Music Therapy Commons^™

Music Therapy Program Development In A Hospital Setting: A Critical Review Of Literature, Alexandria Rodriguez

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This capstone is a critical review of literature regarding development of music therapy programs in general hospital settings within the United States. This document will assist in defining important aspects of program success and serve to help better advocate for music therapy programs, creative arts therapies, and well-being programs functioning within a traditional general hospital setting. This capstone thesis presents key elements of successful music therapy program development, as proposed by in-field music therapist interview, studies utilizing music therapy in general hospital settings to serve both patients, hospital staff, and community outreach, suggestions for arts in health curricular development, and …

The Use Of Violin Family Instruments In Music Therapy With Individuals Experiencing Acute Psychiatric Presentations: A Literature Review, Brianna Rzeznik

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review seeks to better understand the unique ways in which the four contemporary violin family instruments - violin, viola, cello, and double bass - can be used in music therapy with individuals experiencing mania, psychosis, and dissociation. In this paper, I explore the ways in which these four instruments have been used throughout Western music history and the different roles assigned to them by composers, as well as the ways in which they are used in music therapy today. I then explore the acute psychiatric presentations of mania, psychosis, and dissociation, and the treatments and goals that tend …

A Group Music Therapy Method To Promote Mentalization Skills In Clients With Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Lisa Riggs Hobbs

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Abstract

This paper investigates the development of a group music therapy method by adapting elements of mentalization-based treatment (MBT) to help clients with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). A prominent characteristic of NPD is a deficiency in empathy. The fostering of empathy and emotional awareness forms the basis of MBT. Music therapy offers a means to explore these skills on a nonverbal level. This work is even more impactful in a group setting. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of literature specific to music therapy and NPD. Furthermore, despite the availability of writings separately concerning NPD, MBT, group therapy, and music therapy, …

The Non-Verbal Expressions And Experiences Of An Autistic Adolescent In Improvisational, Relationship-Based Music Therapy, Naoko Funahashi

Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the non-verbal expression and experience of an autistic adolescent with language delay in improvisational, relationship-based music therapy. The purpose of the study was to gain a fuller understanding of the adolescent’s experience in music therapy and to discover the roles of music therapy in the larger context of the adolescent’s life. The adolescent’s mother and a professional from his treatment team at his school were each invited to participate in an individual interview consisting of review of a music therapy session video and semi-structured discussion. Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews yielded themes related to the following: …

A Thematic Analysis Of The Clinician's Experience Of Individual Music Therapy In Skilled Nursing Facilities With Older Adults, Jaycie Perretta

Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative research study explored the music therapist’s experience of conducting individual music therapy sessions with older adult clients residing in skilled nursing facilities. Three music therapists partook in semi-structured interviews discussing their individual experiences conducting individual music therapy sessions with older adult clients in skilled nursing facilities. Participant interview transcripts were the primary data source and thematic analysis was used to elicit themes in the data. Five themes emerged: (a) theoretical framework, (b) client preferred music used in individual music therapy sessions (c) flexibility in individual sessions, (d) structured sessions for group work, and (e) advocacy for music therapy …

The Experience Of Music Therapists Working With The Parents Of Premature Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu), Harria Kim

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the lived experience of music therapists working with parents of premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). While there are many studies regarding the effects of music therapy on parents and premature infants in the NICU, few in-depth qualitative studies focus on the experiences and perspectives of music therapists working in the NICU. The present study aims to explore music therapists’ experiences of working with the parents of premature infants in the NICU and their perspectives on how music therapy can meet the needs of these parents. Data were collected through audio-video recording and transcription …

The Connections In Relationships Among Autistic And Neurotypical Adolescents Participating In A Virtual, Inclusive, Performative Music Therapy Group, Laura Silvestain

Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the connections in relationships among autistic and neurotypical adolescents in a virtual, inclusive, performative music therapy group. The researcher utilized a one-group pretest-posttest design. There is a lack of research involving inclusive music therapy groups with adolescents. As such, this research was needed in order to provide opportunities for adolescents to connect in an inclusive music therapy group, aligning with the neurodiversity movement in uplifting autistic voices rather than focusing on improving perceived deficits of autism. Four participants engaged in four inclusive, performative music therapy sessions through active music-making and sharing music preferences. They each completed a …

The Experiences Of An Individual With Parkinson's Engaging In A Relationship-Based, Improvisational Music Therapy Group, Daniel Delucia

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of an individual with Parkinson’s engaging in a relationshipbased, improvisational music therapy group. The researcher utilized the methodology of naturalistic inquiry. An archived video recording of a group music therapy session held through a videoconferencing platform was observed. Music experiences and verbal dialogue were transcribed and put into notation software, and subsequently analyzed through inductive analysis. Two main themes were found: (a) Musical Interrelatedness and (b) Relationship Between Music and Words, with two subthemes under the former; Diane’s Musical Relationship with the Therapist and Diane’s Musical Relationship with the Group; and three under the latter; …

Music Therapy In Us Corrections: Philosophy, Practice, And Protocols Of Music Therapists Working With Incarcerated People In The Us, Lorna E. Segall, Olivia S. Yinger

Music Faculty Publications

Although the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and music therapy has existed in U.S. correctional facilities for almost a century, little is known about music therapists who provide services to people who are incarcerated. Exploration in this area is important as it could help inform clinical practice, music therapy curriculum, and potentially influence policy in the treatment of inmates. This study explores the philosophy, practices, and protocols of music therapists working in the U.S. corrections system. Board-certified music therapists ( N = 542) completed an online survey in which they indicated their reasons for working …

More Than De Colores: Expanding Students' Scope Of Spanish Language Songs For Learning And Use Within Music Therapy, Amanda Norman

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Culture is a critical component of a music therapist’s knowledge and mindset. However, undergraduate music therapy students are lacking adequate materials to learn music from a variety of cultural backgrounds. This project seeks to inform current and future music therapists of the variety of music that can be found within a single culture, focusing on music of Latin American, Hispanic, and Latino heritage. This project consists of a songbook of Spanish language songs that will be offered as a resource to current and future music therapy students at Eastern Michigan University.

Music Interventions In The Treatment Of Adolescent Trauma: A Systematic Review, Diana C. Hereld

Theses and Dissertations

As multidisciplinary research continues to uncover the promise of non-invasive interventions such as music in mental health treatment, clinicians, researchers, and music scholars alike have increasingly come together through the field of music psychology. As such, it is unsurprising that some of the most significant findings have come from cross-disciplinary studies in music and medicine. The juxtaposition of music and mental health creates a unique and substantial need for integration of literature across multiple disparate settings, including clinical psychology, education, neuroscience, music therapy, behavioral medicine, and psychiatry. Through methodological application of a textual narrative evidence synthesis, this review examines multiple …

Self-Care Practices And Burnout Experiences Of Music Therapists In A Metropolitan City, Sylvester Sroka

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined a phenomenological inquiry into the lived experiences of music therapists in a metropolitan city in the United States. During the study, five music therapists were interviewed about their self-care practices and experiences with burnout. Data included a recorded Zoom transcription of the 30–45-minute open-ended interview. The data was analyzed through Moustakas’ (1994) cluster of themes approach. Four themes emerged from the data analyses of the interviews: living/working in a metropolitan city, self-care practices, advice for entry level music therapists, and knowledge of and experience with burnout symptoms. Respondents associated living and working in a metropolitan city with …

A Systematic Review Of Scientific Studies And Case Reports On Music And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Thanh Phuong Anh Truong, Briana Applewhite, Annie Heiderscheit, Hubertus Himmerich

Faculty Authored Articles

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe psychiatric disorder, which can be associated with music-related symptoms. Music may also be used as an adjunct treatment for OCD. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic literature review exploring the relationship between music and OCD by using three online databases: PubMed, the Web of Science, and PsycINFO. The search terms were “obsessive compulsive disorder”, “OCD”, “music”, and “music therapy”. A total of 27 articles were utilised (n = 650 patients/study participants) and grouped into three categories. The first category comprised case reports of patients with musical obsessions in patients with OCD. Most …

Music As A Gateway To Healing Speech Disorders And Mental Health Holistically In The Patient With Aphasia: A Literature Review, Susan Warren

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

People with some types of post-stroke aphasia often experience depression as well as loss of speech. Music therapy has unique properties that allow it to be used therapeutically to treat both speech impairment and depression yet it is rarely used to treat both disorders. This literature review seeks to examine the underlying causes for this discrepancy, review methods used by practitioners to treat both disorders and suggest future directions for additional research and implications for the treatment of patients with aphasia who have both language impairment and depression.

The Neuroanatomical, Neurochemical, And Phenomenological Correlates Of Social Bonding, Empathy, And Flow In Music Improvisation, Edward A. Roth

Dissertations

The three studies in this dissertation explore the biological and phenomenological under-pinnings of music improvisation related to bonding, empathy, and flow. Musical improvisation is a multi-dimensional behavior encompassing motor, cognitive, affective, and often social domains, and as such, it is reasonable to consider that music improvisation shares many characteristics with other forms of non-musical extemporaneous behavior, such as carrying on a verbal dialogue. The primary aims of this three-study dissertation were to (1) determine the feasibility of the study designs and interdisciplinary methods; (2) examine potential differences in the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological correlates of improvisation between non-musicians and musicians; and …

The Role Of Music In The Trauma Narrative And “Storytelling”: Perspectives Of Clinicians, Taylorlyn N. Mehnert

Masters Theses

There is a lack of detailed literature describing how music is used for expressing and processing the trauma narrative. This study used a constructivist grounded theory approach through an anti-oppressive lens to explore the ways in which music therapists use music in exploring clients’ stories. The term “story” is used as opposed to “narrative” or “memory” to incorporate a broader definition of expression including non-verbal, musical, metaphorical, or any other method the client chooses. Eight board-certified music therapists (MT-BC) were interviewed regarding their use of music in the context of clients’ stories. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis was used …

The Prevalence Of Hip Hop Music In Music Therapy Education & Practice, Dannyele C. Crawford

Theses & Dissertations

Despite the popularity and significance that hip hop music holds in our society today, there is a grave absence of hip hop music in music therapy academia and practice. This study explores the prevalence of hip hop music in music therapy education and practice. Two populations, current students and new clinicians, were surveyed for this study to ascertain the prevalence of hip hop music both in current music therapy practice and in the current music therapy education system. This study involved the collection of data surrounding the participants’ experience with hip hop music prior to their studies, in their music …

Puppets In Music Therapy: A Qualitative Study, Kaitlyn Lewis

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the experience of music therapists when implementing puppets in their clinical work. The research questions guiding this inquiry were as follows: 1) What is the experience of the music therapist when using puppets in music therapy? 2) How does the use of puppetry in music therapy influence the clinical work of the music therapist? and 3) How does the use of puppetry in music therapy influence the therapeutic process of the client (as perceived by the music therapist?) Four music therapists participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their experience and insight in using puppets with their clients. After …

The Experience Of Music Therapists In Delivering Telehealth During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicole Gelfand

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the experience of the music therapist in delivering music therapy via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. In semi-structured interviews, three music therapists explored their transition from in-person to telehealth clinical services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) and organized into group themes and individual themes. Group themes included 1) role of therapist changing 2) technology considerations in the home office 3) career reflection and future practice. Individual themes included 1) adapting to change, 2) learning curve of telehealth and burnout, 3) work-life boundaries and authentic therapeutic presence. Participants experienced an expansion …

The Development Of Therapeutic Alliance In Long-Term And Short-Term Music Therapy Treatment, Brooke Morris

Theses & Dissertations

Therapeutic alliance is an important aspect of helping professions however, despite research into this phenomenon in closely related fields, it has yet to be explored in music therapy. While research in related fields has explored alliance development in therapy, it has yet to question whether or not treatment length has an impact on the development or strength of therapeutic alliance. This led to the following question: Does time matter in therapeutic alliance development in music therapy? Time is an important and undeniable aspect of music. Being that time exists in music, and music is a factor unique to music therapy, …

An Exploration Of Music Therapists' Experience Of Simultaneous Trauma During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Nadia Mary Flutie

Theses & Dissertations

During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many music therapists continued to provide services to those in need. Literature on the COVID-19 pandemic explores themes of loss, grief, lack of structure, and loss of normalcy. However, there is a need for further research in this area of study. Specifically, there is a need to investigate the phenomenon of simultaneous trauma, as both the therapists and their clients have experienced traumatic effects of this pandemic. This qualitative study explored two music therapists’ lived experience of simultaneous trauma during the COVID-19 outbreak through virtual semi-structured interviews focusing on several aspects of their …

Dolls4peace Memorial: Liberatory Community Art Action And Praxis, Rochelle Royster

The Lender Center for Social Justice

Royster discusses the Dolls4Peace memorial as a form of liberatory community art and praxis, showing how creative expression fosters healing, resistance, and social justice in community contexts.

Instrument Selection In Geriatric Residential Facilities, Lexi Fowler

Merge

No abstract provided.

Sound In Color, Amber Rhodes

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

“Sound in Color” is an interactive audio-visual experience designed to explore the relationship between sound, color, and emotions. Taking place on the Massey Concert Hall stage, the project is inspired by synesthesia and incorporates research on color psychology. Participants are invited to select an emotion and color. As the user hums into a microphone, they hear their emotions expressed through sound in their headphones and watch as the lights on stage respond to their vocal cues.

Generating Evidence Of Critical Care Nurses' Perceptions, Knowledge, Beliefs, And Use Of Music Therapy, Aromatherapy, And Guided Imagery, Annie Heiderscheit, Shawna Vernisie, Wendy L. Magee, Helen Shoemark

Faculty Authored Articles

No abstract provided.

The Improvement Of Verbal And Nonverbal Communication In A Teenage Male With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Music Therapy: A Clinical Case Research Study, Kaitlin A. Pisarczyk

Theses and Graduate Projects

This study aims to investigate the impact of music therapy on nonverbal and verbal communication behaviors of a 13 year old male diagnosed with autism. A single-case study design was used, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. Qualitative data included analysis of the clinician/ researcher’s session notes and personal reflections over six months. Video recordings of three sessions in the last two months of the treatment were collected as quantitative data. The client’s nonverbal and verbal behaviors in the recorde sessions were assessed by the clinician/researcher and her supervisor using an assessment tool designed by the researcher. Quantitative results indicated …

Music Therapists, Personal Value Preferences, And Burnout, Yung-Jung (Kerstin) Cheng

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between personal value preferences (PVPs) and burnout among music therapists. A total of 450 board-certified music therapists participated in this study. Four hundred and twenty-one participants finished the survey partially and completely, and were analyzed with regard to demographic information (gender identity, years of work, worksites, weekly work hours, annual salary range). Three hundred and forty-three participants who completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ-RR), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) were subjected to non-parametric and linear regression analyses.

Regarding the relationship between worksites and burnout, the …

Feasibility And Effectiveness Of Self-Administered Mood Vectoring Playlists In The Treatment Of Anxiety Symptoms, Katie A. Bautch

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This is a mixed-methods pre-experimental clinical effectiveness trial that examines the effectiveness of a self-administered one-directional mood vectoring playlist in the management of symptoms of anxiety. This study used the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory, as well as a self-report Likert-type scale where participants rated their anxiety symptom severity, to explore the impact of the playlist intervention. Qualitative interviews sought to identify themes common among participants who were daily high responders and those who were daily low responders to the intervention in order to determine for whom this intervention would be most or least effective.Management of anxiety symptoms is particularly …

The Music Therapist's Experience Of The Client-Therapist Relationship In Improvisational Voicework: An Interpretive Phenomenological Inquiry, Samantha Schick

Theses & Dissertations

The voice as it is used in clinical improvisation in music therapy can impact the therapeutic relationship between the client and therapist. This study sought to explore music therapists’ perceptions and experience of the client-therapist relationship in the context of improvisational voicework through semi-structured interviews with two experienced Nordoff-Robbins music therapists. The research questions included: What is the music therapist’s experience of the client-therapist relationship in using the voice improvisationally? What is the possible impact of vocal improvisation on the therapeutic process overall? Through an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of the data collected in the interviews, three superordinate themes emerged: 1) …

The Music Therapist’S Experience Of Flow During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Kaitlyn Upshaw

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the music therapist’s lived experience of flow during a worldwide pandemic, within an improvisational music therapy approach. There is little to no literature about the concept of flow and how it relates to the music therapist’s lived experience, and none of which includes a worldwide traumatic event. Through a phenomenological investigation, the lived experiences of two music therapists who align with the improvisational music therapy approach were studied. A thematic analysis was conducted on data sources such as qualitative interview transcriptions and audio/video recordings of the interview. The following individual themes emerged from participant one: (a) flow …