the subjects of “Leading and accompanying on guitar and piano” …

Music Therapy And Grieving: Defining And Creating Music Therapy Activities For The Patient And Family, Natassia L. Carr

Music Therapy Theses

This project addresses the use of music therapy and a variety of activities created for grieving. Examples of music therapy and grieving are described. These include music therapy intervention that extend to provide support for bereaved caregivers and loved ones. In bereavement, music therapy can use music to identify, acknowledge and express people's grief. People can also learn how to use music as a tool for continued coping throughout the grieving process. Musical techniques and the musical patterns that form within a musical-therapeutic relationship motivate participants to communicate. This project focuses on the importance of music in a person's life …

Perceptions Of Music Therapy Among Hospice Health Care Clinicians : Implications For Effective Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Crystal Antoine

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

One reported strategy towards effective interdisciplinary collaboration for optimal patient care is through understanding the purpose and roles of the other disciplines on the health care team. In comparison to disciplines such as nursing, music therapy is a more recent discipline that has been added to hospice interdisciplinary teams. The purpose of this study was to discover how hospice clinicians perceive the role of music therapy in end of life care. A multiple-select choice survey was conducted asking 15 hospice clinicians their feedback on the following music therapy topics: reasons for referrals, benefits of music therapy, music therapy interventions, and …

The Function Of Improvised Song Creation For Individuals With Asd In Formation Of Identity: A Grounded Theory Investigation, Jesse Asch

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the function of improvised song creation for two individuals with autism spectrum disorder in the formation of self-identity using grounded theory analysis. Data were collected through video recordings of archival clinical sessions. The method included analyses of musical, lyrical, and interpersonal transcriptions of sessions. The transcription process included a combination of holistic listening and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy indexing techniques. A grounded theory coding process was employed to identify concepts and categories related to the broader context of identity formation from patterns in the data and to develop theoretical conclusions from these concepts. …

Exploring The Use Of The Bass Guitar As A Clinical Instrument Within Music-Centered Practice, Matthew J. Brady

Theses & Dissertations

There is limited research on the use of the bass guitar in music therapy. This study explored the use of the bass guitar as a clinical instrument from a music-centered perspective in clinical work with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and emotional challenges. Data were collected from filming individual music therapy sessions with three participants. Each participant had four sessions of music therapy. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Five themes which reflect the interventions and social processes within music-centered work with the bass were identified: following the client’s lead, grounding, client and therapist as rhythm section, client and therapist …

The Effect Music Has In Speech Therapy, Emily K. Nester

Honors Theses

The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the use of music in speech therapy. A survey was sent via email to Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA) certified speech-language pathologists to acquire knowledge on the use of music in their therapy sessions. The author used the source, SurveyMonkey, to collect and analyze the data. The data was used to determine the prevalence of music in speech therapy. In addition, when music was used, the data portrayed how music was incorporated into therapy and the particular gender, genre, and/or disorder preferred.

Music Intervention In The Acute And Critical Care Settings: Commentary On “The Effect Of Music During Bronchoscopy: A Meta-Analysis”, Linda L. Chlan, Annie Heiderscheit

Faculty Authored Articles

The article by Tam and colleagues published in this edition of Heart & Lung, succinctly reports on the meta-analysis of research findings testing music as an adjunctive intervention during bronchoscopy. The article provides a coherent summary of the pooled evidence of music’s beneficial effect on physiological indicators of relaxation and anxiety as evidenced by reductions in heart rate and blood pressure. We offer here a commentary on the article and music intervention, including key considerations for the implementation of music in practice settings.

Turning Music Into Money: The Private Practice Quick Guide, Rasheda Jones Root

Music Therapy Theses

If you are reading this hook, ll1en you probably fit the description of a music therapist who graduated with a music therapy degree of some sort who wants to start the private practice of your dreams. Or, you fit the description of a music therapist who already has a private practice, hut wants to breathe new life into the one you already have. "Turning Mu$ic into Money- The Private Practice Quick Guide" is intended to guide you through the entire process of opening a private practice in music therapy. There will also be some tips about how to sustain and …

Potential Problems In Objectivist Research, Arthur P. Sullivan, John A. Sullivan

Department of Behavioral Science Publications and Research

The authors discuss potential problems in music therapy research design and methods.

Music Therapy As Procedural Support For Young Children Undergoing Immunizations: A Randomized Controlled Study, Olivia S. Yinger

Music Faculty Publications

Background: Children undergoing routine immunizations frequently experience severe distress, which may be improved through music therapy as procedural support.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine effects of live, cognitive-behavioral music therapy during immunizations on (a) the behaviors of children, their parents, and their nurses; and (b) parental perceptions.

Methods: Participants were children between the ages of 4 and 6 years (N = 58) who underwent immunizations, their parents (N = 62), and the nurses who administered the procedure (N = 19). Parent/child dyads were randomly assigned to receive music therapy (n = 29) …

Family-Based Music Therapy: Family Therapists' Perspectives, Beth Nemesh

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

ABSTRACT The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the use of musical interventions borrowed from music therapy in a family therapy context. Furthermore, the study aimed to move beyond current application of family-music therapy that focuses on a child, a member with special needs, or families with additional diagnoses to non-clinical families seeking therapy, focusing on the family as an entity. This research was based on the premise that engaging in musical activities is a natural, common endeavor that does not require special musical skills. This does not replace the immense body of knowledge needed for conventional …

Discourse Analysis, Brent C. Talbot

Sunderman Conservatory of Music Faculty Publications

This chapter (a) presents discourse analysis as both epistemology and methodology; (b) suggests a sociolinguistic toolkit that could be used as one type of approach to conducting discourse analysis; (c) reviews and points to literature in music education and music therapy that have used such epistemological and methodological tools; and (d) suggests that, by engaging with discourse analysis, we can begin to ask questions about participants and their interactions within environments where music therapists operate and analyze prevailing discourses within structures and systems of music therapy. [excerpt]

Integrating Creative Arts Into Music Therapy Practice, Megan E. Novak

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this study was to gather information regarding the use of creative arts in music therapy practice. The survey used to collect the data was a 10 question multiple choice survey with an option for participants to provide any additional information they found necessary. This survey collected responses from 457 actively working music therapists in the United States. The data collected in this study was analyzed both quantitatively for statistical purposes as well as qualitatively to explore common themes and trends among participants. The results of this study showed the following: 1. The largest group of currently working …

Embodied Creative Arts Therapy Interventions With Trauma: A Qualitative Study, Brian Timothy Harris

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

With the primary purpose to extend therapists’ knowledge base, open dialogue on treatment efficacy, and stimulate creative yet effective interventions, this two-phase qualitative study pursued the guiding research question, How do creative arts therapists use embodied interventions in the treatment of psychological trauma? Phase One of the study was conducted with music therapists who had extensive experience with trauma and reported on their experiences with and awareness of embodied trauma treatment through a broad spectrum of creative modalities. Phase Two was grounded in theories of body awareness and creative arts therapy applications and included therapists specializing in music, dance/movement, art, …

Current Practices In Music Therapy With Bone Marrow And Organ Transplant Recipients, Heather Humphrey

Theses and Dissertations--Music

There is limited research on music therapy for transplant recipients, yet board-certified music therapists working in medical settings often encounter individuals from the transplant population. The purpose of this study was to examine the current practices of music therapists working with bone marrow and organ transplant recipients. A total of 68 board-certified music therapists completed an online survey, providing information related to goal areas addressed in music therapy sessions and interventions frequently used with bone marrow and organ transplant patients. The most frequently reported goal areas included: coping skills, mood, and self-expression. The most frequently reported interventions included: singing, songwriting, …

Comparing Textbooks From Entry-Level Courses In Music Therapy And Related Health Professions, Alexandria Langella

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapists often co-treat with other therapists from related professions, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. In order to co-treat effectively and obtain referrals for music therapy services, it is important that other professionals have an awareness of the profession of music therapy. University-level professional training program courses are one place where health care professionals may learn about music therapy. The purpose of this study was to see if required textbooks used in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology entry-level courses in Kentucky contain references to music therapy, and if the required textbooks used in music therapy …

Music Therapy Interventions For End-Of-Life Care: An Integrative Literature Review, Ranjani Sukumaran

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapy plays an integral role in end-of-life care, positively impacting emotional, social, physical, cognitive and spiritual health. The purpose of this integrative review was to collect and compile studies (N= 55) between 2000 and 2016 on the topic of music therapy interventions in end-of-life care, in order to provide both music therapy students and therapists access to the most recent and commonly used music therapy interventions and goals. Results of the integrative literature review indicate that the most common intervention for all age groups in end-of-life care is songwriting and composition, with the most common therapeutic goal …

Practices And Perceptions Of Music Therapists Using Songwriting Interventions With Clients Who Are Grieving, Erin Aubrey Batkiewicz

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapists use songwriting interventions to address a variety of goals with several populations. Nevertheless, limited research exists regarding the use of songwriting interventions with individuals who are grieving. The purpose of this study was to examine practices and perceptions of board-certified music therapists working with clients who are grieving, specifically: (a) common interventions used to address grief (b) use of songwriting intervention; (c) perceived effectiveness of songwriting; and (d) music therapists’ comfort levels and training in implementing songwriting interventions. An online survey was sent to 6,292 board-certified music therapists, 324 of whom completed the survey. Participants reported that they …

Music Therapy With Adolescents In Crisis In America And Korea : A Cross-Cultural Analysis, Seulgi Kim

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore music therapy with adolescents in crisis in both America and Korea. Qualitative methods were employed in this study and the data were collected through semi-structured interviews with two music therapists —one American music therapist practicing in the United States and one Korean practicing in Korea — who have experience working with adolescents in crisis. The participants openly shared their experiences during an hour video-recorded on-line interviews. After the interviews, all content of the interviews was transcribed and analyzed. Three essential categories emerged: (a) the role of music, (b) the role of therapist, …

Physiological Response To Dissonance In Musicians And Nonmusicians, Angela Beth Biehl

Masters Theses

Knowing the human response to musical dissonance could have important therapeutic implications in the music therapy setting. The listener’s musical experience could significantly impact their response and subsequently its effect in a therapeutic setting. Thus, this study aimed to examine both the psychophysiological and subjective responses to dissonance and the difference in these responses between those with high experience and those with low experience. Participating groups, categorized as high experience (HE) and low experience (LE) in terms of musical knowledge, listened to consonant and dissonant musical excerpts, and rated each excerpt on its pleasantness; their physiologic responses were measured to …

Music Therapy In Schools : The Current Status, Tammy Takaishi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study, to assess the prevalence and role of music therapy in various school systems across the United States, utilized a demographic survey design. The instrument used in this study was a 10 item self-report electronic survey. A mix of open ended and multiple choice questions were utilized.

Descriptive statistics, percentage analysis, and topic categorizing were used to analyze the data supplied by 166 school-based music therapists from throughout the United States. Results indicated the following: 1. The majority of respondents (78%) provided music therapy in public schools with weekly self-contained groups being the most common type of session. 2. …