Music Therapy Commons^™

The Effect Of Group Music Therapy On Patient Satisfaction In A Behavioral Health Setting, Madelyn L. Laprade

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Patient satisfaction has become increasingly important to medical facilities as a result of reimbursement rates being tied to patient satisfaction scores. Music therapy’s potential to enhance patient satisfaction scores has been explored and several studies exist examining its impact in the medical setting. No studies exist, however, examining how music therapy contributes to patient satisfaction scores in the behavioral health setting. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare overall patient satisfaction scores of inpatient psychiatric patients who received group music therapy services with those at the same facility who did not receive group music therapy services.

Participants who …

Music Therapists’ Use Of Visual Supports For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Taylor Ruthann Chapman

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Visual supports, which provide information presented in a visual format to enhance achievement toward specific goals, can be very helpful for individuals who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Music therapists often use visual supports in their practice; however, research exploring how they do so is limited. In the present study, the researcher used a mixed-methods research design to explore music therapists’ use of visual supports for individuals who have ASD. The researcher e-mailed a survey to board-certified music therapists who opted to receive e-mails from the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), 525 of whom completed the entire survey. Approximately …

The Effect Of A Single-Session Group Songwriting Intervention On Grief Processing In Hospice Clinicians, Melissa Deaton

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a single-session group music therapy songwriting session on grief processing in hospice clinicians. The study design was quasi-experimental. Participants were cluster randomized into a control group and a treatment group. The researcher led a 50-minute songwriting session focused on sharing and processing experiences of grief-related stress and burnout in hospice work. Grief processing was measured using a self-report survey for n=25. Overall differences between control and treatment groups were not found to be statistically significant. Significant differences were also not found in treatment score differences for type of …

Music Therapists’ Experiences With Clients With Autism Spectrum Disorder Who Use Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Sara Elizabeth Finnie

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapists frequently work with clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The purpose of this study was to gather information on music therapists’ current experiences with AAC training as well as music therapists’ perceptions of their own communication abilities when communicating with clients who have ASD using their preferred AAC system. The researcher invited 7,279 board-certified music therapists to participate in this study via email, of which 366 completed the survey. Participants reported most often providing services to children and adolescents with ASD, and frequently using electronic AAC and electronic apps with their …

Music Therapists’ Perceptions And Practices Regarding Musical Authenticity In Music Therapy Practice, Nora Bryant Veblen

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapists are expected to provide live music for clients with diverse preferences, yet these therapists face many barriers preventing them from recreating client-preferred music in a way that adheres to the expectations of the genre, or with “musical authenticity.” The purpose of this study was to investigate music therapists’ perceptions and practices regarding musical authenticity. Survey responses (n = 904) indicated that music therapists highly value musical authenticity, but a major theme in the qualitative data revealed they often balance its importance with other factors. Descriptive survey data and qualitative themes revealed lack of training in functional musicianship …

The Role Of Entrainment On An Older Adult’S Stress And Anxiety: A Mixed Methods Study, Francesca Brennan

Theses & Dissertations

Elderly individuals diagnosed with dementia seem to exhibit similar characteristics; anxiety, depression, isolation, pain, and accumulated stress. it is the desire of this researcher to investigate the role of entrainment on an elderly individuals stress and anxiety. The researcher conducts a mixed method study that evaluates quantitative measures such as heart rate and blood pressure, and qualitative measures through interviews. Overall, the findings lead the researcher to believe that entrainment in music therapy can affect an elderly individuals stress and anxiety in a positive way.

Clinical Intuition In Improvisational Music Therapy: A Phenomenological Study Of The Relationship Between Intuition And Music, Nick Farr

Theses & Dissertations

Intuition is a crucial facet of the creative process and influences the clinical pathways of music therapy treatment. This study sought to explore how music therapists with advanced training in clinical improvisation draw upon intuition while improvising with their clients. There is very little literature about intuition in music therapy improvisation, none of which specifically explores how intuition manifests musically. Through a phenomenological investigation, the lived experiences and musical processes of two clinical improvisers were examined. The research questions for this study were: How does intuition manifest musically while improvising? When is this intuitive information used? How is the informed …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into An Autistic Adolescent's Experience In Relationship-Based Music Therapy From The Perspectives Of The Adolescent And Parent, Diana N. Abourafeh

Theses & Dissertations

This study explored the essence of relationship-based music therapy through the lens of an autistic adolescent and their parent. Though previous research examines this phenomenon through a parent’s perspective (Corcoran et al., 2015; Thompson & McFerran, 2015; Sorel, 2010, 2004; Warren & Nugent, 2010), the present study supports the neurodiversity paradigm shift through providing opportunities for an autistic participant to speak on his experience. The data sources included two interviews, adolescent and parent, as well as indexes of the music therapy session. A thematic analysis was conducted through collecting and analyzing all data sets. Themes were developed and musical descriptions …

The Appearance And Effects Of Music Therapy In The Solid Organ Transplant Unit, Tracey J. Elliott

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Patients admitted to the solid-organ transplant unit face a plethora of physical, emotional, and psychological challenges. Risk of infection, perception of pain, depression, surgery complications, and exhaustion are just a few hardships that a patient may face while hospitalized. Patient need areas thus serve as goal areas for the hospital support staff. While intervention is provided to patients in a variety of forms, music therapy is an effective means of treatment due to its multi-faceted nature; a music therapist can address a variety of goal areas with any given patient. The first section of this paper will briefly outline the …

Decreasing Delirium Through Music (Ddm) In Critically Ill, Mechanically Ventilated Patients In The Intensive Care Unit: Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Annie Heiderscheit, Sikandar H. Khan, Sophia Wang, Amanda Harrawood, Stephanie Martinez, Linda Chlan, Anthony J. Perkins, Wanzhu Tu, Malaz Boustani, Babar Khan

Faculty Authored Articles

Background

Delirium is a highly prevalent and morbid syndrome in intensive care units (ICUs). Changing the stressful environment within the ICU via music may be an effective and a scalable way to reduce the burden of delirium.

Methods/design

The Decreasing Delirium through Music (DDM) study is a three-arm, single-blind, randomized controlled feasibility trial.

Sixty patients admitted to the ICU with respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation will be randomized to one of three arms (20 participants per arm): (1) personalized music, (2) non-personalized relaxing music, or (3) attention-control. Music preferences will be obtained from all enrolled participants or their family caregivers. …

Eldoret, Kenya: Creating A Music Experience For Street Youth, Michael J. Peters, Ethan C. Wahl

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

The authors of this essay completed an advance pharmacy practice experience in adult medicine at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. In this article, they describe their efforts to establish a music experience program with the Tumaini Innovation Center for street children while on rotation in Eldoret, Kenya. Through the foundation of the program, they hope to provide an outlet for the children to express themselves while filling a gap in fine arts training provided by the center.

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 …

The Experience Of Thirdness For Music Therapists Working With Children On The Autism Spectrum, Jamison Chester Fox

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This research explores the phenomenon of thirdness and seeks to understand the experience of thirdness for music therapists working with children on the autism spectrum. This thesis includes a review of literature on thirdness as a general phenomenon, as well as thirdness specifically in music therapy. This was accomplished through a set of phenomenological interviews with three experienced music therapists in the field. A total of 102 meaning units were extracted from the culled transcripts and sorted into 17 categories. The categories were derived by carefully reviewing the related meaning units and were then stated in terms of thirdness. The …

A Comparison Of Concerns Related To Internship Preparation: A Survey Of International And American Music Therapy Students And Professionals, Fei Wang

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the different perceptions of internship between International and American music therapy students and professionals. There were 465 participants enroll in this study, and divided into four groups base on their own identification. Group AI (American Interns, n1=50), Group II (International Interns, n2=12), Group AP (American Professionals, n3=353), and Group IP (International Professionals, n4=50). The different perceptions include (a) primary criterion when choosing internship, (b) most confident areas when entering internship, (c) most want to improve during internship, (d) perceived strength related to internship preparedness, (e) primary concerns/worries related to internship preparedness. The …

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 …

Flesh And Blood, Clayton Petras

Graduate School of Art Theses

In my work, I look for ways to visualize and document the degenerative mental disease of Parkinson’s and transform it into portrayals of the disease itself, its effects, and those it afflicts. Being a physical breakdown of the body, both popular culture and my own corporal understanding influence my interpretation and representation. This document outlines those influences and their buildup towards a shared understanding of the interests behind the work, as well as implies what the work does through these contexts.

How do we give identity to a disease that is difficult to diagnose or view on medical technology, currently …

Bendablesound: An Elastic Multisensory Surface Using Touch-Based Interactions To Assist Children With Severe Autism During Music Therapy, Franceli L. Cibrian, Oscar Peña, Deysi Ortega, Monica Tentori

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Neurological Music Therapy uses live music to improve the sensorimotor regulation of children with severe autism. However, they often lack musical training and their impairments limit their interactions with musical instruments. In this paper, we present our co-design work that led to the BendableSound prototype: an elastic multisensory surface encouraging users to practice coordination movements when touching a fabric to play sounds. We present the results of a formative study conducted with 18 teachers showing BendableSound was perceived as “usable” and “attractive”. Then, we present a deployment study with 24 children with severe autism showing BendableSound is “easy to use” …

Enhancing The Spiritual Well-Being Of Alzheimer's Patients Utilizing Music, Sheri Heeb

Masters Theses

Over 40 million people have some form of dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease “is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.” The non-pharmaceutical approaches in this study do not have the side-effects of many of the therapies currently being used for treating Alzheimer’s Disease. As part of this project, I will reference multiple research studies which include spirituality and Alzheimer’s Disease, the Nun Study of the Sisters of Notre Dame, and music therapy and Alzheimer’s Disease. Results show that music therapy boosts the memory, reduces anxiety and behavioral issues, and restores a sense of self-awareness. Other studies show that …

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 …

Music Therapy’S Impact On Substance Abuse Recovery, Justin Bishop-Williams

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Music therapy has been a viable means of treatment for various medical conditions such as; treating PTSD, mental illness and even used alongside cognitive behavior therapy practices. Since the 70’s licensed therapists have been utilizing music therapy to combat the effect of addiction caused by substance abuse disorders. Addiction impacts the lives of one in ten Americans and only eleven percent seek help in forms of addiction treatment centers or 12-step-programs. With the combination of music therapy, addiction patients can discover feelings and emotions that have been suppressed through years of substance abuse. Forms of music therapy being examined for …

Participation In Amateur Orchestra And Subjective Well-Being In Korea: A Perspective From Community Music Therapy, Hyun-Jung Kang

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods research was to investigate which individual and external factors related to participation in an amateur orchestra influence members’ subjective well-being (SWB) and how those factors contribute to members’ SWB from a community music therapy (CoMT) perspective in South Korea. The study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-method design. Quantitative data were gathered from 126 members of nine amateur orchestras through a survey questionnaire including demographics and musical background, Perceived Values of the Amateur Orchestra Members (PVAOM), the Basic Psychological Needs Scales (BPNS), the Individualism and Collectivism Scale (INS-COL), and the Satisfaction with the Life Scale (SWLS). …

Pitch Perception In Preschool-Age Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Megan Lambert

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This research thesis will 1) provide an overview of the psychoacoustics of music perception, particularly as related to the properties of pitch perception in young children and 2) describe the methods and outcomes of an exploratory study to evaluate the efficacy of obtaining pitch perception data from preschool age children with hearing loss. Each child completed a series of three tasks, including coaching and practice, single note perception, and pitch contrasts. All of the children readily understood the single-note pitch perception task. Pitch contrast performance across participants ranged from 50% to 96% correct for the first data collection period and …

The Impact Of A Degree In Music Education On Music Therapy Professional Practice: A Qualitative Interview Study, Katherine Glathar

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of having a background in music education on music therapy professional practice. I conducted semi-structured interviews with three practicing music therapists who earned degrees in music education prior to becoming board-certified music therapists. Each participant practiced music therapy for at least one year prior to the interview. I transcribed and analyzed the interviews for themes, using an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach to evaluate the data. Themes emerged and were organized by concept: Training to become a music educator, retraining to become a music therapist, and professional practice as a …

Effects Of Therapeutic Music On Pain In Spinal Surgery Recovery, Michael Poulsen

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Pain is one of the most common experienced symptoms reported by more than 80% of postoperative patients. Approximately 77-98% of postoperative patients report pain following their procedure with 40- 80% having moderate to severe pain. Pain is shown to elevate stress levels manifesting in increased heart rates, blood pressures, and oxygen demand. Inadequate pain control can develop into surgical complications causing surgical failure, blood clots, pneumonia, and chronic pain. Complimentary and alternative medicine such as music can be used in combination with opioid medication help improve pain control leading to successful surgical outcomes. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project …

The Effectiveness Of Music Therapy To Reduce Agitation Among Persons With Alzheimer’S Disease, Caroline Mazon

Honors Theses

According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2016), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is diagnosed every 66 seconds resulting in this disease being the 6^th leading cause of death in the United States. Among other signs and symptoms, agitation is one of the most challenging symptoms that patients and caregivers must try to control using nonpharmacological therapies or prescribed pharmacological treatments. Among many professions, music therapy has been used to specifically lower the levels of agitation in AD patients. Live music, “sing a long’s”, using instruments, and listening to a song of the patients’ choice have all been shown to reduce agitation behaviors …

The Use Of Rhyme, Rhythm, And Melody As A Form Of Repetition Priming To Aid In Encoding, Storage, And Retrieval Of Semantic Memories In Alzheimer’S Patients, Faiz Plastikwala

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Treating Alzheimer’s disease, especially through non-pharmaceutical means, has become increasingly important over the past few decades. I examined the use of melody, rhyme, and rhythm as encoding mechanisms to aid in the retrieval of long term semantic information by juxtaposing previous experiments in the field. Melody, rhyme, and rhythm provide an organizational structure to facilitate the encoding of information. Specifically, chunking, the grouping of smaller units into larger ‘chunks’, helps facilitate long term encoding in patients, and is the byproduct of the organizational structure of a text. A major drawback of using these devices is the loss in the depth …

Relational Power, Music, And Identity: The Emotional Efficacy Of Congregational Song, Nathan Myrick

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

Relational Power, Music, and Identity: The Emotional Efficacy of Congregational Song

The power of congregational song to unify (or divide) people along various lines is well documented. Yet, how this process of uniting or dividing is accomplished has proven necessarily difficult to document. This paper examines the complex and polyvalent factors that contribute to the meaningfulness of congregational music making, seeking to offer a synthetic, conceptual framework with which to engage this often murky milieu.

Employing interdisciplinary research techniques drawn from sociology, ritual studies, and ethnomusicology, I construct a conceptual framework with which to understand the profoundly formative power of …

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

Music As The Guide On The Pathway To Empowerment And Wellbeing. A Narrative On An Arts-Based Holistic Health Solution., Sabine Adler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explored music as the guide on the pathway to empowerment and wellbeing at a nonprofit organization called Durban Music School. Using narrative inquiry, I have collected stories from different people involved with Durban Music school as well my own observations and reflections. Through finding empowerment through music myself, I was able to add in my personal experiences to compliment the experience of others. Using informal interviews and conversations, direct observations, journaling, and playing guitar as a method of inner reflection, I looked to explore through stories how underprivileged individuals have found empowerment through their musical journey. Out of …