Journal of Music Therapy最新文献

Challenges in social responsiveness and social communicative behaviors are often observed in autistic children. It is imperative to develop effective treatment methods to enhance social communication and reciprocity in autistic children. This study examines the efficacy of two particular treatment methods to improve social communication including Reciprocal Communication Training (RCT) and Reciprocal Communication Training through Music (RCTM). Ten autistic children participated in this study and engaged in musical and nonmusical interventions that addressed greeting, receptive communication, imitation, initiation, and emotional congruence with facial expression, emotion identification, and emotional attunement. To analyze the impact of these interventions, the study included dependent samples t-tests to explore the differences in reciprocal communicative behaviors of autistic children between RCT and RCTM. A paired t-test analysis indicated that there were significant differences between RCT and RCTM on greeting, imitating behavior, initiating behavior, and emotional (happy vs. sad) congruence. The results indicated that participants who underwent RCTM demonstrated enhanced reciprocal communicative skills, particularly evident in the participants' improved greeting and imitation behaviors. This improvement was observed across both early and late intervention stages. Moreover, the study suggests that RCTM had a positive influence on various aspects of reciprocal and affective communication, optimizing the effects of music to create a sensory-rich environment for enhanced engagement. RCTM emerges as a promising method for fostering social communication skills in autistic children, offering potential benefits for their educational and therapeutic outcomes.

This meta-synthesis investigates the concept of pleasure in music therapy, responding to Stige's (2006) call for a deeper understanding of its role in therapeutic processes. Drawing on qualitative research studies published between 2010 and 2024, the study analyzes consumer perspectives on pleasurable experiences in music therapy within adult mental health and adolescent mental wellbeing contexts. The research employs an interpretivist approach, utilizing pleasure as a sensitizing concept to guide data extraction and analysis. The methodology involves a systematic review of 26 qualitative studies, focusing on participant interviews that reference pleasurable aspects of music therapy. Data analysis incorporates elements of discourse analysis, thematic categorization, and arts-based interpretation. Findings reveal multifaceted dimensions of pleasure in music therapy, including sensorial experiences, emotional activation, and shared affective states. The analysis distinguishes between experiences of individuals with severe mental illness and those in recovery or with milder psychological distress. The study also explores differences in pleasure descriptions between group and individual therapy settings.

Hope is an increasingly important topic within health care due to the rising incidence of mental illness. Hope is identified as a primary protective factor in suicide prevention. Music therapists work with vulnerable populations that experience a wide range of emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual challenges. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesize the current music therapy literature on hope. Articles included were peer-reviewed music-based intervention studies with adults, targeting hope as an outcome, provided by music therapists, and published between 1950 and 2023. Databases searched included Google Scholar, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Version, PsychINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and PubMed using the search terms "music therapy" and hope. Search strategies identified 229 studies. These results were uploaded to Covidence and reviewed. After 52 duplicates were removed, 177 were screened for title and abstract. Initial screening included 61 studies for full-text review. Nine studies identified for data extraction were coded by the author and a research assistant. Any conflicts were discussed and resolved. Hope was identified in themes of five qualitative studies and three mixed-methods studies. One quantitative study addressed hope through group treatment. The results suggest music-based interventions targeting hope demonstrate promise for music therapy as a treatment option. Qualitative themes resemble aspects of existing theories. Reviewing the current state of published music interventions is a first step in a phased research agenda to promote hope as a foundation of music therapy.

More assessments in the area of music therapy and autism are needed to determine whether a change in the use of music in everyday life has occurred and demonstrate psychometric validity. This study explores the convergent validity of the Music in Everyday Life (MEL) assessment by considering the relationships between the scores of the 2 MEL subscales (Joint Activities using Music [MEL-JAM] and Routine Activities using Music [MEL-RAM]), the scores of the 5 subscales of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the 5 subscales of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Data from 106 participants across four countries were analyzed using the Spearman Rank Correlation inferential test. The MEL subscales and ADOS scores were positively correlated, ranging from low to moderate. However, these correlations may need to be more clinically meaningful, given the heterogeneity between the assessment tools. No correlations were found for the MEL subscales and the SRS. Future studies should consider whether diagnostic assessments that measure symptom severity are relevant in establishing the validity of music therapy assessments. Conducting other forms of validity for the MEL assessment is warranted, such as factor analysis.

Childhood trauma can have devastating impacts and manifest into lifelong morbidities. Recent interest in using music interventions to support children and adolescents exposed to traumatic events has emerged. The aim of this integrative review was to synthesize the current research on trauma-informed music interventions for children and adolescents within educational settings. A total of 1,592 studies were extracted from the database search. Studies were screened according to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, which yielded 36 qualitative and quantitative articles investigating the effects of trauma-informed music interventions in educational settings for students. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive account of how music is used in educational settings to support students with potential exposure to trauma. Therefore, the interventions included were those facilitated by various professionals, including music therapists, music teachers, teachers, psychologists, and others trained in specific music interventions. Results of the review found that various music interventions (e.g., songwriting, music listening, and performance) are being applied across schools globally to assist children and adolescents exposed to potentially traumatic events. Evidence for trauma-informed music interventions within school settings is limited and still developing, with many studies observed to have methodological concerns, such as small sample sizes or exploratory research methods (e.g., qualitative case studies). However, a growing trend toward experimental studies and randomized control trials has emerged over the last 7 years in this area. Encouraging results were found for group drumming, particularly in reducing antisocial behaviors in adolescent males exposed to potentially traumatic events.

The significance of time in music therapy has been discussed by a few researchers (e.g., Abrams, 2011; Aigen, 2013; Hadar & Amir, 2021; Robbins & Forinash, 1991; Ruud, 2008); however, it has mostly been overlooked in the field. The current study focused on unpacking Nordoff and Robbins's (NR) uses of music's temporality in their clinical improvisations with the children they worked with. Embedded in a grounded theory approach, the first author coded the recordings of full-length courses of therapy with 7 children who met with NR for regular music therapy treatment, and 3 additional courses of therapy that were only partially analyzed. The analysis revealed NR's extensive use of temporality to engage a child musically and achieve various therapy goals. The integration of all temporal techniques gave rise to a four-position time model for understanding clinical improvisation, including (a) Augmented Time Frame (e.g., moments when NR were expanding the musical form with musical rests); (b) Playing in Synchronization (e.g., moments when NR were inviting the clients to play simultaneously within a pre-determined tempo); (c) Emotional Time (e.g., moments when NR were inviting the client for a time-free exploration of their inner selves); and (d) Synchronization Discrepancies (e.g., moments when NR were enabling a free negotiation over the improvisation's tempo). The authors also make theoretical links between temporal positions and therapy goals, and practical recommendations are provided.

Although practitioners have delivered music therapy via telehealth and researchers have investigated music teletherapy (MTT) using descriptive techniques, there is a lack of knowledge regarding how to implement MTT for people with Alzheimer's dementia (AD). A contextualized understanding of MTT for people with AD from experienced music therapists may help develop guidelines and protocols to increase access to and improve MTT. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand music therapists' lived experiences and recommendations providing MTT for people with AD. We conducted individual semistructured interviews with 8 qualified music therapists in the United States who had clinical experience in MTT for people with AD. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis and completed member checks to increase trustworthiness of the data and process. We identified 9 categories: (1) strength-based reconceptualization, (2) service users who can benefit from MTT, (3) clinical objectives in MTT, (4) interventions in MTT, (5) logistical aspects of MTT, (6) procedural implementation aspects, (7) technology considerations, (8) benefits of MTT, and (9) music therapists experienced meaningful fulfillment providing MTT. Categories were supported by 23 subcategories that provide situated context for providing MTT for people with AD. When integrated with an individualized assessment, the findings may help practitioners implement MTT for people with AD. Implications for clinical practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Virtual music therapy services became common during the COVID-19 pandemic and have remained a viable option for communities with access barriers. Parent coaching is a specific intervention where primary caregivers learn evidence-based strategies to support their children's development. Virtual music parent coaching has initial evidence of feasibility for families of autistic children. In this study, we used quantitative and qualitative measures to evaluate an 8-week parent coaching program. Feasibility aspects included parental demand, retention, learning, and satisfaction, interventionist's fidelity to the coaching program, and primary caregiver perspectives of outcomes, challenges, and benefits. Results indicated that caregivers learned about the research opportunity mainly through social media, with much lower response to email invitations. Eleven participants enrolled in the study, but 7 completed the program, for a 64% retention rate. Main reasons to drop out were time constraints and other responsibilities. Parents reported a high level of satisfaction and appropriate learning, as well as meaningful changes in their child's communication, understanding their child better, and valuing the accessibility and flexibility of the virtual modality. An interventionist with limited specialized training in autism but appropriate clinical experience achieved fidelity in the parent coaching model quickly. Caregivers' recommendations for improvement included providing recorded examples of the music and tailoring the written materials to each family. Suggestions for future research and practice include prioritizing social media as recruiting medium, evaluating parental disposition and time availability before initiating the program, considering siblings' needs, investigating cost effectiveness, and emphasizing the interventionist's collaborative approach with the parent.