2019 - 11th European Therapy Conference Abstracts
2019 - 11th European Therapy Conference Abstracts
2019 - 11th European Therapy Conference Abstracts
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This is the online version and printer friendly book of abstracts for the 11th European Music Therapy
Conference 2019. The abstracts for poster presentations (P), roundtables (R), symposia (S), workshops (W)
and paper presentations in this collection are ordered by their presentation number. The presentation
number is also included in the programme schedule on the website and in the conference APP where you
will also find the author biographies. At the end of this book of abstracts, at page 121, you will find an index
of author names.
KEYNOTES
In music therapy and many other fields, the importance of involving “users” in the research process has
become increasingly recognised in recent years. "Users" in this context includes patients and other service
users who may be directly affected by research, but also organisations representing their interests, and
other end-users of research findings, such as health care personnel, decision-makers in health and care
services, and health authorities. The rationale behind involving users in research projects is to improve
impact, relevance, and applicability of research findings. Several music therapy researchers have started to
implement participatory approaches in their studies to incorporate users’ perspectives, but often, this only
happens to a limited extent, and has just limited influence on overall study designs. Lately, more and more
funding bodies request that user engagement takes place in, at best, all stages of a research project. Along
with these developments, citizen science and open innovation in science initiatives are gaining momentum
in some areas of research and public administration strategies.Drawing on the phenomenon of resonance
as a metaphor, Monika Geretsegger will explore ways of doing research that facilitate better connections
between those who belong to groups that are affected by research results, and those who fund, plan, and
conduct research. Examples from various fields will illustrate different approaches and may inspire future
considerations of how to best allow for processes of resonance in our way of conducting, being involved in,
perceiving, and interpreting research and service implementation.
Communicative resonance between human beings is created through synchronized interactions. It is the
foundation for the development of human emotion, personality and capacity to engage in social
relationships. It is also the foundation for sympathy and empathy. In this keynote, Susan Hart will present
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three developmental levels of resonance in order to outline how emotional skills develop during early
childhood and remain essential for communication throughout life.
What fosters change in psychotherapy, and what is special about music psychotherapy? Lars Ole Bonde
have always been puzzled about when, how and why deep or tranformative changes happen in a client’s
life, facilitated by therapy. There is a lot of interesting theory about therapeutic change, however, in this
keynote Bonde will concentrate on two elements rarely discussed: the role of the will (more general) and
the influence of intensity in music (more specific, and including Stern’s concept of ’Vitality forms’). Bonde
will use examples from his own research over the years to illustrate processes of deep resonance that may
have led to change.
The European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC) is an umbrella organisation of professional music
therapy associations, working actively to promote the further development of professional practice in
Europe, and to foster exchange and collaboration between member countries. The EMTC-Conference 2019
has as its main theme “Fields of Resonance”. In this plenary session, the “fields of resonance” that have
occurred and are occurring on the paths of development within the profession of music therapy will be
discussed. The main points of focus will be clinical practice, training, research and societal impact.
Experts from the field of music therapy will present short statements of their points of focus after which
the audience will be involved in the discussion. The current state and future directions of the development
of music therapy as profession will be elaborated.
Opening remarks and Moderation: Esa Ala-Ruona, Preseident, EMTC
Clinical Practice: Ann Sloboda, UK
Training: Thomas Stegemann, Austria
Research: Hanne Mette Ridder, Denmark
Societal Impact: Brynjulf Stige, Norway
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Tier II training will provide new & current research of best practices highlighting multi-cultural perspectives
in modulating the traumatic and potentially disorganized and/or understimulated experience of an NICU
environment. Trainees will be provided with strategies for working with preterm infants and their
caregivers (including antepartum patients). With a focus on developing skills for music therapeutic
interventions, Tier II will include music therapy for infants, music psychotherapy for parent/s/caregivers,
and EMT addressing the environment. This training will elucidate methods addressing specific attunement
to song of kin and other cultural-based rituals of families that can be safely embedded in the music. A post-
test of questions based on the above learning objectives will provide evaluation and grading of
competencies achieved.
While many people with and without mental health conditions frequently use music for emotional
regulation, there is a dearth of empirical inquiry investigating if music-based self-regulatory factors
correlate with and predict different coping strategies. Therefore, the purpose of these two separate cross-
sectional studies was to explore music-based emotional regulation, healthy and unhealthy music use, and
coping strategies in adults with mental health conditions via correlational and multiple regression analyses.
Adults with mental health (N = 128) and substance use disorders (N = 194) completed the Brief Music in
Mood Regulation Scale (Saarikallio, 2012), the Healthy-Unhealthy Music Scale (Saarikallio, Gold, &
McFerran, 2015), and the Brief COPE (Carver, 1997). Correlations and multiple regression analyses were
conducted to determine which music-based self-regulatory factors related to and predicted coping. There
were numerous significant relationships between music-based self-regulatory factors, healthy and
unhealthy music use, and coping strategies. Various types of music-based emotional regulation strategies
and healthy and unhealthy music use significantly predicted different coping skills. Generally, unhealthy
music use predicted maladaptive coping skills while healthy music use predicted healthy coping skills. As
music use is common for people with mental health conditions, it seems that specific music-based self-
regulatory training and enhanced recognition of healthy and unhealthy music use would augment adaptive
coping skills with the hope of preventing relapse and increasing the likelihood of recovery. Implications for
clinical practice, including items for assessment and methods for targeting specific music-based coping
behaviors during treatment, will be discussed.
Introduction: During the past years the looper has become a popular instrument in concerts and shows
around the world. It is a tool that records short phrases and them plays them back, ready to record the next
phrase. Thus, layers of sound are created in real-time. Being a looper musician myself, I see how powerful
the looper can be in the music therapy room, especially since it has made its way into popular music.
Aims & Content: The aim of this workshop is to introduce the looper to music therapists, to enable some
experimentation with it, and to suggest ways in which it can be relevant to music therapy. The looper will
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be introduced, there will be time for experimenting, and finally, ther wll be discussion regarding the looper
in the music therapy context.
Activities: I will introduce the looper and show how it works (basic functions). Experimentation: Together,
we will create loops based on short rhythmic or melodic vocal improvisations recorded as overdubs. A
group experimentation will follow based sub-groups which will each create a layer to be recorded by the
looper. These recorded layers will then create the playback to the song that the group will perform
together.
Discussion: Participants will share their experiences and together we will see how the looper can be
beneficial in music therapy.
Introduction: Death and loss are natural parts of the life cycle; whereby a person’s, cultural, spiritual, social
and emotional beliefs influence the experiences of grieving, mourning and bereavement.
Clinical Population & Approach: In today’s society, people are living longer with life threatening illness, thus
increasing the demand for palliative care services to persons at end-of-life. Progressively, more persons are
embracing alternative, complimentary or less traditional therapies in navigating the challenging symptoms
associated with death and grieving. This includes music therapy and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery
and Music (Bonny Method).
Theoretical Background: This presentation will provide brief definitions and theories of grieving and
bereavement; a review of the literature on grief and the Bonny Method; traditional Bonny Method sessions
with the dying and bereaved; Bonny Method adaptations at end-of-life; and conventional music programs.
Suggested goals, implications and considerations will be conveyed.
Case: Two brief case vignettes describing a palliative care client and a bereaved client will be shared, in
support of the Bonny Method as a means of facilitating the grieving process and inclusion of traditional
sessions.
Discussion: Participants will be invited to discuss the implications for research into the Bonny Method and
its role in supporting the grieving and bereavement processes.
Conclusion: Due to the significant depth work and outcomes of bereavement, the Bonny Method is a highly
suited therapy that can help facilitate the grieving course.
Background: Mental health continues to constitute a worldwide societal problem. Recovery is a popular
client-centered approach to helping people with mental health diagnoses. Although it has a variety of
operational definitions, mental health recovery can be conceptualized as a process of change where people
improve their health and wellbeing, live a self-directed, purposeful, and meaningful life, and strive to reach
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their full potential. Due to the applicability and popularity of this approach, music therapists are
implementing principles of recovery into their clinical practice and research.
Objective: The purpose of this roundtable presentation is to discuss, compare, and contrast different
models of mental health recovery with an international panel of leading music therapy clinicians,
educators, and researchers.
Method: Expert music therapy clinicians and researchers from Australia, Ireland, Norway, and the United
States will present recovery-oriented music therapy approaches, interventions, and research. The panel
will then engage with each other and participants to discuss international perspectives concerning various
aspects of recovery-oriented music therapy. In this roundtable session, attendees will be able to engage
with presenters and ask questions to understand recovery-oriented music therapy from diverse viewpoints
and unique contextual parameters.
Discussion/Conclusion: As the world continues to become more integrated and globalized, international
perspectives of recovery-oriented music therapy can provide valuable knowledge to immediately integrate
into clinical practice, education, and research. These applications can positively contribute to therapeutic
interventions for people with mental health conditions.
Background: Although music therapy is established in educational settings in some countries, greater
sharing of practice will help uncover trends and develop ideas for future research.
Objective: The roundtable aims to provide very brief insights into music therapy in educational settings
from both an international and interdisciplinary perspective. The presenters will introduce and address
topic-related questions to the audience to initiate a moderated discussion. The primary goal will therefore
be to gather information on the current developments in this area and to highlight possible further projects
and research.
Content: The presenters will outline details on specific aspects of music therapy in educational settings
(opportunities, challenges, ongoing research projects and research needs). Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
Norway and the UK are represented in this panel. Presenters contribute not only a music therapist’s, but
also a music educator’s, musicologist’s, and child and adolescent psychiatrist’s perspective. The short
overview will then lead into a discussion with the audience initiated through theme-related questions
raised by the presenters.
Discussion: The purpose of this discussion is to identify similarities and differences in implementing music
therapy in educational settings, and above all planning further (joint) research activities. Active discussion
will be stimulated and welcomed by the roundtable.
Background: My experience as a music therapist shows that music therapy can assist children who have
problems with their social skills. However, the research and practice in this field is scarce. As part of my
PhD, I am therefore developing the "Ensemble" model that is intended to improve social skills of preschool
children. The objectives of this presentation are (1) To present the "Ensemble" model, its goals, principles
and techniques; (2) To present the research that examine the effectivity of "Ensemble" model; (3) To
present some of the important results of this Research.
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Method: Based on mixed methods that include quantitative and qualitative research, we examined the
effect of "Ensemble" on four groups of 5-7 children each. Sessions were recorded on video and then
analyzed according to children's behavior during these meetings. In addition, interviews were conducted
with each parent and each kindergarten teacher before and after the group took place, thus enabling a look
at the possible effects of Ensemble beyond the group context.
Results: Results pointed that "Ensemble" was effective. As the group progressed, children initiated more
interactions with others and helped their friends more often. In addition, parents and kindergarten
teachers reported of improved social skills in the home and class environments.
Conclusions: The positive results suggest that Ensemble is further implemented with children. Additional
research should be conducted to examine whether it is effective with older children, as well as with
children from different cultural and national backgrounds.
Established in 1985, the World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT) is dedicated to developing and
promoting music therapy throughout the world as an art and science. The Federation supports the global
development of educational programs, clinical practice, and research to demonstrate the contributions of
music therapy to humanity, and supports the exchange and dissemination of knowledge and information.
Because the growth of Music Therapy has varied across countries, the WFMT is aware of the need for
flexibility, working among many differing views. Thus, the WFMT supports a global music therapy network
that includes all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, it encourages and enforces open, ongoing
communication, and global collaboration as the foundation of learning and growth for our profession which
strives towards the same goal: the development and recognition of the music therapy profession as a
therapeutic modality.
We propose to chair a symposium to engage other music therapy organizations (i.e. association,
confederations) in discussion to explore the topic of music therapy with the following objectives:
1. To facilitate the sharing and exchange of ideas;
2. To reach out and connect with others in the profession;
3. To listen to, collect ideas, thoughts, and feedback from other music therapy organizations on
potential collaborative opportunities.
The WFMT believes this could be an enriching experience for all parts and would allow the WFMT to
respond to the needs of the international music therapy community.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a songwriting program in improving self-concept and wellbeing in
people with acquired brain injury (ABI) or spinal cord injury (SCI).
Design: Randomised controlled trial with songwriting intervention and care-as-usual control groups, in a
mixed measures design assessed at three timepoints.
Participants: 47 participants (3 in-patients with ABI, 20 community participants with ABI, 12 in-patients with
SCI, 12 community participants with SCI, 23-1208 days post injury).
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Interventions: The intervention group received a 12-session identity-targeted songwriting program where
participants created 3 songs reflecting on perceptions of past, present, and future self. Control participants
received care-as-usual.
Measures: Baseline, post intervention, and follow-up measures comprised the Head Injury Semantic
Differential Scale (primary outcome measure), Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Emotion Regulation
Questionnaire, and Satisfaction with Life Scale.
Results: No significant between group pre-post intervention differences were found on the primary self-
concept measure, the Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale (p=0.38). Significant pre-post between-group
differences were evident for Emotion Regulation (Suppression) (p<0.05) and Satisfaction with Life Scale
(p=0.04) in favour of the songwriting group. No other pre-post between-group differences were found at
post-test or 6-month follow-up. Uptake and retention rates were higher for the community-dwelling
cohorts.
Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence for significant impact of a 12-session identity-focused
songwriting program on satisfaction with life and suppression of emotions in people with acquired
neurological disabilities but not on self-concept. Findings suggest this identity-focused therapeutic
songwriting protocol may be more beneficial for people who have transitioned from in-patient to
community-contexts.
When does music therapy begin? When we sit together in a music therapy room, having agreed to a
therapy contract, all participants fully aware what there will take place? Or does it in fact begin during the
first contacts on the ward, in the room of the patient, while the patient is still heavily affected with his/her
condition?
And do we only act as a music therapist when we work in our specialized rooms or do we have some kind of
music therapeutic attitude we carry with us all the time?
As it can be all of the above this case presentation will focus on a therapy that began very slowly with short
attempts of contact at the ward leading to a successful "classical" music therapy with improvisation, singing
and music reception.
This presentation will focus on the attitude, mindset and interventions with this particular patient, suffering
from Schizophrenia and highlight the perpetual self- concept as music therapist, even during apparently
non- therapeutic moments.
Training focus: Like all therapists, music therapists need to articulate what they are doing and provide
rationale for their approach. The way a therapist facilitates goal setting with clients often reveals important
aspects of their theoretical influences and personal values. Developing skills in goal setting is therefore an
important focus of music therapy training.
Clinical population: The diversity in music therapy practice creates challenges for training courses in being
able to provide resources about goal setting that are applicable to various areas of practice. However, the
available literature often privileges an expert-led approach to goal setting that does not represent the
breadth of music therapy practice.
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Learning model: Music therapy educators and supervisors around the world were interviewed about their
training approaches. The thematic analysis portrays a multifaceted approach to supporting students to
develop broad skills in goal setting. In particular, the data highlighted the complexity of the goal setting
process. For example, music therapists who work in collaborative contexts have particular considerations in
the goal setting phase related to empowering the client’s ownership over the therapy process.
Discussion/conclusions: Goal setting in music therapy is multi-layered and complex. Interviews with
educators revealed a nuanced and iterative approach to supporting students to develop skills in clinical
goals setting. A model for goal setting will be presented that may help inform the design of music therapy
training course material and professional development seminars and resources.
The Voices journal invites dialogue and discussion about music, health, and social change, aiming to
resonate across a wide array of fields of practice spanning the globe. The editorial team is committed to
inclusiveness and socio-cultural awareness and we have increasingly nurtured a critical edge that refines
the focus on cultural issues and social justice.
In this round table discussion, we will begin by highlighting the latest developments within our forum,
including a new wiki on Global Voices; special editions on resonant topics; a rich reviewer community who
are conscious of the values that should be demonstrated in manuscripts we publish; and a team of editors
who strive to support diverse authors to publish their work.
We will then invite conversation and debate with the audience, particularly inviting new topics of interest
to the EMTC community, but also inviting critique of processes and whether audience members believe we
are achieving our aim of inviting interdisciplinary dialogue and truly achieving resonance across diverse
fields.
This presentation explores the concept of resonance as a key feature in the design of a research study
investigating music therapy with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Participants in
previous exploratory research (Rickson et al., 2015) suggested people who observe music therapy are often
convinced of its value; and expressed strong interest in research focusing on the ways parents, teachers,
and other professionals perceive music therapy processes. Building on this notion, the current study draws
data from ten rich, descriptive case studies generated by music therapists working over twelve months with
children who have ASD. The case studies were generated with the assumption that the descriptions of
practice would resonate with readers/viewers and in turn provide evidence for the efficacy of music
therapy (Rickson et al., 2016). Each case study has been explored by five people who know the child well
and five autism experts who do not (55 people in total). These ‘evaluators’ have in turn provided qualitative
descriptions of their perceptions of the case, giving an indication of whether and how the case ‘resonates’
with them (100 evaluations overall); while music therapists have provided summaries of their case (not
available to ‘evaluators’). I will discuss preliminary findings in the context of Lindvang et al.’s (2018)
description of resonance between humans as something “felt or unfelt”, with particular emphasis on the
differing ways therapist/child interaction, interaction with text, and readers knowledge of each other, may
have affected participants’ feelings of connection to, and resonance with, the work.
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The birth of a very premature infant is a critical event in the life of a family and has a significant emotional,
social, health, and economic impact on infants and their parents. We have structured an integrated
Psychological and Music Therapeutic Italian Protocol (PFMI), designed to stabilize the physiological state of
premature newborns, improve the well-being of caregivers and support the relationship between infants
and parents. The music therapy process facilitates affective communication and an emotional connection
between parent and infant. During music therapy, the parent and infant are reciprocally engaged in
physical, sensory, and emotional experiences. The methodologies provide an early intervention in the first
days of hospitalization in the NICU through both an active (parental singing) and a receptive approach
(listening to recorded parental singing). These techniques are used separately or in combination, depending
on the stage of hospitalization, the stability of the newborn and the objectives pursued. This stimulates
parents to take an active role in the infant’s care and treatment and allows the baby to find the affectivity
and the bonding experience interrupted by premature birth. Such therapy becomes a support for the
prematurely born infant and his/her parents during hospitalization and after discharge.
Background: Since autumn 2015, the authors offer music therapeutic based programs designed to the
needs of refugee children and youth living in refugee camps in Hamburg. The challenging setting calls for
specific interventions and methods which differ from any other regular setting.
Aims/content: We will focus on creating a safe place within the music therapeutic setting, and touch on
complex topics such as trans- and intercultural questions, traumatic experiences and persistent suffering
caused by laws and regulations as well as the therapists feelings of helplessness and limitation.
In the unsecure situation of the children and their families, with little or without any prospects of
permanent residence in Germany, it is extremely difficult to work therapeutically. Therefore, we aim to
share our experiences with the music therapeutic community. In this setting our tasks are much more basic
yet great effort is needed to establish and keep such programs alive. Working in the here and now is
crucial. We would like to demonstrate the integrative characteristics of music which help establishing
personal contact and mark the beginning of a relationship.
Methods/Activities: We will provide theoretical background and methods, give practical insight as well as
examples and discuss our experiences in the context of current research findings in relation to post-
traumatic stress, neo-colonialism in music therapy and others.
Whilst integrated working and collaborative approaches are receiving increased consideration (Twyford and
Watson 2008; Strange, Odell Miller and Richards 2017), goal setting in music therapy within integrated
care pathways for people with complex mental health needs has received little focus. Spiro, Tsiris and
Cripps (2018) enquire about ‘the accessibility of measures by clients and their use for co-shaping the
direction of their session with the therapist’ (p.75) echoing more recovery oriented perspectives (McCaffrey
et al. 2018; Ansdell and DeNora 2016) which recognise and respect expertise by experience. Miller et al
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(2014) outline person-centred assessment approaches, which aim to understand lived experience before
communicating the particular approach and structured process of the work. Gavrielidou and Odell Miller
(2016, p.58) argue the unpredictability of the timing of therapeutic change and demonstrate the
importance of being flexible to pivotal moments.
From a person-centred perspective, this paper will explore and evaluate the use of goal setting for music
therapy in an integrated Community Mental Health Team. In accordance with Croker and Higgs (2016,
p.118), who describe relationships with the team around the person in terms of ‘flow-on reciprocity, where
the benefits people receive from each other are carried over to others and into future situations’, this
paper will also consider the role of goal based outcomes in pathways to other contexts.
Music therapy seems to be developing around the world; yet continues to be a small field. What does it
take to increase the global number of certified music therapists and move the profession forward? This
poster offers answers and suggestions based on the findings of an in-depth analysis and interpretation of
qualitative questions asked in the largest international survey study conducted in the field of music therapy
to date. Key themes regarding the value of a global music therapy certificate, thoughts or predictions about
the future of music therapy practice, and professional development needs in various regions will be
displayed and interpreted in a step-by-step infographic outlining how to move the profession forward
through various advocacy initiatives.
Supported by research, song-based interventions can improve core skills such as pre-academic concepts,
communication skills, emotional-regulation, motor skills, and social competences in young children with
disabilities. Understanding and integrating research and practice guidelines as well as monitoring progress
are crucial for providing effective services to young children with disabilities and their families. This
workshop is conceptualized to prepare, implement, and monitor effective song interventions in children’s
home, preschool, and community settings and will address a) the Division for Early Childhood’s
Recommended Practices as they relate to clinical work of early childhood music therapists, b) learning goals
supported by music therapy research outcomes, c) uniquely composed songs for young children ages 3-5 by
music therapists, and d) instructional practices for managing small and large music therapy groups. As part
of their study abroad program, American students and their faculty will share information through
multimedia display and provide live demonstrations of music-based learning experiences applicable for use
in children’s daily activities and routines. Participants will be encouraged to contribute in this lively
presentation and thus will take away a wealth of meaningful innovative ideas for immediate
implementation in their clinical practice. Useful resources such as published song-based intervention ideas
in the online magazine imagine, and information on specific family support will be shared.
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The frequently chaotic nature of music therapy groups with young people can leave therapists feeling
despondent. Whilst a significant portion of music therapy literature highlights experiences of resonance
that emerge through collaborative music-making and support wellbeing, chaotic experiences have received
less attention.
The research presented in this paper explored the presenter's personal experiences of chaos as a potential
resource in short-term music therapy groups with young people in South Africa who have committed
offences. The study utilised crystallisation, combining grounded theory techniques alongside the use of
coloured patterns that depicted the data to analyse the presenter's field notes recorded over 10 years of
work in this context, supporting the development of a preliminary theory.
Emergent findings suggested that chaotic experiences enabled group transformation alongside the order
required for group formation. In music therapy groups, shared music preferences and powerful experiences
of collaborative music-making strengthened relationships and validated the capabilities of participants. The
chaos instigated through conflicts and dissonant music-making challenged group members to broaden their
perspectives and formulate new ways of resonating as a group. The paradoxical interrelationship between
order and chaos urged group members to balance tensions between compliance and resistance, unity and
diversity, creation and destruction, bolstering their capacity to recreate their lives within complex contexts.
From a paradoxical perspective, this research challenges that attempts to eradicate or resolve chaos might
stifle therapeutic growth. The presentation will highlight the necessity that music therapists consider fresh
approaches to optimise the creative potential of chaos in group work with adolescents.
This presentation will detail an innovative music therapy clinical and research project developed in
conjunction with the Philadelphia Orchestra and a service agency for homeless persons. The research
project examined the influence of music therapy on coping, anxiety, mood, hopefulness and quality of life
of homeless individuals, as well as exploring their experience of participating in music therapy sessions.
Experiences of the music therapists as well as the Philadelphia orchestra musicians who participated in the
sessions were also investigated via interviews. Information on the music therapy interventions used, the
clinical issues confronted and the results of the research will be presented. The presenters will also discuss
the formal training provided to the musicians prior to their participating in the sessions to maintain the
integrity of the sessions. Future possibilities for implementing this model of music therapy will be
discussed.
Background: Communication impairment is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease
(PD), significantly impacting quality of life, yet few seek help for this. ParkinSong is a therapeutic group
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singing intervention designed collaboratively by music therapists and speech pathologists. It specifically
targets the functional communication issues resulting from PD and provides motivating musical cues to
stimulate and organise motor speech output in a supportive group setting.
Methods: We measured the effects of a ParkinSong group singing intervention in a controlled clinical trial
at 2 dosage levels (weekly versus monthly) over 12 months, on voice, speech, respiratory, and wellbeing
outcomes for 76 people living with PD. The ParkinSong model comprises high effort vocal and respiratory
tasks, speech exercises, group singing, and social communication opportunities. Control participants took
part in regular peer support and/or creative activity groups that did not involve singing or targeted
communication strategies.
Results: After 3 months, ParkinSong intervention participants demonstrated significant improvements in
vocal intensity (p=0.038), maximum expiratory pressure (p=0.006), and voice-related quality of life
(p=0.020) in comparison to controls. Weekly ParkinSong sessions increased vocal intensity more than
monthly (p = 0.011). Vocal intensity declined as expected for controls. No significant changes were
observed over 3 months for speech intelligibility, maximum phonation length, or quality of life were
observed. Data for the full 12 months study period is currently under analysis and will be presented.
Conclusions: ParkinSong is an effective and engaging interdisciplinary model of therapy to increase vocal
loudness and respiratory support for people with PD.
Background: People with quadriplegia are disproportionately rurally and regionally located, at high risk for
social isolation, and face numerous barriers to accessing music therapy (MT). They also face significant risk
of illness due to paralysis of the primary breathing muscles. Our previous research demonstrated that face-
to-face group singing therapy improves breathing, voice, mood, and social connectedness for people with
quadriplegia. However, latency issues make online live group singing impossible via current
videoconferencing options.
Aims: We aimed to develop and test the feasibility of a low-latency immersive VR platform to deliver online
group singing interventions. In particular, we aimed to explore the accessibility and acceptability of this
mode of service delivery for people with limited mobility.
Method: A collaborative team comprising MTs, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and information
and communications technology specialists developed the MT-VR solution. Twelve patients from a
metropolitan spinal rehabilitation unit trialled several telehealth solutions for online group MT sessions.
Participants completed three short user-experience questionnaires and an interview about their
experience.
Results & Discussion: All participants found the VR equipment easy to use and liked the VR experience.
None reported nausea or discomfort. Point and gaze navigation systems and low latency audio were
preferred and the latter made it possible to sing in time. Interestingly, most participants felt that VR made
them less self-conscious to sing in front of others. By incorporating new technology into MT programs, we
have potential to achieve greater therapeutic benefits and reach people who may not be able to access
face-to-face therapy sessions.
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Common assumptions prevail that increasing a person’s level of empathy will decrease their desire to be
aggressive. While some findings supports this notion, others bring it into question. In addition, studies
examining empathy do not all examine the same phenomenon. There are a multitude of conceptions of
empathy (including affective and cognitive empathy, motor mimicry, role-taking, and compassion). This
kaleidoscope offers numerous potentials within music therapy practice. This poster presents two differing
approaches to empathy, one drawn from Husserlian phenomenology and the other from an integration of
Gergen and Deleuze’s theories. I reflect on how these were drawn upon in group music therapy with
teenagers referred for aggression at an under-resourced high school in Eersterust, South Africa. In one
music therapy process, developed upon a descriptive phenomenological foundation, participants were able
to experience and express empathy as entering an experience of another through focusing on them;
entering the experience of another through explicit reflection on their own similar experiences;
experiencing themselves in new ways in relation to the others; and entering a shared, resonant space of
“we.” In another group music therapy process, developed using the thinking tools of Gergen and Deleuze,
empathy was encountered and produced as familiarity, attunement and synchrony, and also as difference
(that could prompt the emergence of new lines of meaning in relationship). The rich theoretical and
practical implications of these two approaches will be mentioned.
Introduction/Background: Pop artists have brought live audio sampling and looping techniques into the
mainstream consciousness. In recent years dozens of iPad apps exploring these techniques have been
launched. Clinicians therefore have a wealth of accessible software to choose from in their music therapy
practice, in addition to the option of using hardware devices such as loop and effects pedals. However,
although the use of pre-recorded loops within the GarageBand app has been explored in the literature
(Martino and Bertolami 2014, Street 2014), little published work appears to have focused specifically on the
use of loops created from live audio/video sampling in music therapy.
Aims: This workshop explores the ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of using looping and sampling
technologies in music therapy. It will invite theoretical discussion, practical exploration and reflection on
sampling and looping techniques, including contraindications. It will also explore the potential effects of
these technologies on clients, the therapist, their relationship and the therapeutic process.
Method: The workshop will begin with a brief introduction to audio and video sampling and looping
technologies. Short clinical video vignettes will highlight pertinent aspects of both the client’s and
therapist’s engagement with these techniques and facilitate wider discussion of the role these techniques
may play in promoting clients’ self-expression and reinforcing their sense of self-identity. A practical
demonstration will follow of a range of iPad apps, digital loop pedals and guitar pedals. Subsequently,
participants will be invited to share clinical scenarios and explore live sampling and looping within these
contexts.
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Some of the specific wellbeing challenges for older men are loneliness and isolation, often tied to masculine
norms not to show emotions, and a reluctance to use health care services. Finding ways to improve the
mental health of older men has proved a challenge for public health. Older men is a neglected group both
in masculinity research and gerontology. There are no previous studies on the potential role of music in
shaping wellbeing amongst this group.
This presentation explores the potential wellbeing benefits from participation in a music listening group for
older men. Based on the results of 15 semi-structured interviews with retired men on their motivations and
perceptions from engaging in music, a music-listening group for older men was started. Eight men,
recruited from an open psychiatric ward for older persons and a volunteer centre for economically or
socially vulnerable older persons, met every other week for two semesters, for a total duration of 16 x 90
minutes, to listen to music of their own choice and discuss memories, associations and emotions evoked
from the listening experience. The group was led by the author.
The results from this study supports previous evidence on the social and emotional wellbeing effects of
engaging in music, demonstrating that being in contact with and expressing emotions can positively
influence social relationships, which in turn can counteract feelings of loneliness. Thus, it argues that
designing and offering health promoting musical activities for older men is an important task for music
therapists.
58 Music and Arts Program for the Recovery and Community Integration
of Individuals with Mental Health Conditions
Maayan Salomon-Gimmon, Cochavit Elefant and Hod Orkibi
Introduction: The emergence of the recovery-oriented approach has impacted mental health rehabilitation
policies worldwide (Davidson, 2016). One related initiative in Israel is the Garage pre-academic music and
arts school for the rehabilitation of people with musical and artistic abilities who are coping with mental
health conditions (MHC) in the community. This program aims to enhance artistic skills and socio-emotional
abilities to facilitate participants’ integration into arts-related higher education and the job market.
Objective: This presentation will discuss the qualitative findings of our mixed methods longitudinal study,
funded by the National Insurance Institute in Israel, which sought to understand whether and how the
program contributes to participants’ wellbeing and meets its goals.
Methods and Results: Data on the experience of students and graduates (N= 60) were collected through six
focus groups from three academic cohorts. The data are currently being analyzed based on the grounded
theory approach (Charmaz, 2014), and the emerging results on the music track will be presented.
Discussion: We will discuss how participation in the Garage program can contribute to participants’
personal recovery, creative self-concept, and community integration through the lens of the community
music therapy movement (Stige & Aarø, 2012).
Conclusion: The study sheds light on how music training, making, and musical expression can be
incorporated in music-based mental health services in the community to contribute to functional, social
and personal recovery processes. This can inform practices and policies regarding the implementation of
music activities in other community-based rehabilitation and treatment programs.
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This presentation focuses on the Assessment of Parent-Child Interactions (APCI) (Jacobsen 2014), and its
use as an assessment of arts therapies interventions with adopted children and their families. Recent
service evaluations on APCI, along with economic data from Chroma, a leading UK arts therapies provider,
highlight the value of assessment tools such as APCI in reporting clinical and economic effectiveness. Nine
UK-based families took part in APCI assessments at the start and end of their therapy. The APCI was used to
evaluate parental and emotional capacity by concentrating on Mutual Attunement, Nonverbal
Communication, Emotional Response and Parent-Child Interactions in the Music. After the first APCI,
recommendations for therapy “treatment” were made by the assessor and used as themes in the
continuing arts therapy provision. Once therapy was completed, another APCI was offered and a statistical
analysis was made. This showed a significant correlation in improvement of Emotional Response (p=0.03)
and Parent-Child Interactions in the Music (p=0.04), suggesting a positive improvement in the family
dynamic led by the therapeutic relationship. Arts therapies professions are evolving and becoming more
visible to commissioners across a range of health, education and social care sectors. Evaluations of positive
therapeutic outcomes together with statements of economic benefit are increasingly important. While
much has been written evaluating the art therapies, there are few cost-benefit analyses that also present
economic justifications for these interventions. This presentation aims to change that; commissioners have
the right to know the emotional, social and financial value of arts therapies assessment and treatment.
Background: The voice and the body are our most communicative and available “musical instruments”, and
are found in all cultures, religions, and nations. We, as music therapists, can use their unique qualities
throughout the world, in both developed countries and third world countries, irrespective of the presence
of specific musical instruments, which in some places are not available due to economic or other reasons.
Aims and content: The workshop will present voice work and body drumming techniques that were in use
while working with multicultural groups in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya. Kakuma refugee camp serves
200,000 refugees, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Burundi, Congo, Eritrea, Uganda, and Rwanda, who were
forcedly displaced from their home countries due to war or persecution. During the workshop we will
address some relevant topics such as: community work, short-term psycho-social support, overcoming
language barriers, intercultural conflicts and the lack of musical instruments or financial resources.
Methods: We will start with a warm up of our voice and body, and will continue with exploring the different
possibilities of using our innate and most natural ‘musical instruments’. Throughout the workshop, practical
demonstrations of vocal and body drumming techniques will be given, with the emphasis on the group
experience. In addition, relevant movies from the work in the camp will be presented and discussed.
Conclusion: Voice work and body drumming have therapeutic and empowering qualities. They are useful
for reaching out in big groups from various ages and populations in a multicultural community setting.
Background: In a former research ten interaction patterns in music therapy have been shown to be relevant
and helpful in treating Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) inpatients in an acute psychiatric hospital
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The purpose of the study is to examine the influence of music on the intergenerational transmission of
Holocaust trauma. The presentation will discuss the psychological role of the music by analyzing personal
accounts of Holocaust survivor offspring, considering ways music influenced their relationships and
communication with their parents, and how they employed music during the different stages of their life.
Eleven second-generation musicians, with no prior experience with music therapy, consisting of three men
and eight women ages 55-67 were interviewed. Prior to the interview, they were asked to prepare three
musical excerpts, which according to the interviewee represented their father, mother, and themselves.
These musical excerpts were played during the interview. Analysis of the transcribed interviews indicated
two patterns; the first I labeled "commemorating conductor" relates to those with a more contented
upbringing, who went on to perpetuate their parent's traditions, primarily via their music. The second, the
"arranger" relates to those who grew up in a harsh environment. Music became their therapeutic tool, a
means of health musicking and a way to recount their parents' story. For both groups, music helped them
cope with their background and identity, communicate with their parents, and relate to their parents'
story.
Becoming an improviser can involve experiences of transformation, liberation, vulnerability and anxiety.
Improvisation requires active choice making, risks, surprise, playfulness, courage and trust (Nachmanovitch,
1990). With a paucity of research studies in music therapy, education or psychology, which investigate
learning experiences in improvisation, there is a pressing need for increased understanding of the
resonances between learning and improvisation (Wigram 2004; Rose, 2017; Larsson and Georgii-Hemming,
2018).
This paper will present preliminary research findings from ten students, who took part in semi-structured
interviews, combined with improvisations. Initial results suggest that the lived experience of learning to
improvise engenders change and transformation in individual identity, relationship to music, and the need
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for re-learning of existing music skills. The paper will be presented utilising quotes, musical extracts and
graphic scores. This qualitative, small scale, arts-based research project, has implications for teaching
practice in music therapy training, and seeks to contribute to the growing discipline of 'improvisation
studies' across art forms (Caines and Heble, 2015).
Caines, R., & Heble, A. (2015). The Improvisation Studies Reader: Spontaneous Acts. London: Routledge.
Larsson, C., & Georgii-Hemming, E. (2018). Improvisation in General Music Education - A Literature Review. British
Journal of Music Education, First View 22 June 2018, pp. 1-9.
Nachmanovitch, S. (1990). Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art. New York: Penguin Putnam.
Rose, S. (2017). The Lived Experience of Improvisation: In music, learning and life. Bristol: Intellect.
Wigram, T. (2004). Improvisation: Methods and Techniques for Music Therapy Clinicians, Educators and Students.
London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
71 ‘Music While You Wait’ – Sounding our way through maternity care
Grace Meadows and Claire Flower
In 2016, the Better Births report was published. It laid out a vision for maternity services as ‘safer, more
personalised, kinder, professional and more family friendly’ (2016). This vision is being actively pursued
within Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
‘Music While You Wait’ (MWYW) is a collaborative project between music therapy and maternity services,
aiming to understand how music can support women and families during pregnancy and beyond. MWYW is
being run in three locations: antenatal clinics, antenatal and postnatal wards.
Preliminary discussions suggested that the antenatal clinic is often experienced by women, partners, and
staff, as a stressful environment. ‘Input’ was requested to consider how music might lessen tensions,
particularly those caused by lengthy waiting times. The focus on the wards is on supporting women who
are hospitalised for lengthy periods either prior to, or after, giving birth; hospitalisation during pregnancy
has been associated with increased levels of anxiety and depression, which may bring concomitant
challenges (Bauer et al, 2010).
Maternity services are largely unfamiliar territories for the music therapy profession. This presentation will
explore how we are sounding our way through maternity care; the emergence of practice, and the
challenges of evaluating dynamic, complex events in order to ‘capture fluidity, feedback loops and
emergence over time’(Greenhalgh, 2017). We will explore the complexity and challenges of engaging with
the practice-research loop, and the unexpected ripples within the Trust.
This presentation focuses on describing complex disorders such as addictions, eating disorders, post-
traumatic stress disorder, and the often associated comorbid (co-occurring) disorders. Clients with
complex clinical profiles typically have a variety of issues underlying their primary diagnosis, as a result, the
presenters will discuss the importance of a trauma-informed care approach. The risks, contraindications,
and ethical considerations necessary to effectively treat and care for these clients in music therapy will be
reviewed. Presenters will discuss stages of treatment and client needs associated with various stages.
Methods of identifying, assessing and treating these complex issues in music therapy will be discussed with
the goal of helping clinicians understand: 1) where treatment needs to begin to ensure therapeutic goals
addressing primary issues prior to addressing secondary issues, and 2) the appropriate use of music therapy
methods. Additionally, the presentation will discuss understanding the power of the music in the music
therapy process, to ensure that clinicians are meeting client needs, not triggering symptomology, traumatic
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memories or experiences. The presentation will also address the importance of a clinician knowing their
scope of practice, when they are adequately trained and prepared to work clients with complex disorders,
and how to utilize supports such as consultation and supervision to support their effective treatment with
client(s). The discussion will also focus on contraindications in music therapy for clients with complex
disorders.
Background: Theories of the unconscious are central in psychodynamic music therapy, where musical
improvisation has the potential not only to express unconscious material but also to contain and transform
it in a way that is valuable for the client. Both music therapy and psychoanalysis are, of course, also
continually evolving fields of practice. In music therapy, mother-infant research and theories of implicit
relational knowing have been especially influential, extending our understanding of non-verbal relating in
music therapy. Neuroscience has also brought valuable new perspectives to bear. How is our understanding
of the unconscious affected by all these developments?
Objective: The purpose of this roundtable presentation is to explore how we understand the unconscious
in contemporary music therapy. Has our understanding of the unconscious changed, for instance? Or do we
use other concepts instead?
Methods: Music therapy practitioners and researchers from four different countries (Denmark, Israel,
Germany and the UK) will provide different perspectives that link to the concept of the unconscious such
as: the dynamic unconscious; transference-countertransference; implicit knowledge; neuroscience;
creativity of the unconscious.
Conclusion: In our different ways, we hope to clarify how and why the concept of the unconscious is still
important for us in understanding our clinical work. We want to discuss this and find out if and how the
concept is of any value for the audience.
This presentation introduces a music therapy treatment manual for depressed young people descriptively
explained using illustrative examples. A short overview on the current state of research and on treatment
approaches for adolescents with depression is provided. Recent research supports the hypothesis of
depression mainly being a disorder of emotion regulation involving severe mood disturbances.
Furthermore, a strong association between music processing and emotion regulation is identified. Since
listening to music and associated activities are of major importance to young people, a treatment manual
that was tailored to integrate findings from current music therapy practice and research was developed.
The manual is for a short-term music therapy for adolescents between 13 and 17 years old experiencing a
mild or moderate depressive episode. The young people are expected to participate in twelve individual
sessions of outpatient music therapy. The particular interventions outlined in the manual were created as
an adjunct therapy to a psychotherapy and/or medical treatment provided by a qualified music therapist.
Thus, it focuses in three phases on particular domains in the treatment of depression: sensory modulation,
the improvement of emotion regulation and interpersonal regulation. It contains methods, which are in line
with current music therapy practice and research. The manual was developed for research. The dilemma
between offering a standardized therapy treatment that met the requirements for validity and replicability
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of research, and the need for a clinically meaningful and flexible therapeutic procedure that was tailored to
the needs of the individual will be discussed.
80 (S 447) Parental voice and music therapist voice with preterm infants
Stephanie Lefebvre and Eduarda Carvalho
In the scientific literature, experts in the field of developmental care in neonatal intensive care units
encourage the active parentality and start to make recommendations such as the access to the maternal
voice for the baby while doing kangaroo care.
However, parents of premies may have difficulties to adress all by themselves their spoken or sung voice to
their child : stunning, emotional overflow, PTSD, are frequently identified after a premature birth
experience. The parent’s attachment system is activated and he/she can find him/herself in a motivational
dilemma. Based on recent research in music therapy with preterm infants that recommend the use of live
music and parent involvement in the therapeutic process, the music therapy clinical practice is aimed to
offer an intersubjective experience between the parents, the baby and the music therapist to promote the
emotional regulation and the parent-infant bonding in a secure and reliable environment. The enveloping
presence of the voice of the music therapist can offer a new perspective on parenting skills and on the
communicative skills of the baby. We also know that the contingent parental voice has positive effects on
premies vocalization that are beneficial for their social and cognitive long term development.
This presentation will be illustrated by short video sequences of mother-infant dyads filmed in the NICU of
the Hospital (GHPSO), in Creil (France) and in the maternity of Lisbon (Portugal).
A randomised controlled trial (RCT) previously conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, has shown
that integrative improvisational music therapy (IIMT) was more effective than standard care alone in the
treatment of depression and co-morbid anxiety. Following up on this study, we are currently conducting a
new trial aimed at investigating how the efficacy of IIMT could be enhanced even further. This is being done
by comparing specific variations of IIMT that involve the presence or absence of two extra components:
listening back at home to the improvisations created during the sessions, and starting each session with a
breathing exercise designed to promote emotional regulation and expression. Although the clinical part of
the trial is completed, final results are not available yet. We will, however, present the study’s design,
introduce the IIMT model, explain the rationale behind the two added components, and share our
experience about the pros and cons of such a design in terms of client work. In addition to the main RCT
outcomes, this trial also contains an exploratory part aimed at better understanding the internal
mechanisms of IIMT. To that end, we have collected video, music, and heart rate data in every therapy
session, as well as administered post-session questionnaires for continuous process evaluation. We will
present the main findings of this exploratory part and discuss the relevance of the collected data for music
therapy research and practice.
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The importance and role of research to both the practice and profession of music therapy (MT) is well
acknowledged. Research challenges us to modify the way we work as music therapists— helps define the
direction for new discoveries, reaffirms what we know, helps us change the way we view what we already
know, and develops and supports jobs. It is these possibilities of discovery and change that make research
so exciting and diverse.
An increasing number of trained music therapy researchers and clinicians, therefore, from many parts of
the world have taken on the challenge of conducting research and are directly or indirectly influencing the
music therapy journeys of others.
The practice and profession of music therapy and the field of research are both diverse and growing areas
that are intertwined. Music therapy research increasingly reflects this growing diversity and progress of
scientific knowledge.
The Research Working Group of the EMTC has undertaken the task of looking at current PhD programs in
Music Therapy offered in Europe and in order to compile updated information about dissertations
completed in these different programs with the following objectives:
To disseminate information about research projects in MT in Europe to help in the development
and recognition of the field.
To explore the possibilities of creating an EMTC research database specific to the field of MT in
Europe.
To promote collaborative research projects in MT among European countries.
The results of this work will be presented in this poster presentation.
People living with dementia (PwD) and their family caregivers (FCG) often experience relationship stressors,
social isolation and stigma. Therapeutic group songwriting (TGS) has been used to address these issues for
groups involving either FCG or PwD, but not with groups of PwD/FCG dyads participating together. TGS for
PwD/FCG dyads may encourage united expression with others in similar situations, leading to mental
stimulation and achievement for individuals, meaningful shared experiences for dyads, and positive social
opportunities. A randomised controlled trial is being conducted to compare social connectedness,
relationship quality, quality of life, depression, and caregiver burden for 60 PwD/FCG dyads randomised to
either 6 x 1-hour weekly TGS sessions (experimental) or waitlist control (University Ethics Approval:
1851252.2). Outcome measures will be collected at weeks 0, 7 and 13 following recruitment and the
experimental group will also contribute video, interview, and song lyric data. The project is currently in the
data collection phase. However, we anticipate several potential fields of resonance from this research,
including feelings of personal success and confidence for both PwD and FCG, relationship satisfaction and
togetherness for dyads, and empathic friendships. In addition, we anticipate songs portraying the lived
experience of dementia may increase public awareness and understanding. This presentation will describe
how theories and songwriting approaches were adapted to meet the unique needs of PwD and FCGs
attending sessions together. We will also explore tensions arising from the outcome-based research design
and expectations of research funding bodies with the values of community music therapy underpinning the
research.
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Clinical supervision is very important and overall professional supervisors need to identify different
perspectives and foci if the supervisee is a student in 1) the early training period 2) in a more advanced
period of training. Also 3) newly educated music therapists still are in the process of developing their
identity as a music therapist. So supervision is very important for this process. When you become an 4)
experienced music therapist supervision is just as important to keep this identity vital and new and to
expand the identity lifelong.
I will present a model strongly influenced by Stoltenberg & McNeill (2011) identifying four different levels
in the supervision process towards a professional identity as a therapist. I will discuss how this model has
been further developed by Holck and Pedersen 2018 to adapt to the development of a professional identity
for music therapists.
Finally I will illustrate the supervision work on the different levels through supervision vignettes and
emphasize how the degree of prior experiential and resonant learning processes and the application of
artistic media can support the supervision process.
Epilepsy is the second most common neurological disorder affecting approximately 60 million individuals
worldwide. Psychosocial outcome following seizure surgery can be paradoxical in that seizure reduction or
freedom does not necessarily result in good psychosocial outcomes and can give rise to a range of
behavioural, psychological, affective and sociological complications. Therapeutic songwriting has recently
shown efficacy as a means of reconstructing fragmented post-injury identities in individuals following
neurological injuries. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of an identity-focused therapeutic
songwriting intervention on mood and wellbeing in individuals experiencing the reverse identity transition
from chronic illness to sudden wellness, termed ‘burden of normality.’ Three individuals with chronic
epilepsy who had recently undergone seizure surgery participated in a six-week, 12 session therapeutic
songwriting intervention designed to explore the pre-surgery, present, and post-surgery self. Data were
collected at baseline, mid- and post-intervention using a range of mood, wellbeing, and songwriting
engagement measures. Results from descriptive case analyses of three individual cases will be discussed
with reference to trends in outcome measures as well as the lyrical content of the songs. Furthermore, the
results will be discussed in relation to the theoretical framework underpinning the process of identity
reconstruction following neurological injuries.
Family caregivers (FCG) of people living with dementia (PwD) have significant risk of poor mental and
physical health. The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BM-GIM) has supported health and
wellbeing for people with various life challenges, but has not been examined with FCG of PwD. As numbers
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of PwD increase, there is a growing need for interventions that support and sustain FCG. BM-GIM may
assist FCG looking after PwD to explore challenges and stressors, and experience improved wellbeing and
satisfaction in the carer role. This project aimed to address a limitation in research by examining FCGs’
experiences and ratings of depression and quality of life following a 6-sessions of BM-GIM. After receiving
ethics approval, 7 family caregivers who either cared for a family member with dementia living at home or
in separate residential care provided signed informed consent. Pre-post outcome measures were
administered within 7 days of commencing and completing the series of sessions. Additional data was
obtained from qualitative interviews, transcripts, mandalas, and session audio recordings. We expect to
complete data collection by the end of 2018 and full results will be available for presentation at the
conference. Some preliminary analysis of qualitative interviews and transcripts suggests the emergence of
patterns including reconnection with the younger self, experiences (and suppression) of guilt, and loss of
future plans. BM-GIM may assist FCGs to connect with personal fields of resonance from across the life-
span, assisting them to employ inner resources, manage challenging feelings, and cope with their caregiver
role.
The presentation illustrates theoretical framework and clinical practice of a project of individual nonverbal
therapy developed for a resident of a psychiatric rehabilitation facility. The patient suffers from the
akinetic-rigid variant of Parkinson’s disease with consequential anxiety, hallucinations and deliria, and is
thus part of a rapidly growing number of elderly persons with neurological disorders that generate a
complex combination of physical, cognitive, and psychiatric impairments (DobkinRD, 2018), confining him
to the hospital bed. Hence he cannot participate in group activities.
The objective was to evaluate a long-term treatment that resonates with her confined motor and cognitive
skills: the amodal improvisational method named ‘Benenzonian Nonverbal Therapy’ (Benenzon, 2017;
Stern, 2010). The approach envisions ample time for patient observation, data collection (applying the ISO-
principle), and is strictly non-directional. I will discuss session protocols, images, video/sound examples,
and feedback from patient, relatives and staff, to analyse the often very subtle sound-sensory-gestural
improvisations. The outcome of the two-year project demonstrates that the biennial time-frame and the
adopted approach, despite only weekly sessions, paved the way to a site-specific treatment moulded
around the patient’s specific needs. It diversified his emotional state, providing shortcuts to near-normal
levels of interpersonal, and improved motor skills which, albeit transitional, added a lighter note to the
strain on nursing staff and family. The bedside setting represented an opportunity to conquer new channels
of nonverbal communication that elude established observational (WoschT, 2017) or recording techniques,
requiring multiple modalities of documentation and interpretation.
This study aims to understand the experience of supervisors to develop expertise in their path of
professional advancement in music therapy. To address the research purpose, the researcher interviewed
10 supervisors with average of 12 years of experiences on their experiences in the course of professional
development as supervisors in the field. The collected interview data were analysed, using consensual
qualitative research method that requires consensual process in every step of data analysis to generate
reliable results and applicable theories. The result showed that five domains including “experiences as a
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novice supervisor,” “experiences of efforts for growth,” “experiences of expertise development,” “goals for
further development,” and “suggestions for development of the field,” and 19 affiliated categories were
generated. According to the result of cross analysis, it was general that supervisors in the field experienced
anxieties due to insufficient competencies to understand the role of supervisor and to deal with counter-
transference issues in the novice phase. However, as they become more experienced supervisors, they
grew and advanced professionally as they accumulated the experience of supervisory intervention
techniques and competencies. This study is a qualitative examination of supervisors’ experiences in their
path of professional development in music therapy, and the results provide valuable information for
development of supervisors’ expertise.
A differentiated focus on music therapy (MTH) as a treatment modality is often lacking in current
collaborative treatment literature. In the last decade, the practice of mindful self-compassion (MSC) with
chronic pain patients has been of interest to researchers in many perspectives and will be elaborated on.
Implications about the use of MSC techniques in MTH will be discussed. The mixed method pilot research
study that will be presented, explored the use of MSC techniques in MTH, to investigate the relevance of
MSC and its influence on pain acceptance and pain reduction. Patients (n=8) diagnosed with chronic pain
took part in eight once weekly successive individual MTH sessions. Quantitative data was gathered by
administering the Self-Compassion Scale, Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire and pain perception
through Numeric Rating Scale at baseline and after completion of therapy. Qualitative data was gained
through focused interviews. Qualitative results were analyzed using thematic analysis, quantitative results
with descriptive and parametric statistics by correlating pre-post results within subject and overall group
mean. Overall, it was evident that MSC and chronic pain acceptance both increased with a positive
correlation (p= 0.027). Qualitative data showed that patients generally appreciated MTH due to the aspects
of having moments of relaxation, self-care, experiencing their chronic pain and underlying emotions with a
validating and accepting attitude. Due to the pilot character and missing comparison conditions our results
cannot be generalized and causality is not given. Nevertheless, feasibility will be explained. The values of
collaborative efforts was assessed as fruitful.
The original project: Between 2000 and 2002, ten pre-school children with autism and their families
received weekly individual music therapy sessions over a period of five months. All the sessions were
filmed, so that the work could be analysed in detail as part of a PhD investigation. At the end of the project
the families were given filmed excerpts of the sessions to take home with them.
The current project: Sixteen years later, in early 2017, the ten families were contacted by the original music
therapist and invited to return for an interview. The interviews were filmed and focused on what the
families remembered about the music therapy intervention and in what ways they felt it might have been
helpful. A documentary film has been made incorporating material from both the original music therapy
sessions and the current interviews.
Reflections and discussion: In this presentation, the author will show short excerpts from the film and draw
out themes that have come out of the interviews. She will reflect on the impact of working directly with a
film director who received music therapy himself with her 22 years ago, when he was three years old and
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had a diagnosis of autism. She will also consider the effects the project and the film have had, and may
have in the future, on current clinical work in this area. Participants will be invited to consider and discuss
setting up other music therapy follow-up projects in the future.
Insomnia is highly prevalent in our modern world with great costs for both individuals and society. Current
treatments are limited and music listening has been suggested as a potential intervention for improving
sleep quality.
We used a systematic review and randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of music as a sleep aid.
In a Cochrane review we found a positive effect of music on sleep quality in various groups of people with
poor sleep quality, including participants with PTSD, low back pain, and age-related insomnia. However, the
quality of the evidence was not high, and no studies included objective measures of sleep. To address these
shortcomings, we conducted a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of bedtime music listening
for improving sleep in adults with insomnia disorder. The results showed a positive effect of the music
intervention on insomnia severity and quality of life, but no changes in objective sleep measures.
Research suggests that music listening can be an efficient intervention for sleep improvement, but many
aspects of the intervention needs substantial consideration. What type of sleep problems can and cannot
be improved by music interventions? What are the important characteristics of the music? How to
implement music as sleep aid in music therapy, as a music medicine intervention or as a self-help tool?
These issues will be discussed in relation to the needs of different groups of people who may benefit from
music as sleep aid.
Premature birth and the hospitalization in the NICU might constitute a traumatic experience for all the
family. Music therapy has shown positive effects for the infants, the parents, and their relationship. This is a
mixed-methods ongoing study that aimed to investigate the effects of the Music Therapy Intervention for
the Mother and her Preterm Infant – MUSIP on the infant’s physiological responses, on maternal mental
health and on mother-infant interaction. Thirty mother-preterm infants dyads, hospitalized in a public
hospital in the South of Brazil, were divided into two groups: a Music Therapy Group (MTG) and a
Comparison Group(CG). The MTG took part in six sessions of the MUSIP, aimed at sensitizing maternal
singing during kangaroo position. Maternal anxiety, postnatal depression, and stress were assessed before
discharge in both groups. Mothers were interviewed and the mother-infant interaction was filmed during
singing and no-singing. Oxygen saturation and heart rate of the MTG infants were assessed before, during
and after sessions. Preliminary qualitative analysis has shown that the MUSIP has empowered both the
mother and the infant, relaxing them and enabling maternal sensitivity through singing. Results regarding
maternal mental health and infant’s physiological responses will also be presented. This is the first Brazilian
mixed-methods study to investigate the effects of music therapy for the mother-preterm infant dyad.
Results will be discussed in the light of contextual peculiarities of Brazilian NICUs. The MUSIP has shown to
contribute to the mother-infant well-being in the NICU. Further analysis might enlighten the MUSIP effects
for mother-infant interaction.
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Three decades ago the term Neurodiversity was coined by a young woman with Asperger syndrome
seeking to define her own unique identity (Singer, 2017). Since then, the term is associated with political
advocacy that supports a rights-based disability agenda (Silverman, 2015). The Neurodiversity paradigm
proposes that people's neurologically-based differences are no different to other social classifications such
as gender and race (Singer, 2017).
The Neurodiversity movement challenges systems and interventions with “normalization” as the core
agenda (Bascom, 2012). Instead, “maximization” of strengths and resources is encouraged, with advocates
seeking to influence all levels of society, from policy to interpersonal, everyday practices. The deep
humanistic inheritance of the music therapy profession (Abrams 2015), along with ecological and
community paradigms that have become more prevalent in recent times are perhaps well aligned with the
principles of neurodiversity. However, disability scholars have critiqued music therapy as supporting the
medical model of disability and therefore risk contributing to oppression (Straus, 2011; Cameron, 2014).
Perhaps the music therapy profession still has much to learn from disability advocates and critical theory
about the potential ways that music can support the appreciation of diversity and performance of identity.
This round table will present reflections and perspectives from five music therapists working with several
different populations in an effort to integrate our clinical experiences and discuss a fuller view of
neurodiversity. Our discussion will focus on two main issues: our perceptions of neurodiversity advocacy,
and the implications for music therapy practice with individuals with diverse conditions.
Nordic neonatal music therapy (NICU MT) and research is still in its infancy. Systematic implementation
work was first initiated in Karlstad, Sweden in 2010. In Norway, a few music therapists have for shorter
periods worked in neonatal intensive care, but a more systematic implementation was initiated in Oslo in
2017. An ongoing paradigm shift in neonatal health care globally is the concept of family-centered care.
The Nordic countries are in the front line of welcoming and including both parents in the care of their infant
around the clock. The Nordic neonatal music therapists and researchers have here unique opportunities to
be truly family-centered working in partnership with both parents, including parents from non-Nordic
cultures, guiding them to be equally involved in the infant-directed communication. A research area of
great interest globally is parental participation in neonatal pain management. Nordic NICU MT has pioneer
status in researching the pain alleviating effect of live singing during painful procedures. Family-centered
NICU MT has potential to improve procedural pain care for both infants and their parents.
The authors of this paper, who are also the Nordic implementation pioneers in NICU MT in Sweden and
Norway, will discuss early experiences from our implementation work and show that models of practice are
not directly transferable between different cultural contexts and health care systems. The authors will
emphasize the importance of a cultural sensitivity in NICU MT implementation, where parents’
participation can be included already on the planning stage when building clinical programs and designing
research studies.
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The first international survey exploring music therapy practice with families was launched on September,
2018. The invitation to participate was sent via the WFMT, the EMTC, and Facebook pages and groups to
over 15000 music therapists. The survey questions were the result of an international collaboration with
researchers and clinicians experienced in working with families. A pilot was then conducted with a small
group of music therapy clinicians from around the world in March 2018, and further refinements were
made to the questions. It is reasonable to expect several hundred responses.
The aim of the study is to map and highlight the main theoretical perspectives and therapeutic approaches
that music therapists use when working with families across a diverse range of populations. This
information may help inform the music therapy community in regard to the need for professional
education, supervision, and developing knowledge about therapeutic models relevant to working with
families.
This presentation will summarize the main findings from the survey. The results will highlight the
educational and theoretical background of music therapists working with families, the clinical population
they are working with, the setting for the sessions, and the methods they most prominently use.
105 (S 449) Family centered music therapy (FCMT) and dialogic approach in parent
counselling – a Finnish training model for music therapists´ working
with families
Kirsi Tuomi and Päivi Jordan-Kilkki
There is an increasing tendency to move from single therapies to family centered way of working in music
therapy. This is the case especially when working with children. In Finland the traditional music therapy
training focuses mostly on individual therapy and therefore a need for a specific FCMT course was obvious.
The presentation introduces the basic cornerstones of the course. The training has two focus points:
working with children and their families in music therapy and working with parents in separate counselling
sessions. International perspectives to specific cases are presented and reflected from different positions
and roles of the music therapist. The dialogic approach as a verbalizing tool is introduced and practical
exercises take place. The training includes 10 days of immediate tuition with 65 teaching hours. The
students have a short practical training and clinical supervision related. The students write their own
reflective notes and read literature concerning the field with which they can work in their student peer
groups. The conversational and reflective way of learning is emphasized.
The feedback from two completed training courses has been inspiring. The attendees have stated the
course has provided new insights, strengthened their previous thoughts and gave competence, theoretical
understanding, and practical ideas. By presenting this model the presenters hope to start a discussion
around the topic internationally. Would there be need or interest to develop an international training for
music therapists working with families?
Introduction: The “pink noise Girls Rock Camp” (pnGRC) is a feminist band project for female adolescents. It
takes place every year for a week in the summer holidays in Austria. During “band-coaching” workshops
two female musicians work with bands the attendants formed in the beginning of the week: They prepare a
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self-written song for a public performance where the girls find resonance and support from the audience
and their peers. As a music therapy student working as a band-coach was an enriching experience. This
gave me the impulse to write my thesis about pnGRC from a music therapy perspective.
Objective: The goal of my qualitative preliminary research was to find similarities and differences between
band-coaching at pnGRC and comparable music therapy projects in Germany and Austria.
Methods: In group discussions with band-coaches of pnGRC and expert interviews with leaders of music
therapy band projects or projects for girls questions about goals, responsibilities, stance, setting, topics and
the role of music were asked. With the help of qualitative content analysis comparable variables were
extracted from the material.
Results: Similarities in all categories, especially in stance, atmosphere and the central role of music, were
found but also differences could be noted.
Discussion: Regardless of differences, the identified parallels between pnGRC and music therapy projects
might be helpful for working with female adolescents in a music therapy and feminist context.
Conclusion: The results of this preliminary study build a foundation for further research in feminist music
therapy band projects for female adolescents.
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111 (S 445) The use and application of attunement in Dementia Care. A qualitative
meta-ethnographic synthesis
Julie Kolbe Krøier
Affective attunement (Stern, 2000) is a clinical concept widely used in music therapy practice and in music
therapy theory. Affective attunement integrates Sterns developmental psychology with Malloch and
Trevarthen’s concept of communicative musicality and creates a rationale for the use of music to support
communication and self-expression for persons with social, cognitive and emotional challenges (Trevarthen
& Malloch 2009).
As part of my doctoral studies one aim was to examine how the concept of attunement is understood and
used in dementia care according to evidence-based research. A systematic literature review was performed
revealing seven articles from peer-reviewed journals, that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The articles were
analyzed and synthesized according to Noblit and Hare’s meta-ethnographic approach. The preliminary
result of the analysis revealed three interwoven themes, dealing with: 1) Understanding the person with
dementia by emotional involvement, 2) Music and synchronization 3) The person-centered care approach.
The metaphor of “dancing together” expresses the overriding understanding of attunement discovered
through the analysis.
In the presentation I will discuss the themes through mentalization-theory and theory of communicative
musicality. I will furthermore discuss whether and how the concept of attunement could be relevant in a
conceptual understanding of psychosocial dementia care.
From the synthesis, I was able to conclude that the process of attunement can be helpful in describing the
non-verbal interaction between caregiver and the person with dementia. Music therapists can with their
expertise in non-verbal communication play an important role in supervising caregivers on attunement in
dementia care.
113 Short GIM in active treatment for gynecologic and breast cancer: An
RCT pilot study
Evangelia Papanikolaou, Niels Hannibal and Cathy McKinney
Although there is growing literature about GIM in gynecologic (GC) and breast cancer, individual GIM
sessions during the period of chemotherapy treatment have not been attempted yet. The presentation
aims at discussing the potential of GIM during active treatment for GC and breast cancer. This is part of a
PhD study (Aalborg University) and is a mixed-method design comprising of two sections: a descriptive
feasibility study and a random control trial (RCT) pilot.
During the feasibility, a small sample of women attended individually six shorten GIM sessions and
answered to psychometric questionnaires and a qualitative interview. The purpose was to explore the
feasibility of GIM in a Greek hospital setting, the usefulness and potential of GIM in decreasing depression
and anxiety, improving quality of life, increasing hope and decreasing fatigue, as well as the perceived
impact of GIM for the patients. Next study was a small-scale RCT pilot examining the variables of hope,
fatigue, and mood. In the RCT, the women in GIM treatment received six individual sessions and the
women in control received two verbal counselling sessions, and all completed the same questionnaires.
I will describe the process and present results of the two studies and will point out to difficulties and
changes that had to be made to the design and clinical protocol between the feasibility and the RCT pilot.
The ultimate aim is to enhance research in the field of GIM by suggesting new clinical protocols in
developing areas of practice.
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The purpose of this research is to examine what actually happens in the beginning of the journey of
becoming music therapy supervisors by looking into the lived supervisory experiences of three novice music
therapy supervisors, using a relatively new qualitative research method, collaborative auto-ethnography.
Audio records of onsite supervision, supervisor’s logs, and written memos from supervision of supervision
were used as main data of the study. The analysis of the data showed that the novice supervisors
experienced various difficulties including performance anxiety, competency anxiety, and insecurities due to
counter-transferences. However, through in-depth self-reflect, and consistent supervision of supervision
they also owned growth experience such as establishment of professional philosophy, approach and
identity as a supervisor. The results of this research provide valuable information on music therapy
supervisors’ developmental journey and suggest the new research method suitable for future research on
the experiences of music therapy practitioners, clients, trainees and trainers.
119 Resonating mind in body and body in mind. Music listening in pain
management
Marie Strand Skånland
Engagement in music can reduce the subjective experience of pain (Lee, 2016; Mitchell et. al., 2007) and
can be a valuable tool in emotion management (Saarikallio & Baltazar, 2018, van Goethem, 2010).
However, the effects deriving from music engagement are highly individual and multifaceted (Thoma, et.
al., 2012). This paper presents a rich, singular case of a woman suffering from chronic pain related to
childhood trauma. An in-depth interview was conducted to explore the woman’s daily music listening
habits and how it related to her experiences of physical and mental pain. The interview provided
comprehensive understandings of the woman’s personal experiences and the subjective meaning of music
listening in her life (Flick, 2006). The interview was analysed using meaning categorization (Kvale &
Brinkmann, 2015), striving for a holistic understanding of music’s role in the woman’s experiences of living
with chronic pain. She uses music listening actively in managing both the physical pain and the associated
trauma. Music relates to her physical and psychological functioning through the aspects of identity,
distraction, distance, and here-and-now. Noteworthy, contrasting earlier research findings (Skånland, 2012,
Ruud, 2013a), this woman prefers to listen to unfamiliar music, imposing us to rethink the idea of musical
competencies (Ruud, 2013b). This case adds to our understanding of music listening in pain management
and psychological functioning, and highlights the interrelation between body, emotion, and cognition.
Background: This study aims to validate a group music therapy intervention for community-dwelling older
adults, aged 60 and above, with no prior musical education and no medical/psychiatric morbidity. The
intervention includes voice improvisation techniques and concluding performances in front of friends and
family members. Its uniqueness lies in the focus on the enhancement of psychological resources in old age,
through voice improvisation and group work.
Method: The measurement is based on quantitative and qualitative methods, which include questionnaires
and semi-structured interviews (conducted in two focus groups). Both measure psychological wellbeing,
age and aging perceptions. A five-session pilot study on a group of 15 participants, demonstrated
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improvement in several measures. Therefore, I conducted a comparative evaluative study, which included a
12-meeting three months intervention. Each group was led by two music therapists and took place every
week. Sixty participants comprised the intervention group (10 participants in each group). In parallel, I
delivered similar questionnaires on similar occasions to a 60 participants' wait-list control group.
Results: Data are still being collected and will be analyzed by May 2019, using multi-level and repeated
measures anova and pre-post intervention comparisons in between the two groups.
Discussion: This study offers the field of music therapy an intervention which uses group vocal
improvisation techniques aimed at the enhancement of psychological wellbeing in community-dwelling
older adults. In the presentation I will show videos of these techniques and explain their effects in light of
the findings and theories from the field of gerontology, positive psychology and music therapy.
Introduction: Much clinical and research attention has been directed to the benefits of music therapy in the
NICU. However, less focus was given to the possibilities that music therapy can offer after the dyad has
been discharged from the hospital. In this presentation, I (1st author) will introduce the “COPE with music”
model which I have been developing to assist in strengthening Communicative Parental Efficacy (COPE). In
addition, a pilot study that examined the model will be described.
Method: Two dyads, a mother and her premature baby, after NICU discharge, voluntarily signed to receive
8 weekly “COPE with music” sessions. The first and last sessions were designed as intake and follow-up
interviews. Sessions and interviews were audio recorded and then analyzed based on identifying significant
categories and statements brought up by the mothers, and organizing them into main themes.
Results: After COPE sessions, mothers displayed improved communication with their babies and a stronger
dyadic bonding, leading to a better sense of communicative parental efficacy, a term that engulfs the
mother's ability to communicate with her baby as well as her confidence in doing so.
Conclusion: Results of the pilot study strengthen the assumption that “COPE with music”, which combines
supportive listening to the mother and active vocal and musical re-bonding with the baby, can be
significantly beneficial to the dyad. It is recommended that further research with a bigger number of dyads
will be conducted to examine the possible benefits of “COPE with music”.
A large proportion of music therapy services provided by Nordoff Robbins take place in schools. However,
the practice of music therapy in educational settings is underrepresented in research literature. There is
little explanation of how the musical activity in a session connects to the aims of music therapy and the
wider educational context. In an attempt to address this deficit, we adopted ethnographic methods to
observe Nordoff Robbins music therapy practice in partner schools in London, UK, to explore perceptions
about music therapy and how decisions were made, in terms of the music made, what happens in the
session, and in how music therapy provision was allocated.
We found that the practice of music therapy varies due to the clients’ interests in music and their musical
abilities. In addition, environmental and contextual factors, such as varying degrees of support from school
staff, care givers and other medical professionals, and the interaction levels between each individual also
contributes to the wide variety of the music therapy provided. The practice of music therapy does not only
involve music therapists and pupils – many people engaged in the sessions and many factors can influence
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the environment in which the therapy takes place thus affecting the therapy itself. Understanding and
communication between each individual involved can support the music therapists in designing and
conducting therapeutic programmes.
123 (S 448) Supportive resonance between group supervision and music therapy
students’ study process
Malle Luik
Numerous group supervisions were conducted in the last decade in Department of Creative Arts Therapies
of Tallinn University to support music therapy students’ practical study; so far no research has been made
in Estonia on music therapy supervision.
The purpose of research was to determine supervision needs of the first year Master’s degree students and
effective group supervision methods, describe study experience and expectations of the supervised and
search for changes in work methods of supervisor for making supervision more effective.
Research was conducted in academic year 2016/2017 with 12 students; different supervision and music
therapy techniques were applied in group supervision. Students filled written feedback questionnaire at the
end of the first and the second semester. Necessary changes were made in the second semester
supervisions based on the first results.
Qualitative analysis of the first year questionnaires implied students’ higher needs for acquiring necessary
skills for child therapy and communicating with parents, general performance as therapist and student.
Music-based sculpture and spectrogram techniques, also solution-focused working method (with and
without music) were considered the most effective work methods. Important benefits of using music
together with verbal communication were discovered and described. Students acquired new knowledge,
ideas, perspectives; enforced performance skills and benefited from practicing new techniques. Groups of
six were preferred for supervision; the supervisor should demonstrate various work trends and techniques,
show good verbal and non-verbal communication skills in supporting and confronting situations.
Questionnaire results enhanced working skills of supervisor and group supervision study process for
students.
Introduction: Music therapy (MT) positively impacts short-term outcomes for premature infants and their
caregivers (Loewy et al., 2013), but longer-term interventions targeting the infant/parent dyad and
assessing longer-term outcomes are needed (Bieleninik et al., 2016). LongSTEP consists of an international,
multi-center randomized controlled trial to evaluate the long-term effect of MT in the NICU and/or for 6
months following discharge, with parent-infant bonding as a primary outcome.
Methods: We present results of two feasibility studies from Norway and Poland that evaluate the
acceptability and suitability of the LongSTEP MT intervention and study procedures. We describe how these
outcomes informed the development of the definitive LongSTEP international randomized controlled trial,
a 4-year study that began in April, 2018.
Results: Participants in the feasibility studies were willing to take a highly active role in MT and found MT
and the study procedures to be acceptable. MT offered parents a break from typical hospital experiences
and a new way to “read” and relate to their infants. Results from the feasibility studies informed the main
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study regarding choice of primary outcome measure, logistics related to MT provision, and trends related
to recruitment.
Discussion/Conclusions: Though MT for premature infants is increasingly part of practice in several
European countries, its use is still in a pioneering phase within Norway and Poland. LongSTEP offers
valuable long-term perspectives on the impact of MT for premature infants and their families, and may
inform further development of research and practice within European contexts and beyond.
127 (S 445) Being together in time: Challenges of a music therapy session with an
institutionalized group of persons with advanced dementia
Maria Gabriela Nicolau and Catarina Ramalho
Introduction: This presentation focuses on music therapy sessions that have been taking place in a
residential home care belonging to Alzheimer Portugal, since 2013. These sessions include 10-12 persons
with advanced dementia. Detailed procedures of the weekly group sessions will be described and explored
challenges and benefits of these format of music therapy sessions.
Aim: The active therapist listening attitude following a careful use of sound is shown to induce arousal and
sensorial responses. The aim is to build essential moments of meeting through a sustained interaction
(Kitwood, 1997). Finally, therapists will go towards group attunement where’s perception of the other’s
presence and a sense of inclusion in a safe space are the focus, empowering the personhood of the person
with dementia.
Reflexions: The challenges of this group session and the strategies used to maintain the balance, the
engagement and positive interactions will be emphasized. This presentation also show the benefits of a
transdisciplinary approach, in an active collaborative work between a music therapist and an occupational
therapist. This professional follows the clients since they start their day with previous knowledge about the
client's mood which allows a refinement of the strategies to be use in the session.
Conclusion: In the dementia care field, focusing the attention to the impact of bringing engagement, of
creating positive interactions and creating a sense of connectedness within the group, we observe
differences in the quality of life of the clients and the influence of this sessions in the emotional and social
well-being.
Background: In this last two decades, the gathering of two different age-group clients as a therapeutic
resource as been raising in consequence of its undoubtedly benefits for both children and elderly. In the
case of dementia care, is a new field that is still very unknown when it come to advanced dementia stages.
This qualitative research aims to share some of the results of several intergenerational music therapy
sessions in a residential home care belonging to Portugal Alzheimer’s Association, altogether about 50
people. The sessions referred in the research were structured and orientated by the music therapist.
Case: Through observing and assessing the impact in 4 clients with advanced dementia, we will reflect
about the challenges, strategies used to empowering the personhood of the person with dementia through
the engagement and socialization during and after-session responses. This preliminary study is based on
direct observation during music therapy session.
Discussion:. The differences observed through the right environment of the sessions created a meaningful
shared experience in which the clients improved the ability to communicate verbally and nonverbally, to
interact with others, to sustain and select attention, to engage with the group and in the activity,
comparing to the participation of this clients in other activities.
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Conclusions: The presence of the children and the interaction moments with them provoked an impact that
reaches many areas. Therefore, we view the importance of introducing this type of approach in dementia
care homes to create more opportunities of socialization and participation in meaningful activities.
In order to further examine benefits from Music Imagery and Guided Imagery and Music sessions, a
collaborative inquiry (CI) with a former client and research participant utilized an Arts Based Research
process to investigate the musical and personal growth that followed participation in the sessions. The
inquiry used a transformative framework and sought to empower the participant to tell her story in her
own manner, to engage in an equal creative collaboration and to raise awareness beyond academia.
Portraiture was the method that guided the data collection and presentation of her story through film and
creative writing. The findings from the collaborative inquiry will be presented. In addition, the rationale for
this type of inquiry and ethical considerations will be discussed.
Developed by Dr. Lisa Summer, Personal Music and Imagery is a method for slowing down, connecting to
oneself, and developing a deeper understanding of one’s inner world. The method involves connecting
with an inner image, matching the image with recorded music, repeated music-listening, and drawing to
music. The presenters will teach the method and lead the participants in both an insight-oriented and
resource-oriented experience, to help participants connect with their clinical work in a new and deep way.
The insight-oriented experience will help participants reflect on their personal countertransferences,
clinical impasses, and/or challenging clinical situations. The resource-oriented experience will encourage
participants to connect with an inner resource that can positively impact their challenging clinical situation.
Participants will leave the workshop with a new method for self-supervision.
Please bring your own device for the workshop.
Social neuroscience researches the neural underpinnings of social interactive behavior. In this research we
wanted to study the interaction between a client and a therapist during a real-world GIM session. To
analyse how emotions and imagery are processed and recognized, the brain activity of an experienced
traveler and guide doing a real therapy session was synchronously recorded with EEG and the full
‘Nurturing program’ was utilized. The traveler and guide as well as two independent raters, who are
themselves experienced GIM therapists, analysed the video and were asked to identify 3 important
moments in that session. The identified moments of interest and Interrater overlaps of video ratings were
then transcribed and submitted to an analysis of frontal brain activity over time. Frontal alpha asymmetry
(FAA) is a well-established measure of emotional processing, also indicating role in social interaction. Here
we were interested how the temporal FAA dynamics changed according to the emotional impact of the
emerging imagery and how this was related to the therapy process. Further we performed a time-
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frequency analysis of particular segments within the selected moments. Utilising an explorative approach, it
was obvious that during the emergence of important personal visual imagery and dialogue with a
significant person in the therapy, a shift of the frontal asymmetry indicated a strong emotional response in
the therapist-client interaction. Peaks in FAA dynamics represented emotional peaks of intensity during
selected moments. Directionality of FAA Peak dynamics represented shared emotional valence.
Theoretical approach: With the advent of powerful sensor-based computing tools and real-time interactive
music systems, gradually more attention has been devoted to combine Music Ttherapy with sonification,
especially in neurological rehabilitation. The basic theoretical assumption of the authors is that the active
Music Therapy setting consists in the continuous correlation of three relational dimensions: Interplay as
sound interaction, Intercorporeity as body mirroring and Intersubjectivity as sharing emotional states.
The Midifly system devised by the authors could become the technological translation to this theoretical
vision. The Midifly provides the projection of an infrared virtual screen on which the patient and the
therapist, facing each other with simple hand movements, can simultaneously produce predefined sounds
while at the same time exploiting body symmetry and mirroring.
Clinical population/application: The main goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of
this approach in a preliminary clinical investigation with patients with stroke and neglect. During the
experimentation in progress, the application possibilities of Midifly will be evaluated in particular with
patients with acquired Cerebrolesions and motor deficits.
Discussion: Since with the Midifly the music therapist has the possibility to set the composition of the
screen in many ways, the authors believe that this operative methodology can also be used with different
types of patients with communication and attention deficits.
Conclusion: The Midifly system could become an excellent rehabilitative tool especially with patients with
Neglect and Mismacth negativity to facilitate and develop attention and interaction also acting on intrinsic
motivation and emotional sharing.
This presentation addresses a research study of group music therapy with nine first-time mothers and their
infants in a local public health care clinic. The mothers and infants participated in six group sessions within
two months. The content of the sessions was music activities, such as singing, stroking and movement, in
addition to verbal reflection. The verbal conversation included the mothers’ early memories of music, and
how they currently used music in their daily life with their children.
The goals of the study were to gain knowledge about music therapy with this population and to explore
how a music therapy group could be carried out at local public health care clinic. The study is qualitative
and explorative, using semi-structured individual interviews of the mothers after completing the group
work. The result shows that the mothers experienced outcomes in four different areas: 1) personal, 2)
dyadic, 3) social and 4) transferable outcomes. The discussion focuses the mothers’ experience of
discovering their child as a unique, social and resourceful being, and the mothers discovering themselves as
mothers gaining confidence in motherhood itself. The music therapy group offered at the community
public health care clinic supported mother-infant interaction and attachment, and empowered first time
mothers in their new role.
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Gaden, T. S., & Trondalen, G. (2018). Bonding through Music: Music Therapy as Health Promotion for Mothers and
Children at a Public Health Clinic. In L. O. Bonde & T. Theorell (Eds.), Music and Public Health - A Nordic Perspective
(pp. 151-165). Springer.
Personal experiences as a music therapist and yoga teacher and the emergence of a growing group of dual
practitioners inspired a deeper exploration of similarities and overlaps between both disciplines. Having felt
intuitively drawn to incorporating body-mind-breath techniques into the clinical work led me to reflect on
my professional development and my therapeutic practice. Could yogic ideas complement clinical music
therapy whilst maintaining the essence of what music therapy was aiming to deliver?
This paper draws on existing literature to outline some of the similarities and overlaps between yogic
approaches and schools of thought more commonly drawn upon in music therapy. Clinical examples
illustrate how yoga-based practices can be incorporated meaningfully into group and individual sessions
with young people with PMLD. Questionnaires were used to gather further information from fellow music
therapists in a variety of settings who are also yoga practitioners or teachers. It emerged that a range of
body-mind-breath techniques were the most widely used applications in clinical work whilst philosophical
frameworks supported therapeutic presence and processing. Practicing yoga for self-care was an additional
benefit described by the therapists.
In summary, this paper describes how yoga-informed practices and theories can complement clinical music
therapy and support music therapists beyond the therapy room.
This paper will explore and reflect upon the role of music therapy (MT) for adolescents who experience
stuttering. Despite the large amount of evidence regarding the effects of MT on different aspects of
communicative disorders and mental health, little is known about MT for those who stutter. An embedded
mixed-methods design including semi-structured interviews and a quasi-experimental design will be used
to inform and evaluate a MT intervention for the population in question.
The unpredictable disruptions in daily communication interactions at the core of developmental stuttering
negatively impact quality of life, relationships, and often result in mental health difficulties for individuals
who experience developmental stuttering. Due to the psychosocial effects associated with stuttering,
adolescents may be at a higher risk for the development of anxiety issues and psychological distress.
Adolescents who experience stuttering may feel greater pressure to communicate effectively in situations,
may choose to avoid communication completely, or hide their stuttering. During a period marked with
intense growth and development, stuttering may add another stressor.
MT has been used with individuals who have speech, language and communicative needs. It has the
potential to reduce levels of stress and anxiety, and provides an alternative medium for expression. For the
adolescents in this study, MT may play a role in managing covert symptoms associated with developmental
stuttering as well as enhancing speech fluency.
This paper will present the existing knowledge about music therapy for adolescents who stutter, and
outline the study to be undertaken during the course of this PhD.
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139 (S 443) Resonances between Music Therapy, Public Health, and Human Rights
Brynjulf Stige
In this presentation I explore how the field of music therapy resonates with public health and human rights
practices. The notion of public health that I employ is based in the human rights and includes but goes
beyond population-oriented prevention of disease to include healthy public policy across sectors in society.
With reference to recent practice developments in Norway, exemplified by POLYFON knowledge cluster for
music therapy, I argue that the development of music therapy services in clinics should be connected to an
increased focus on music as a public health resource. A theoretical understanding of such relationships can
be developed through elaboration of the notions of health musicking and partnerships, which contextualize
the request for user involvement and collaboration that supports the relevance of music as a rights based
health practice in contemporary societies. The argument is based in a broad conceptualization of music
therapy research and scholarship, to include various health related practices of music, within clinics and
communities.
Interprofessional healthcare teams are formed to improve patient care and increase collaboration among
team members. Without exposure to interdisciplinary learning opportunities, it may be difficult for new
professionals to work on an interprofessional healthcare team. Thus, to meet the aims of increasing
knowledge of related disciplines and effective co-treatment, music therapy and physical therapy professors
partnered to train their respective students. The process focused on working together while maintaining
each therapeutic modality identity. In addition to co-treatment and client outcome expectations, teamwork
goals were also identified. The professors indicated the following desired outcomes of the interprofessional
learning experience: (a) students identify and assume each provider’s role and responsibilities, (b) effective
communication among team members, (c) teamwork—equal team membership and contributions to the
treatment process, (d) demonstration of effective interprofessional treatment, and (e) increased
knowledge of other discipline.
Each training experience lasted 16 weeks with 13 weeks of client contact. In addition to feedback
experiences and focus group sessions, music therapy and physical therapy students completed the
Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) prior to and after the collaborative experience. The
pre-and post-test results of the RIPLS and student feedback about the process support interprofessional
collaboration as a potential course model in both music therapy and physical therapy education. This
presentation will include description of the training process, expectations, outcomes, and feedback from
students regarding the experience.
Schwabe and Haase's (1998) invitation to boldly offer music therapy beyond institutional settings resonates
with this community-based participatory research. Music therapy is seen as both a means of community
connection, and a vehicle for community change.
Background: As a music therapist at the local hospital, serving dying patients and their families from
increasingly diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, I became more aware of community tensions
around cultural diversification and the need to dialogue about religion. This compelled a personal journey
into the community itself, to find out more about religious belief and music. This presentation introduces
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the Bendigo context (regional Australia) and the ‘social field’ in which the research takes place, considering
some of the political and social forces that influence and shape this field.
Method: Individuals from different religious traditions in Bendigo come together to engage in interfaith
dialogue, with music as the foregrounded therapeutic modality. Focus groups explore aspects of religious
ritual, as participants share personal music playlists about rituals from their faith tradition using Amir’s
(2012) ‘music presentation’ to make known individual experiences of diverse religious faith.
Discussion: Artefacts created in response to the music experience (drawings, dialogue, session notes, music
play-lists and interviews) are discussed. Emerging themes from this data will be explored.
Conclusion: Key learnings from this community music therapy research project will also be shared.
This research forms the basis of my current PhD at The University of Melbourne, Australia.
Background: Music therapy in psychiatry has for many years treated people suffering with Personality
Disorder (PD) DSM V cluster B diagnosis (narcissistic, borderline-personality disorder, antisocial) and cluster
C diagnosis (avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive).
Establishing a treatment alliance and a stable relationship is especially challenging with this population
because of their difficulties with navigating in an interpersonal context.
Music therapists have to deal with problems such as intense emotions, patients refusal to play, extremely
loud music or dissociation during the musical play. Recent research has shown that music therapy is able to
establish compliance to treatment as seen in high attendance and low dropout.
Music therapists need a suitable approach when working individually and in groups with PD patients.
Objective: First: Advantages and challenges in music therapy with PD patients.
Secondly: Music therapy practitioners and researchers from three different countries (Belgium, Denmark,
Germany) will provide their research results, conceptualization and understanding of music therapy with
PD patients.
The discussion will aim to unravel the specific mechanism of music therapy and its added value for PD
patients. The goal of the round table is to seek areas of international consensual understanding about
music therapy and PD as well as to establish a network for future collaboration.
Music listening is a common activity in the everyday lives of individuals around the globe. The use of pre
recorded music is shaped by new technologies emphasizing individual choice with suggestions for playlists
being made based on previous listening on forums such as Spotify and Apple Music. The availability of
music through mobile phones makes music listening more accessible than ever. Music therapists may play
an important role in consulting with clients/patients about their uses of music, especially as research shows
that music listening strategies can reflect pathological behaviours such as ruminating and venting.
Although active music listening has been reported as a method in music therapy since the emergence of
the profession, it is currently receiving little attention. Some exceptions include the uses of playlists in the
Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). Another is from adolescent music therapy specialists
who have provided commentary on this topic, including the development of a validated measure of Healthy
and unhealthy Uses of Music (HUMS). However, other commentators have relegated music listening to a
technique of Music and Medicine, missing the opportunity to leverage the relational dynamics of music
therapy that are available through the integration of this method.
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The authors present examples of the diverse use of playlists in healthcare including expert selected playlists
in music medicine, individualized playlists in music therapy, and health-directive based recommendation
systems for wider population. This is followed by a discussion of implications for the use of self-selected
and/or expert selected music in healthcare.
This presentation addresses a new music therapy manual in somatic health care, rooted in a
biopsychosocial approach. The manual is tailored to support patients in a specific invasive cardiac
procedure, and is the cornerstone of an ongoing RCT-study. The music therapy interventions aim at
reducing stress, pain and anxiety for the patients, using facilitated music listening. What are the precarious
elements in making a music therapy manual feasible and effective? What challenges may occur concerning
inter-disciplinary collaboration and clinical practice? Theoretic foundation and experiences from developing
and implementing the manual is illuminated. Biological, psychological and social elements is integrated in
the clinical manual, informed by the transaction model of music therapy as procedural support, the
neuromatrix theory of pain, and receptive music therapy techniques. Clinical methods and inter-disciplinary
factors of implementation is put forward and the therapist role discussed. The manual aims to be sufficient
standardized to be implemented in existing procedures, as well as flexible enough to meet individual needs.
Despite the expansion of music therapy in somatic health care, the potential is far from being well utilized
or yet fully explored. Among several topics, the need for detailed clinical manuals tailored for specific
somatic situations and patient groups is stated. Although this presentation and manual are directed
towards a specific procedure, possible qualities of transference to other patient groups and situations is
likely.
R 153 Resonating our clinical mistakes out in the open: Why, How, When,
and with Whom?
Avi Gilboa (chair), Daniel Thomas, Laurien Hakvoort, Tania Balil and Brian Harris
Background: Clinical mistakes are usually addressed in the privacy of supervision, but more rarely as part of
published articles or aural presentations in conferences. We believe that for the sake of our professions’
maturation, it is important that we encourage a tradition of speaking about clinical mistakes in open, as is
done in mature professions such as psychotherapy, aviation, engineering, and medicine. Public discourse
on mistakes enables a far-reaching resonance and consequently, better opportunities to learn from ours
and others’ mistakes and to improve.
Theoretical approach: In this roundtable we suggest to promote a tradition of talking about clinical
mistakes in open. By providing a sensitive, accepting and non-judgmental environment, we believe that
clinical mistakes can be raised, then discussed, and understood in a broader context. As presenters, we will
be the first to give examples of our clinical mistakes, and believe that sharing our own vulnerability will
encourage others in the audience to share their clinical mistakes as well.
Topics for discussion: We will be addressing different topics such as the terminology (e.g., error? mistake?
failure?) and the feelings that surround mistakes (e.g., shame, anger, blame) and their effect on us. We will
share actual mistakes, and discuss with whom we think it is appropriate to share mistakes, when is it best
to share mistakes, and in what respects is it important to share mistakes.
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Background: Music therapy settings provide many possibilities to observe a broad variety of behaviors
associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These are impairments in social interaction,
restricted/repetitive patterns of interest and behavior and sensory and motor issues. The Music-based
Scale for Autism Diagnosis (MUSAD) was developed to use the age- and language-independent quality of
musical play to assess ASD in people with limited verbal skills in a semi-structured framework.
Content and aims: The MUSAD-Short concept will be presented. A brief overview of a multimodal and
team-based approach in diagnosing ASD will be provided. Challenges in the role change between a music
therapist and an investigator assessing the client’s behavior will be focused. Workshop participants will get
an insight into using music-based settings for diagnostic observations and will be sensitized for ASD-
symptomatology in this special context.
Methods and activities: Practical exercises and role-plays will be used to demonstrate interactional tasks
and applied prompts aiming to provoke diagnostically relevant behaviors. Videotaped MUSAD-sessions will
be scored using the MUSAD rating scale to introduce the coding procedure. We try to trigger inspiring
discussions between the poles of therapy and diagnostics.
Background: The Music-based Scale for Autism Diagnostics (MUSAD) is a structured approach using a
music-based interactional framework to assess autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adults with intellectual
disability. The MUSAD is a valid and reliable diagnostic observational tool, however, it is time-consuming
and needs comprehensive training. With the aim to support music therapists in screening for ASD in
individuals with limited speech, we asked for psychometric properties of a brief version.
Methods: Out of the 12 MUSAD-tasks 5 tasks were selected representing a broad range of prompts for
diagnostically relevant behaviors (joint drumming, pretend play with symbolic instruments, ocean drum,
balloon game, dancing). N=65 videos of MUSAD investigations from the MUSAD validation sample were
selected randomly and cut to present the selected tasks. These were re-assessed by raters blinded to the
final diagnosis. A ROC analysis was applied to assess diagnostic accuracy. Interrater-reliability was
calculated by the agreement of 18 raters in n=25 cases based on total scores using the intraclass correlation
coefficient (ICC).
Results: 14 items were selected to form a diagnostic algorithm. The ROC analysis resulted in
sensitivity/specificity of 70/77 % (AUC=.77). Interrater agreement was good (ICC=.79).
Conclusions: Based on our findings a short version of the MUSAD is promising to support ASD screening by
music therapists and may contribute to a team-based diagnostic procedure as recommended by the NICE
guidelines. Further evaluation using a new sample is necessary.
Psychiatric services have changed profoundly over the last few decades. This paper is a part of a Ph.D. study
exploring the change process in adult psychiatric music therapy. I will examine how music therapy has
changed from the times when it was systemically used in psychiatric hospitals in Finland, and describe the
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situation after the deinstitutionalization. Another question focuses on how these changes have influenced
clinical work, and what is characteristic of adult psychiatric music therapy today. Qualitative semi-
structured interviews were conducted by phone or in person. Participants were music therapists who a)
have finished their hospital career, or are still operating as b) hospital therapists c) outpatient therapists or
d) third sector therapists. The research method was qualitative content analysis. To analyze the results, the
hermeneutic circle was used. The study results that I will present are the classification of changes that have
improved or complicated clinical work, whether they be organizational, administrative, related to patients
and/or changes in psychiatry and society. Theoretically I am focusing on the process of
deinstitutionalization in psychiatry from the viewpoint of music therapy, psychiatry and sociology. For
therapists, changes in health care can cause employment concerns and other challenges, and there is an
urgent need of empirical evidence. For patients, financial support is uneven. This presentation is aimed at
those interested in history, psychiatry, and global mental health care. How can we stimulate discussion of
future opportunities and development, and resonate with those who decide the future of adult music
therapy?
163 Music therapy for premature infants and their parents. Results of a
randomized controlled trail
Barbara Menke and Johannes Pöschl
Results of a randomized controlled trail will be presented. We investigated effects of music therapy on
neurodevelopmental competences of premature infants and the emotional state of their parents.
Due to exposure to acoustic, environmental and emotional stressors, premature infants in Neonatal
Intensive Care Units (NICUs) are at high risk for developmental delay and their parents also are vulnerable
for psychological problems. Music therapy in NICUs bears the potential to positively influence these
stressors.
The present trial aimed to study effects of music therapy on neurodevelopmental competences of
premature infants and parental emotional wellbeing.
We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with very and extremely low birth weight infants (born
<30+0 weeks of gestation) and their parents. A total of 65 parent-infant-dyads took part in the study. The
experimental group received music therapy twice a week from the 21st day of life till discharge. The control
group received treatment as usual. Indicators of preterm infants’ physiological and behavioural states as
well as evaluations of parental stress (parental stress questionnaire), parental competences (parental
competences questionnaire) and mood (EPDS, STAI) were addressed within a multi-layered statistical
analysis to assess the effects of the intervention. Correlations between the emotional state of the parents
and neurodevelopmental competences of the premature infant were examined.
It was postulated, that music therapy improves preterm infants’ neurodevelopmental competences and
fosters parental emotional wellbeing. First results of this study will be presented, and potential correlations
will be described.
Clinical population/problem: Addiction is a worldwide problem. It is estimated that 29.5 million people
around the world had a substance use disorder in 2015 (United Nations, 2017). Addiction is becoming more
widely understood as a complex brain disorder. As such, the effects of receptive and active music
experiences on neurotransmitters, brain activity and neuroplasticity must be considered in a
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theoretical/clinical model of music therapy practice in addiction. The research supporting music therapy is
equivocal and has focused primarily on clinical practice.
Theoretical Background: The effects of addiction on emotional regulation, impulse control, reward seeking
and craving will be presented. The research describing music’s effect on these areas, as well as the effect of
music on neurotransmitters and neuroplasticity will be presented.
Clinical Approach: Receptive and active music experiences with infants and adults will be discussed and
demonstrated through video clips and case reports. Each presenter discussing a clinical case will include a
rationale based on the effects of music on the brain, neurotransmitters, or neuroplasticity.
Discussion: Participants will be encouraged to participate in a discussion focused on 1) linking neurological
responses with clinical observations and 2) additional rationale for the use music therapy in addictions
treatment.
Conclusion: The session will end with a summary of the discussion and recommendations for the next steps
in developing a theoretical model supporting music therapy in addiction treatment.
Through this presentation, I will present my PhD-project which is about gaining more knowledge about how
children experience music therapy during hospital admission in mental health care. The study is situated at
my clinical practice in mental health care for children and youth at Haukeland University hospital in Bergen,
Norway.
The project is a qualitative study, and the problem statement is explored through a multiple case study
design (Robson, 2002), with both participant observation and different types of interviews. Participant
observation is carried out through the music therapy sessions, both with me as the music therapist, as well
as another music therapist working at the unit (Fangen, 2004). In my data collection, I have completed eight
separate semi structured interviews with the children and separate interviews with their parents (Kvale &
Brinkmann, 2012). I have also completed focus group interviews with staff at the unit, which include social
workers, teacher at the school and psychologist / medical doctor (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2012). The interviews
intend to explore their experiences of music therapy in mental health care.
In this presentation, I will discuss and reflect upon the first findings from the data collection. Focusing on
one of the cases, the presentation will explore the multiple perspectives of a single case.
Despite various theoretical explorations of spirituality in music therapy, only a small number of empirical
studies have been conducted to date. Many of these studies focus on transpersonal and positive aspects of
spirituality while paying limited attention to action and context-related factors.
In this presentation I take a different angle by focusing on the ‘everyday’ nature of spirituality in music
therapy practice. Informed by socio-cultural perspectives, I draw from an ethnographically-informed study
of spirituality within three music therapy contexts in the UK. With no single definition of spirituality, I
outline various ethnographical accounts of the ‘everyday’ in music therapy and spirituality. Through an
exploration of the musical, social, spatial and material worlds within which music therapy and spirituality
are enacted and lived, the findings open up a space where diverse, even conflicting, spiritualities are
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explored. Expanding beyond immediate music-making situations, the findings consider broader
professional practices, systems and frameworks pertaining to spirituality in and around music therapy.
This presentation leads to a critical consideration of professional vocabularies, identities and agendas in
connection to music therapists’ spiritual practices and stances. A re-framing of the ways we research and
theorise about spirituality in music therapy is discussed alongside its implications for future endeavours in
the field.
R 171 One for all and all for one? A framework for neonatal music therapy
from a German-speaking perspective
Friederike Haslbeck (chair), Monika Nöcker-Ribaupierre, Stephanie Scileppi, Barbara Menke
and Josephine Geipel
Growing interdisciplinary interest in neonatal music therapy has highlighted the question of what
specifically determines best practice within the field. Initial guidelines exist but the challenge of adapting
them to the specific cultural issues and experiences of German-speaking Europe remains.
The Fachkreis Musiktherapie Neonatologie is an association of professional German-speaking neonatal
music therapists that has developed an overall framework utilizing the approaches typical for this region:
(1) recorded maternal voice, (2) live vocal and (3) live instrumental music therapy. The group has
synthesized its members’ diverse clinical expertise with the best available evidence and guidelines in
neonatal music therapy to develop culturally sensitive German guidelines for individualized developmental
neonatal care. The framework being presented includes overall objectives, methods, indications, and
contra-indications for neonatal music therapy, regardless of the specific approach used. It may be
considered as one of several principles to guide everyday clinical decision-making.
Music therapy within the German-speaking region is characterized not only by its cultural musical heritage
but also by unique approaches such as Basal Stimulation, and overall tend to provide a more basal,
condensed and minimalist form that is found in some other parts of the world. Culturally sensitive aspects
such as the reduction of music to a minimum might be particularly attractive for regions which already
embrace neonatal care guidelines of minimal handling. We are looking forward to lively discussions with
the audience about musical heritage, cultural differences and the resulting challenges for neonatal care.
Introduction: In this presentation I discuss the interdisciplinary research context of my ongoing doctoral
research project. There is a consensus that conceptions of work and professions in late modernity are
changing rapidly and going through irreversible transformations. At the same time, appropriate ways to
serve the whole population in the midst of rapid societal changes are being promoted by cross-sectoral
research and practice. This leads, in many fields, including music-related professions, to new views of
professions that emphasize reflection and sensitivity, as well as an enhanced understanding of the
organizational and societal frames of the working environment. This presentation reviews the timely work
of music practitioners, i.e., musicians and music educators, in the Finnish healthcare system, especially in
hospital wards.
Methodology: The methodology in this dissertation by publication calls for a research design involving
social model(s) of health. The lenses of sociology and music education are used to discuss people-centred
practices and policies in addition to the accessibility and equality of healthcare services. The data of this
qualitative study have been collected from an elderly care hospital and a children´s hospital and are
analysed using a narrative, reflexive methodology.
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Discussion: I discuss the advances of interdisciplinary music and health practices, followed by a conceptual
discussion of hybrid professionalism, and professional music making as an integrative, social, and embodied
practice in hospital wards. Points of connection between music education research and practice and the
more established professional practices, such as music therapy, are provided.
Focusing atmosphere in music therapy theory and practice underlines a subject-centered mode of sensual
body-related experience. According to the Atmosphere Concept the patient is being touched and moved by
music in a holistic way (Sonntag, 2013; see also Sonntag, 2016). Being rooted in the biomedical sciences the
concept of Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) on the first sight seems to represent the exact opposite side of
the coin for it refers to the body as an apparatus, where therapeutic musical interventions are designed to
optimize its functions (Thaut & Hömberg, 2014). Despite this epistemological conflict it can be stated that
both approaches are directed to the fundamental physical reality of the human being. The Atmosphere
Concept can be used to deepen the understanding of how the functional NMT techniques affect the
patient’s therapeutic progress. On the other hand NMT aspires towards creating body-related therapeutic
experiences and to understand the physical correlates to subjective experience. The goal of this
presentation is to bring in resonance two ways of speaking about physical subjects - the neuro-scientific
way and the way of contemporary aesthetics.
Sonntag, J. (2013). Demenz und Atmosphäre. Musiktherapie als ästhetische Arbeit. 2nd Edition 2016. Frankfurt:
Mabuse.
Sonntag, J. (2016). Atmosphere – an Aesthetic Concept in Music Therapy with Dementia. Nordic Journal of Music
Therapy, 25 (3), 216-228, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0809813.2015.1056216.
Thaut, M., Hoemberg, V. (Eds.) (2014). Handbook for Neurologic Music Therapy. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
174 Music therapy in pediatric palliative care: a story told in five songs
Tone Leinebø Steinhardt and Julie Mangersnes
The music therapy service at Oslo University Hospital, Norway, support pediatric patients through long and
diverse courses of treatment and disease. One of the clinical populations where music therapy plays a
significant role is with patients diagnosed with Tumor Cerebri. Music therapy has the opportunity to adapt
to the different phases that the patient and the family goes through as they maneuver through the
comprehensive treatment plan (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, various procedures) that this complex
disease entails.
As this diagnose is characterized as a potential life threatening illness, a palliative approach for the music
therapy work is often implemented, emphasizing a resource oriented and holistic approach.
The authors of this paper will present a patient story illustrated by significant songs recorded together with
a patient and her family. The songs may be seen as representations of the family’s hospital journey,
connecting the past, the present and the (unknown) future. Also illustrating the holistic family oriented
approach by a song incorporating the recording of unborn twins siblings heartbeat.
The authors will discuss how music therapy supported this patient through her various phases in her long
term illness. More specifically how each song represents different areas such as: procedural support,
support in the acute phase, preparation for funeral and addressed closure with the underlying importance
of the constant therapeutic relationship.
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Introduction: Preterm infants (PI) demonstrate a high incidence of white and grey matter abnormalities and
neurobehavioral delay. The aim is to explore whether Creative Music Therapy (CMT) might improve brain
development.
Methods: In this prospective, randomized controlled pilot trial (RCT) 81 PI born < 32 weeks of gestational
weeks (GA) were randomized to CMT or standard care. CMT was performed 2-3 times a week for at least
ten sessions during admission. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at term equivalent age
on a 3T Siemens scanner. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was acquired using a pulsed gradient spin echo EPI
sequence with 30 directions. Group differences in the microstructure of the major white matter tracts were
analyzed using Tract-based Spatial Statistics (TBSS).
Results: 51 infants were included in the primary analysis. There was no significant difference in GA at birth,
morbidities and corrected GA at MRI between the two treatment groups. In 40 infants TBBS could be
performed. Fractional anisotropy was higher in some white matter tracts (including the planum temporale)
in PI, which received CMT.
Discussion: First results suggest improved white matter microstructure including the planum temporale,
which is associated with acoustic processing, phonological decoding, and language tasks. To further
elaborate the effect of CMT on brain development resting state fMRI will be analyzed.
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Conclusion: MRI results demonstrate a promising influence of CMT on brain development including areas of
linguistic processing. A multicentre international RCT is being planned to evaluate the neuroprotective
effect of CMT on long-term outcome.
Music Therapy 360° developed, implemented and evaluated a needs-oriented music therapy concept to
improve quality of life for patients, relatives and care workers within geriatric care.
First, a systematic literature search was conducted and needs analyses in two local geriatric facilities was
undertaken to assess the need for music therapy in geriatric care. Based on the results of the systematic
review and the needs analyses, a target group specific, needs-oriented music therapy concept for older
people was developed and implemented in both participating facilities. Six months after implementation
phase 1, an intermediate evaluation was undertaken. According to the results of the intermediate
evaluation, the concept was modified and implemented again. At the end of implementation phase 2, the
final evaluation was completed. The result is a final concept for music therapy with the elderly which is
evaluated in terms of its practical suitability.
For the evaluation, the project comprises a mixed methods design in which data from nursing staff,
geriatric clinic patients, and residents of the nursing home and their relatives were collected using
qualitative interviews as well as self-report questionnaires that reflect quality of life criteria. Additionally,
all participants in each music therapy intervention during implementation 1 and 2 were asked to rate their
wellbeing on a Visual Analog Scale. Based on the evaluation and the practical experiences, a treatment
guideline for music therapy with the elderly has been developed. We are going to present the final music
therapy concept and the final results of this project.
R 181 I feel secure with you: Exploring the role of safety and security within
music therapy education in culturally diverse training contexts
Anita Swanson (chair), Claire Ghetti, Amy Myers and Carol Lotter
Introduction: Music therapy education and training require students to be introspective while relating to
others. Students must be willing to try new approaches and experiences while remaining open to sharing
their thoughts and feelings about such. Naturally, students may embrace vulnerability and challenge more
readily when they feel safe and secure. Educators can promote safety and security in the learning process
by promoting social integration, trust in the environment, predictability, and clear expectations (Holmsen,
2010). When students are seen and heard, receive clear feedback during practice and learning, are offered
time for reflection, and clearly understand expectations, their learning may be enhanced (Holmsen, 2010).
Methods: This roundtable takes a dialogical approach to exploring the concepts of safety and security, and
their relevance within music therapy educational processes. Participants include university educators and
music therapy students from three different cultural perspectives within the United States, Norway, and
South Africa. The participants will critically examine the concepts of safety and security, and through
dialogue, identify ways in which these concepts contribute to student learning and development in the
classroom and in praxis. Aspects of teaching style, learning environment, and interpersonal relation that
foster a sense of safety and security will be discussed, and cultural variations explored.
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Conclusion: To learn and develop as music therapists, students need to feel secure enough to embrace
vulnerability and challenge. Educators who structure the learning environment to promote safety and
security while being mindful of cultural variations can enhance the learning experience for their students.
183 (S 447) Introducing Music Therapy into a Norwegian Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit
Catharina Janner and Tora Söderström Gaden
Around 6000 infants are born with needs that require medical treatment in Norway each year. Though
music therapy (MT) has been offered in pediatric care in Norway for over 20 years, it has not been
implemented in Norwegian NICU’s. Project Interplay is an ongoing project, providing music therapy in the
NICU at Akershus University Hospital over a period of two years. Based on the NICU MT model Rhythm,
Breath, Lullaby (RBL) as well as existing research in the field of NICU MT, the project aims to develop an
approach to NICU MT that is integrated and aligned with the standards of neonatal care in Norway (NNC).
NNC follows the principles of family-centered care (FCC) emphasizing parental participation and
individualized, developmental care for the infant. The Norwegian welfare system allows parents to be
present during the whole course of the infant’s hospitalization, which implicates and enables a strong
emphasis on the family as an entity in NICU MT.
This presentation will focus on the process of introducing NICU MT to a new site. The authors will share
experiences from different phases and aspects of this process, including success factors and challenges.
NICU MT’s place in a Norwegian context will be discussed, followed by recommendations for further
development of the area.
Project Interplay is a collaboration with the Norwegian Premature Association and funded by
Extrastiftelsen.
Clinical population: Men and women under 65 suffering from dementia - an underexposed population in
music therapy research.
Clinical approach: 6 participants with mild to moderate dementia, aged 52-64, received 11 group music
therapy sessions. 2 employees from a dementia care unit were co-participants. Hugo Jensen was the music
therapist. Music preferences were recorded and included in the therapy. After session 8, individual
interviews were made by professor Lars Ole Bonde, with participants and staff members. Songwriting was
included in the last three sessions.
Theoretical background: The study is based on (a) Stern’s theories of pre-verbal subjective formations,
forms of vitality and intersubjectivity (Stern, 2000, 2004, 2010), (b) person-centered dementia care
formulated by Kitwood (1999), (c) communicative musicality (Trevarthen, 2012; Stige & Ridder, 2016), and
(d) Ruud’s model (1990, 1998, 2001; Bonde 2011) of four levels of meaning and function in music
Discussion: It was explored what music therapy could offer - with special focus on the existential crisis
caused by the diagnosis, and before cognitive impairment limited the possibilities of many musical
interventions. Other questions were: Which methods were useful, and at which level? How did the
participants experience the music and musicking?
Conclusion: Sharing of emotions and mirroring in each other and in the music happened verbally and non-
verbally, with great variation in descriptions of thoughts, feelings and body sensations. Some used and
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understood metaphors when discussing lyrics and imagery. The therapy was therefore not only supportive,
but included re-educative and psychodynamic elements.
Objective: Many studies have examined the relational needs of trauma victims in psychotherapy. However,
this topic has received little attention in music therapy research. The current study is the first to focus on
what music therapists working with trauma victims perceive as the clients’ main relational needs that
should be musically addressed to enhance the therapeutic process.
Method: A qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with 41 experienced music therapists working
with trauma victims was conducted to identify themes in their perceptions of the main relational needs of
their clients and how they address them musically.
Results: Three themes appeared concerning relational needs of trauma victims. The first is the need for
recognition. Music was found to provide clients with a sense of recognition of both themselves as
individuals and their unspeakable and repressed traumatic memories and feelings. The second theme is the
need for acceptance, which was also met through engagement in music, thus providing emotional
containment. The third theme is the need for emotional witnessing through music, which was provided by
musical interactions with the therapist, group members or community members.
Conclusions: The contribution of this study is in conceptualizing the term musical validation as a central
relational need and in presenting musical interventions that were found by music therapists working with
trauma victims to enhance validation.
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Clinical Population/problem: While a vast number of research studies focus on music therapy with low
functioning children with autism, where music is used to support pre-verbal communication, sensory
integration and social skills, little is discussed regarding how music is used to address the unique needs of
high functioning children with autism who demonstrate high verbal skills, imagination abilities and some
level of reciprocity, but might show a lack of intimacy and attachment. We believe that the clinical goals
and the interventions can be different in the music therapeutic process comparing low and high functioning
children with autism.
Clinical approach: Clinical improvisation, interactive musical play, songwriting, and the use of familiar songs
have been identified as techniques used by music therapists working with children with autism. Do these
techniques apply also for the high-functioning children, or should we explore additional or different ways to
use music within music therapy sessions?
Cases: Case examples will be presented using video and audio vignettes from the therapy room,
emphasizing the musical connection being woven between the music therapist and the child, who
sometimes will use music as a 'second language'. Parents or peers may also be involved in the treatment.
Discussion: This round table includes four music therapists from different countries, who have profound
clinical and research experience working with high-functioning children with autism. They will share their
understandings regarding clinical practice and theoretical perspectives, focusing on the role of music and
the role of the music therapist with this unique group of children.
Background: The editors of the German scientific journal "Musiktherapeutische Umschau" (MU) invite
authors, potential authors, reviewers and editors of other journals, as well as interested readership, to
learn about the MU publishing process and partake in a discussion forum.
Objective: We will introduce editorial board work providing information regarding the scope of the journal.
Different publication formats will be presented. Our goal is to encourage interested scientists and
practitioners in publishing research articles, clinical reports and case studies which are accessible to the
greater music therapy community.
Methods: Presentations, practical work in small groups, discussions.
Results: Participants will find answers to the following questions: What is the profile of the journal and
which types of articles are accepted? What to do before starting to write? What are the various
requirements for different publication formats (e.g. original work, document)? What is involved in the
process of initial manuscript submission to the final publication of an article (e.g. peer review)? What can I
do to improve my manuscript and increase chances of getting published?
Conclusions: Research needs a vision, writing is a mission!
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R 194 Music therapy for major depression and late life depression –
outcomes, neuroscience and theoretical models
Thomas Wosch (chair), Jörg Fachner, Jaakko Erkkilä and Jasmin Eickholt
For treatment of major depression (MD), late-life-depression (LLD) and dementia, regulation and control of
emotions is of vital interest. An upcoming CATRU systematic review (Australia, USA, Germany) of studies on
creative arts interventions including music therapy (MT) for people with LLD examined: outcomes and
processes of change in each modality. Mechanisms of change include physical, intra-personal (e.g. positive
views of self; communication and processing of emotions), cultural (e.g. aesthetic pleasure), cognitive
(stimulation of memory) and social.
Impact studies, investigations on emotion perception, neuroscience and biomarker studies of MT processes
and effectiveness are focusing on change of psychometric values, physiological responses and emotion bias
in MD. Particularly frontal activities in MD for the regulation or control of emotions in MT and treating
negative valence of discrete emotions are promising areas of research.
In an ongoing research Improvisational integrative music therapy (IIMT) is extended with listening back to
improvisation and physical synchronization in breathing to improve to process negative emotions in MD-
treatment.
Therapeutic songwriting (TSW) within Positive Psychology (PP) supports people with depression to express
themselves, release stress and cope with the experiences they encounter in their lives. PP has emerged as
an effective intervention for depression. TSW-PP works with positive emotion and cognition, gratefulness
and signature strengths. It aims to decrease depressive symptoms, improve quality of life and psychosocial
flourishing. Different mechanisms, such like listening to preferred music and the positive connection
between the song and experience support this process.
The people who receive music therapy and its benefits are not always the ones who pay for it. Therefore, as
a profession our therapy messages need to resonant beyond the therapy spaces we work in, and into wider
professional fields. We have to create ways of inspiring financial directors as well as medical directors
about music therapy.
This workshop seeks to build on participant’s natural abilities to engage and enroll people in conversations
and presentations about music therapy, in clinical and non-clinical (sales) settings. Through a series of
engaging hands-on exercises, participants will further develop their ability to translate a music therapist’s
view of the profession and its aims and outcomes, into the language of our “customers” whether they are
clients, teachers, medical staff or budget holders.
Learning Outcomes:
The workshop has 5 learning outcomes, and a range of “top tips” to support putting the workshop themes,
ideas and discussion points into practice. The main learning outcomes are:
• Increased confidence when giving presentations
• Using assessments and cost/benefit analysis within marketing
• How social media can engage and promote the profession
• “It’s about them, not about me” - Learning about talking the language of the listener
• Using core therapeutic competences such as improvisation, resilience and attunement to enhance
presentations
We hope this workshop will engage, challenge and develop participants’ range of tools, and enable music
therapy to resonant across an increased field of clinical contexts."
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This paper has its background in an ongoing PhD study of music therapy services in Norway that evidently
have been successfully integrated in the organization that provides them.
The research project is designed as a qualitative comparative case study. The cases are four music therapy
services in Norway. Main inclusion criteria have been that the music therapy service has lasted for more
than ten years, that there has been a change in the staff over the years and that the cases represent
different areas of practice. Primary data are qualitative interviews with music therapists and their
managers.
Preliminary results of the data analysis indicate that music therapy is a discipline and profession that fights
its battles to gain recognition, despite of being successfully implemented and integrated in organizational
structures and systems.
The point of departure in this paper is on how the music therapists fight their professional battles in the
organizations, and how these battles can be understood in an organizational perspective. The discussion
will be based on concepts such as institutional work, cultural entrepreneurship and institutional logics.
199 (S 441) One size does not fit all: cultural considerations in adapting and
modifying a music as therapy training programme for Palestinian
educators and healthcare workers
Elizabeth Coombes, Alexia Quin and Fabienne Van Eck
Music as Therapy International began its life in Romania in 1995, responding to a locally identified need for
staff training in the therapeutic use of music, described here as 'music as therapy'. In 2009, the work spread
to Palestine (Coombes & Tombs-Katz 2015) and subsequently, in 2015, a Blended Learning Programme
(BLP) was developed there in partnership with Musicians Without Borders (MWB).
Training Focus: When adapting the BLP for this setting, the learning materials and assignments needed to
resonate with the societal, cultural and educational needs of those receiving the training. The population
with whom they were to use music as therapy needed consideration also (Stige 2002). Careful attention
therefore needs to be given to the theoretical underpinning, music making and activity content, and
teaching methods of any such programme.
Discussion: We will discuss how the programme was devised and how it continues to evolve. We will also
interrogate evaluation processes and describe how MWB fits into the whole (Van Eck 2015). Trainee
perspectives from learning to practice will also be shared. A critical discussion of the whole will be
explored through different lenses offered by the charity director, a music therapist delivering the training,
and a MWB service manager from Palestine and former music as therapy trainee.
Conclusion: With this presentation, we will offer a model of music as therapy training and evaluation
adapted to one specific cultural context. This may be a starting point for the development of other such
programmes tailored to different cultural contexts.
An EMTC working group established to address the experiences of music therapists attempting to
collaborate with other arts therapies discovered both challenges and success stories in this area.
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This round table aims to explore the variety of experience around Europe, identifying both
the benefits and challenges of collaborating across the creative arts therapies. Examples of effective
collaboration and the factors which facilitate this will be shared, as well as specific problems and potential
solutions. Results of an initial survey conducted by the EMTC working group will serve as a stimulus for
discussion, including data about separate and combined arts therapies associations and training
programmes in each country and country representatives' perceptions of the relationships between them.
Consideration will also be given to political aspects of this issue relating to recognition and regulation of
music therapy and other arts therapies; how can collaboration help or hinder negotiation with
governments and regulatory authorities?
Background: This roundtable will explore a spectrum of approaches for music therapy and autism from the
perspective of practitioners in the UK, all of whom have contributed to a forthcoming publication (Dunn,
Coombes, Maclean, Mottram and Nugent 2019). The tension and resonance between evidence-based
practice and practice-based evidence will form the lens through which this exploration takes place.
Objectives: To foster debate regarding how aspects of practice may influence the way we develop a body of
evidence supporting work with this population.
Content: As demands for evidence-based practice continue to encourage positivistic research, there may
be a tendency to overlook the diversity of approaches with this population. From each of their
perspectives, the panel will provide research and practice-based insights into their experiences of working
with this client population. The diversity of approaches and thinking offered will provide the opportunity
for a relevant discourse in this field of practice.
Discussion: Does the need for large RCT trials (Geretsegger et al. 2014, Crawford et al. 2017) mean that we
are in danger of losing the richness of the diversity of approaches needed with people with Autistic
Spectrum Conditions?
Are there times when we strive to change the person with autism rather than impacting society’s view of
the condition?
How does collaborative and transdiscplinary working link with the development of an evidence base?
Conclusion: The chair will sum up key points arising from the discussion, leading to suggestions for future
thinking and developments in this clinical area.
Background: There is currently an increasing demand for strong, user-led orientations in designing music
therapy programs and conducting music therapy research. When Stige and McFerran (2016) argue “that
the discipline of music therapy has not reached its potential as a critical discipline“ (p.434), they refer to the
limited extent of participatory designs in music therapy research worldwide.
Objectives: The potential for participatory research approaches in music therapy have not yet been
achieved and more dialogue is required to stimulate further activity. Examples of how participatory
research has been conducted and what has been achieved from these experiences may provide inspiration
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for those who are interested but are discouraged for various reasons. While some perceive the challenges
of collaborative research as barriers, we see them as opportunities.
Content: Each presenter will share an example of participatory approaches from various fields and areas
including: short-term foster families / child welfare, adolescents in schools, ex-inmates / mental health
care, elderly people / dementia. We will compare underlying historical, societal or philosophical traditions
and influences (e.g. emancipatory vs. pragmatic focus), along with the difficulties of enacting such an
idealistic research model. We will also consider how being an outsider to the community where the
research happens is an important factor when considering the individual needs and interests within a
democratic process.
Stige, B., & McFerran, K. (2016). Action Research. In B. Wheeler, & K.M. Murphy (Eds.), Music Therapy Research (3rd
edition) (pp. 429–440). Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
The music therapist’s subjectivity within resonant intersubjective relating with clients is seldom examined
yet plays a “significant role in the co-construction of any therapeutic trajectory” (Kuchuck 2014). If
resonating relationships are vital for providing intersubjective “fit” we must “examine ontological theories
of both clients and therapist’s states within the therapeutic encounter”. (Driver 2013).
The author of this paper has “lived experience” of adoption community. Professionals working within this
community are in fact desired and even required to have “lived experience” of adoption, and the author
has been an adoption service user/therapist/adoption panel member/researcher and author. (‘Lived
experience’ is a qualitative research term for the representation of a subject’s human experiences). In this
paper however she challenges assumptions that any lived experience is valuable/useful. Music therapists
undergo therapy ourselves to become self-aware of potentially unhelpful resonances with clients because
clients with similar emotional wounds might arouse “personal identification during intersubjectivity which
carry potential for un-self-aware enactments” (Driver 2013). Therapeutic resonances must be explored to
safeguard against this.
Music provides “empathic unconscious emotional resonances” (De Waal 2012) existing at neurobiological,
social and cultural levels. These can provide potential for fertile, creative change, or become dangerous
places of enmeshment. This paper considers how to avoid “pitfalls of enactment” (Marks-Tarlow 2008),
capitalising instead on strengths of resonant dynamics. It draws on the authors PhD exploring micro-
moments of attunement with adoptees, and how relational resonance experienced in music therapies
embodied empathic interactions can become part of a process of “shared communicative musical
attunement”. (Norcross 2011).
The communicative, connecting and dialogic characteristics of CoMT are very relevant to the Israeli society.
This practice may serve as a valuable resource in meeting various national challenges: either processes of
inclusion in education and health, or other challenges, connected with the country's multinational and
multicultural conditions.
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Since 2014 the Levinsky Music Therapy training program includes a CoMT course, meaning to afford our
students experience the significance of health-musicking, and its special contributions within social and
communal contexts. Our students implement CoMT practices with diverse target-groups: at mental health
facilities, with Holocaust survivors and at-risk youth, for rather short-term experiences of a single academic
year.
This course was found a demanding task both for the students, and coordinator: Understanding the needs
of a community, the appropriate ways of musicking with a collaborative, equal manner, learning to
negotiate community needs and terms, facilitating authentic processes of empowerment, self-agency, and,
tending for more sublime, unheard voices – this complex learning process demanded a great deal of
attention and development.
This poster exhibits the process and outcomes of our CoMT course. It adheres to some implications for
further training and practice. Two forms of outcome portray the experience and learning gained: the
tangible musical outcome, as well as excerpts from the students' collaborative papers, integrating
reflections on their process with updated CoMT theory.
Training focus: Doing PhD research in music therapy is one of the options for professional development for
music therapists who wish to deeply and thoroughly investigate a phenomenon within the various areas of
treatment fields. The Doctoral Program for Music Therapy at Aalborg University offers a unique model for
international researchers and is one of the leading PhD programs in the world.
Problems/Challenges: Aside from the challenges inherent in the process of becoming an independent
researcher, the PhD students in this program cope with other similar challenges. These include:
methodological challenges connected to the types of research; maintaining a long-distance
process/relationship with their supervisors; cross-cultural aspects; conducting the research in their native
language, but then writing the dissertation in English; and facing un-certainty regarding their future
academic career.
Learning Model: The unique learning model brings together PhD researchers from all over the world, who
are chosen based on an excellent research plan and conduct their studies through a fellowship or a
scholarship position. The PhD courses are conducted in a collaborative problem-solving model by which
PhD researchers present the current status of their research project, are queried by their peers, and then
by their supervisors and other professionals.
Discussion: Six researchers who gained their PhDs within this program will present their unique
professional journeys – from the stage of being a PhD student up until today. Challenges will be explored
and discussed through their personal experiences, emphasizing the role of the program within each and
every story.
W 208 Soul Song Circles: Vocal Improvisation, Sound, and Song in Inclusive
Group Therapy
Virginia Schenck and Virginia Schenck
This workshop provides participatory experience of singing and sound through vocal improvisation for
people of various levels of singing experience. Collective and individual singing allow for resonance with
oneself, others, and the world. Music therapists can benefit from bringing improvisatory singing into their
clinical and self-care practices. Emphasis here will be on stretching the bounds of group singing, growing in
spontaneous creativity, and exploring the applicability to diverse music therapy practices.
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Attendees will learn vocal improvisation games and techniques (McFerrin, 2007, 2008, 2012), explore group
sound, and create CircleSongs together. Therapeutic objectives and applications will be addressed, such as:
development of intra-personal aspect of self, increased self-esteem, increased self-expression, increased
self-expression and communication skills, increased group cohesion, increased body awareness, exploration
of group dynamics, increased interpersonal skills, development of leisure time activity, increased listening
skills, and enhanced creative expression.
Therapist draws from transpersonal and person-centered psychology to achieve her overarching goal of
facilitating individual development, accessing essential components of the self, and stimulating intellectual
and emotional growth through music.
The workshop will begin with experientials and conclude with discussion of clinical and self- care
applications. Participants will learn and experience various improvisational games developed by McFerrin
(2007, 2008, 2012) and Rhiannon (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014) as well as CircleSongs (McFerrin,
2007) the improvisatory polyphonic choral compositional style developed by master improviser, Bobby
McFerrin. Bring your voice, your creativity, and a sense of openness to the emergent!
This presentation focuses on different aspects of Music Therapy (MT) in a rehabilitation hospital. Over the
last decades MT has been established as a discipline in the area of neurological and physical rehabilitation,
offering a variety of interventions, applications and approaches, to address physical, cognitive,
communicative, social and emotional impairments (Baker & Tamplin, 2006; Magee & Stewart, 2015;
Schmid, 2014; Thaut & Hoemberg, 2014).
Reuth Rehabilitation Hospital, one of the leading rehabilitation centers in Israel, consists of specialized
rehabilitation departments addressing Neurology, Orthopedic, Geriatric and Respiratory issues. Many
patients at the hospital receive MT on a weekly basis. The variety of types of patients, as well as tight MT
schedules, create a situation in which the music therapist’s fast and striking transitions call for different MT
approaches, MT goals, the use of MT techniques, as well as varied collaboration with clinicians from other
disciplines. This presentation raises the question: From the music therapist perspective, what do all these
MT treatments, in spite of these numerous differences, have in common?
Through a few video case vignettes showing some of my MT work with patients in Reuth Rehabilitation
Hospital, I will demonstrate how, alongside the patient’s main rehabilitation goals (physical, lingual,
emotional, cognitive etc.), there is always present the emotional dimension within the therapeutic
relationship. This emotional dimension will be presented within the context of the intersubjective theory
(Malloch & Trevarthen, 2009; Stern, 1985), emphasizing communicative musicality and affect attunement,
defining MT from other disciplines within a rehabilitation hospital setting.
This workshop is for delegates who are beginning to write and develop their identity as authors. To increase
its impact, the profession of music therapy must continue to develop knowledge and practice through
published discourse, and therefore must encourage new writers. This workshop will encourage powerful,
meaningful writing with lasting resonance for readers within and outside the music therapy community.
Through a relaxed workshop environment (Lindvang et al 2018), Tessa will guide delegates beginning their
writing journey. Delegates will explore their identity as authors and their relationship with writing,
including acknowledgement of ‘puzzlement’ (Rogers, 1983) and of the complex emotions experienced
during the writing process (Epstein et al 2005). Tessa will present ideas about conceptualising, structuring
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and editing writing, including information about peer review (Kaiser 2016). Through short writing exercises
the group will explore strategic delay (Ozer et al 2014) and obstacles to writing. There will be time for
writing and reflection and the idea of writing as a creative experience will be at the heart of the workshop.
Delegates will make plans to continue and develop their writing, and will be encouraged to develop a
writing community for support. This workshop is for delegates who are new to writing: it is not for
experienced, published authors.
Theoretical model: Parents who have experienced childhood abuse often struggle with interpersonal
functioning, which may influence their emotional/autonomic regulation during conflict with their
adolescent. Based on research literature, a theoretical model was proposed to support therapeutic
intervention that focuses on using a combination of ‘top down’ (i.e. psycho-education) and ‘bottom-up’
(i.e. using music to work directly with nonverbal/autonomic processes) approaches within a systemic
framework in order to facilitate change in dyads’ functioning during conflict interaction.
Method: In order to test the model, 26 parent-adolescent dyads were recruited from adolescent mental
health and family services where parents had a trauma history and the dyad were currently experiencing
high levels of conflict in their relationship. Dyads were randomly allocated into a music therapy
intervention or wait-list control and completed questionnaires and observational assessment at baseline
and 4-month post-baseline follow-up. Those allocated to the intervention condition participated in 8 music
therapy sessions.
Results: Post-intervention dyads reported significantly reduced conflict, and parents were significantly less
reactive and more responsive during conflict interaction. Dyads were more emotionally regulated,
predictable and consistent during conflict compared with controls. Parents’ emotion socialisation practises
and adolescents’ mental health did not significantly improve.
Discussion: Findings partially support the proposed theoretical model, and suggest that modifications may
be required, which include detailed consideration of non-linear and multidirectional interactions between
parents’ and adolescents’ intra/interpersonal cognitive, emotional and autonomic processes during
conflict.
Conclusion: This research has provided preliminary information, which may inform further refinement of
the proposed model, future research and intervention development.
Music, arts, and music psychotherapy are recommended in the recent Finnish mental health care guidance
of refugees. In this presentation, the recommended practices by the PALOMA, a national project on
developing mental health actions for refugees with children, adolescents and adults are introduced
(Castaneda, Mäki-Opas, Jokela, Kivi, Lähteenmäki, Miettinen et al. 2018). Mental health work and
psychotherapy concepts such as cultural sensitivity, resilience, vicarious traumatisation, empathy fatigue,
transference and transfer with traumatized refugees are discussed. Music therapy may help in expressing
emotions and finding words to traumas with refugees among other psychotherapy approaches funded by
Kela (The Social Insurance Institution of Finland). Increasing the possibilities to use music, art therapy and
other creative methods as non-verbal approaches are recommended. Music psychotherapy methods such
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as projective music listening, where associations, imagery, and memories relating to music are applied, and
clinical improvisation with verbal psychotherapy of trauma are mentioned as possible treatments. The
method of cultural dialogue with music in therapy, education, society, and conflict solution is described in
the different levels of mental health care system, including education, social work and the special medical
rehabilitation. (Alanne, 2010.)
Alanne, S. (2010). Music Psychotherapy with Refugee Survivors of Torture. Interpretations of Three Clinical Case
Studies. Sibelius Academy. Studia Musica 44.
Castaneda, A.E., Mäki-Opas, J, Jokela, S., Kivi, N., Lähteenmäki, M., Miettinen, T, Nieminen, S., Santalahti, P. &
PALOMA Expert Group (2018). Supporting Refugees` Mental Health in Finland. PALOMA Handbook. Guidance,
5/2018. Publications of the National Institute for Health and Welfare.
Music therapy, music medicine and other music approaches are developing as an integrated part of
children’s hospitals in the Nordic countries. There is a growing interest in the field, both among politicians
and health care professionals. Following this development, the Centre for Research in Music and Health
(CREMAH) at the Norwegian Academy of Music will publish a special issue called “Music in Paediatric
Hospitals in the Nordic Countries”. This special issue is planned as the first issue of the new, peer reviewed
and open-access e-journal – Journal of Music, Health and Wellbeing – to be launched by CREMAH during
2019.
In this roundtable, the editors of the journal and the special issue will first present the new e-journal and
introduce the theme “Music in Paediatric Hospitals in the Nordic Countries”. The main part of the
roundtable will consist of presentations of articles that have been accepted for publication in the special
issue. This will include a range of topics, covering both theory, practice and research in the field of
paediatric hospitals, written by authors from across the Nordic countries. After each presentation, there is
room for questions and discussions engaging the audience.
Our ongoing research effort is titled, “The impact of vocal re-creative engagement on nutritional intake of
individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: A multi-site repeated measures study.”
Residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are continually at risk for
malnourishment due to the degenerative nature of these diseases (Amella, Grant, & Mulloy, 2008).
Identifying non-pharmacological strategies to support nutritional goals for residents with ADRD is an urgent
concern (Aselage & Amella, 2009). Therapists have explored the importance of music therapy for persons
with ADRD to support various aspects of quality of life including behavioral and psychological well-being
along with enhanced sense of self-identity and interpersonal “connectedness” (Dermott, Orrell, & Ridder,
2014) and decreasing the common occurrence of agitation (Ridder, Stige, Qvale, & Gold, 2013). Residents
with ADRD, many of whom lack language and ability to initiate healthy interpersonal connections, resonate
with familiar music/songs when engaged in singing by a music therapist. We drew upon the concept of
singing as a regulatory function, soothing those who are agitated while enhancing arousal in those with
lethargy (Aldridge, 2007; Ridder & Aldridge, 2005) toward preparing residents with ADRD to successfully
engage in eating during mealtime. Our study has highlighted the importance of the unfolding form of the
client-therapist inter-musical relationship—a key field of resonance that is often still available to individuals
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with ADRD—as nurtured through various musical techniques of engagement (Bruscia, 1987) to help foster
and deepen the interpersonal relationship, stimulate self-awareness, and enhance agency for taking in
adequate nutrition.
The poster presents the long term experience of the author with teaching music therapy for students of
medicine at the 1st Faculty of Medicine at Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague. The
lectures are given in the 5th year of studies and they are a part of a one-week internship at the Department
of Rehabilitation.
With regard to the fact that this is a unique opportunity to acquaint future medical doctors with the field of
music therapy, the lectures introduce the subject with the focus on its application in rehabilitation and
neurorehabilitation. The lectures include following specific patients with ABI in the music therapy process.
Based on the feedback of graduates and practising medical doctors, the lectures contribute to a substantial
shift in the perception of music therapy by professional medical staff.
Introduction: Ethical dissonance can be understood as the tension that arises from an inconsistency
between one’s values, beliefs, and moral stance, and one’s thoughts or behavior in a given situation. In
their everyday professional life, music therapists are frequently confronted with decisions that raise ethical
questions, and that may lead to ethical dissonance. This is in part due to current medical advancements
relating to existential questions regarding the beginning, the end, and the meaning of life, e.g., in
neonatology, mental health, neurology, or palliative care. Ethical problems include conflicts of interest
regarding emotional, economic, and legal issues or questions concerning the autonomy of clients. However,
the use of music per se within therapy settings might bring up ethical questions.
Aims: In this workshop, we will discuss how to identify ethical issues, how to address ethical questions, and
how to respond to ethical dissonance and dilemmas by applying a decision-making model.
Content/Activities: A decision-making model to address ethical question will be presented (after Dileo,
modified by Weymann & Stegemann). Following the scheme of the model, we will elaborate and discuss in
group work vignettes from music therapy practice. Participants will also have the opportunity to present
examples from their work. In the end, there will be time for questions and discussion.
Identity is looked at as a personal process of construction: „Who am I in a social world, which dramatically
changes under the conditions of individualization, pluralization and globalization?“ (Keupp, 2008).
A „young“ profession like music therapy responding to this changing social realities, needs to develop a
professional identity. Being part of institutional processes within the professional organisations and the
social and healthcare system a stable and flexible identity as a music therapist is required.
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The idea to investigate the identity of music therapists has been developed within a cooperation between
Israeli and German music therapy professionals, being engaged in the music therapy degree courses in their
countries.
Questions and Focus: What is a music therapist? What is his/her position within the arena of (healthcare-
)professions? Where is the place for (the role of) music therapy within the present societies of Israel and
Germany?
The focus of the investigation will be the individual music therapist – in discourse with colleagues in either
countries. The intercultural comparison will sharpen the understandings.
Method: Grounded Theory Research, Intercultural approach
Results: Results of the first phase of the project will be presented: the development of a common research
process and the developing process of our first categories.
Discussion and Conclusion:
There is a specific challenge: creating a common identity as a research team while investigating the identity
as a music therapist.
This presentation highlights case study findings examining brain behavior during two different music
interventions for chronic pain: listening to commercially-recorded music (preferred music), and listening to
personalized, improvised soundscapes to match and then modulate the pain experience (entrainment, as
developed by Dileo and Bradt, 1999). To study this process in-depth we conducted a mixed method case
study approach on three clinical cases.
This report focuses on the second of two phases of a study on effectiveness of music entrainment versus
preferred music on chronic pain. Three eligible patients who had participated in the first phase of the study
were recruited three months post-intervention for follow-up EEG studies using recordings of the music
interventions from the first phase of this project. We conducted a detailed single case analysis to compare
all conditions, and a group comparison of the healing portion of the entrainment condition versus preferred
music condition.
The single case analysis indicated both subjective pain relief and corresponding power changes in cortical
regions for both interventions, and additional subcortical involvement during the entrainment intervention.
Though each patient experienced unique responses to both interventions, group-wide analysis showed
common brain responses to personalized entrainment-healing music in theta and low beta range in right
pre- and post-central gyrus. Comparison of changes for entrainment versus preferred music indicated
involvement of somatosensory processing unique to the entrainment intervention. These results may
depict neural processes associated with active coping for pain.
Multidisciplinary approaches to managing chronic pain and its comorbidities have been shown to be more
beneficial compared to standard pharmacological care alone, perhaps due to both the physical and
psychological aspects thereof being addressed. Vibroacoustic treatment – low frequency sinusoidal sound
vibration (20-120Hz), music listening, and therapeutic interaction – is beneficial in managing patients’ pain
and comorbid mood symptoms. This treatment involves bodily resonance with sound vibration and
patients experience a deep state of relaxation through the combined bodily and auditory music stimuli. This
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presentation affords an overview of an operational model developed based on two studies conducted with
patients at a multidisciplinary rehabilitation unit. These studies were conducted to ascertain the effects of
applying Vibroacousticf treatment with an additional self-care phase for managing chronic pain and
comorbid depression and anxiety. Patients’ and practitioner’s reports (diaries, clinical notes) and scales
measuring pain, depression, and anxiety, and physiological outcomes (Heart Rate Variability, Skin
Conductance, Respiration) were used to explore the addition of a self-care intervention to Vibroacoustic
treatment in a naturalistic setting. In Study 1, patients experienced pain and mood relief from the hospital
sessions, with the self-care phase showing the potential to prolong these positive outcomes. In Study 2,
patients experienced relief from both the hospital and self-care sessions, with effects also on stress and
relaxation. In both studies, the outcomes from self-care were weaker compared to those with the
practitioner, as the self-care device used is relatively small. When patients received no treatments at all,
patients’ conditions deteriorated.
Research shows that music activities help people with acquired brain injury to improve quality of life.
Music activities may support speech, motor function, memory and increase satisfaction in a social context.
It is common practice in Denmark for people with acquired brain injury to live in their own home after
leaving the hospital. In the law Lov om social service (LBK nr 1270, 2016) it is possible to get support in
different ways for example §85 housing assistance and §104 activity and social interaction. The aim of the
study is to explore how music activities are included in this context.
The methodological approach is Action research. Data collection is conducted in cooperation with
professional staff in Denmark call ´Socialpædagoger´ (social workers/social educator/…) and residents of
rehabilitation facilities from a municipality in Denmark.
On my way to coding the data I´ve found categories showing positive expressions from the residents and
the social workers/educators/.... One category include where music was NOT included. The poster present
an educational issue to support this effort.
Stenderup & Jensen (2018). Musik og meningsfuldhed hos mennesker med hjerneskade i Socialpædagogik 2 – 2018,
side 24-37.
Stenderup & Ridder. Musikalske samhandlinger som socialpædagogisk intention hos mennesker med erhvervet
hjerneskade.
Introduction: Cancer patients are often in the need of psycho-oncological support. Grounded Theory
studies can enrich our knowledge on how cancer patients could profit from music therapy (O´Callaghan &
Magill, 2009; O´Callaghan, 2008; Bonde, 2007). Therefore the author‘s ongoing research process aims at
contributing a Grounded Theory approach for music therapy with adult cancer patients in an outpatient
psycho-oncological context.
In the field of qualitative research resonance is described as a helpful tool (Matthiesen et al., 2018).
The Grounded Theory Method can be experienced as being rich of resonance seeking methodological steps
which promote theoretical sensitivity to discover the meaning of resonance for cancer patients.
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Method: A Grounded Theory approach (Corbin & Strauss, 2008; Breuer et al., 2018) is used for this
research. Inherent methodological steps and interview-based codings are reflected under the perspective
of resonance.
Results: Interpersonal interaction in the field, theoretical sampling, conducting interviews and developing
interpretations being grounded in the data are described as resonance related steps in the research
process. This researchers perspective is linked to the development of concepts of resonance and their
meaning for cancer patients. This is an intermediate step in the whole process of building a grounded
theory.
Discussion and Conclusion: The importance of resonance within the research field is discussed and the need
of self-reflexivity is pointed out. The considerations about the meaning of resonance for cancer patients
inspire further analytical steps and findings.
Introduction: In recent years, an increasing interest of music therapists in parent-infant work has led to
various early intervention approaches. This paper will focus on the particular importance of attachment
theories for working with families in an early childhood music therapy setting. The issue has grown in
importance in light of recent attachment research findings and the resulting possibilities to share and
discuss this new focus across the field in attachment based therapy training.
Methods: This paper gives a brief overview of the current literature and research, combining music therapy
approaches with attachment theory. Furthermore, a concept for an attachment-based music therapy
setting for vulnerable families will be introduced. In this short-term music therapy setting, evaluated within
a pilot study, the infant and his/her caregiver attend weekly music therapy sessions, each of them
videotaped and accompanied by parent counselling. The main purpose of this resource-oriented
therapeutic work is to reinforce sensitive attunement of the parental behavior to the infant´s signals and
needs.
Results: The evaluation of this concept is part of a PhD-project at the University of Music and Performing
Arts Vienna. Results of an ongoing pilot-study indicate that attachment-based music therapy facilitates
positive emotional exchanges between parent and infant fostering attachment behaviors.
Discussion and Conclusion: Working in close collaboration with parents by using accompanying counselling
supports them to unfold their self-reflective capabilities and is of particular importance for the success of
therapy. Possible application areas and limitations of this concept will be discussed.
Clinical population/problem (reason for focus): In the presentation, the author will demonstrate practical
applications of music therapy as a therapy which supports the expression of the self, the need of self-
realization, the need to develop relations in a group of women who have some emotional difficulties, some
trauma experiences and feelings of fear, confusion or being overwhelmed.
Clinical approach: The main approach is based on humanistic approach and musical psychotherapy. Music
is a type of a metaphor which is connected with barriers and difficulties in women’s life. Musical form
allows them to develop themselves, gives them the space for self-expression and the way of self-knowing.
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Theoretical background: The theoretical background is based on Vocal Psychotherapy (Austin 2008) and
Community Music Therapy (Stige 2016) where mutual experiences of musicality in the group highly
integrate women, give them support and gradually help them deal with their emotions and experiences.
Case: The aim of music therapy in a group is a mutual experience of musicality in the group, the
development of the self, the discovery of the self by means of musical activity and a broadly defined
development of social, emotional skills.
Discussion: The poster presents some clinical ways of the work with women facing emotional problems and
it indicates that music can be a powerful therapeutic experience.
Conclusion: Women’s Musical Circle allows women to discover the cause of their problems and by means of
music find the sense of their identity and gradually improve their quality of life.
The auditory environment in indoor health settings is often experienced as very noisy and unpleasant,
causing stress, agitation and dissatisfaction. Noise is typically defined as unwanted sound. It is only recently
that the effects of noise have been addressed within hospital and related health contexts. Solutions to
noise problems are complex and challenging, and music has been used to address noise in this indoor
environment. Decision-making about the delivery of the music (open air, headphones, use of technology)
typically impacts choices about the process and development of the music to be used, leading to a wide
range of applied solutions. This Roundtable presents a number of projects aimed at improving the auditory
environment in the indoor health setting, outlining the design, decision-making and research results from
each project. Questions are then opened to the attendees, with discussion moderated by the Chair of this
roundtable.
Outline of the Roundtable Content:
Overview from Chair
Presenter 1: Alison Short: Using individual music to address noise stress in emergency care
Presenter 2: Eckhard Weymann and Pia Preissler: Using Musical Soundscape Interventions (MSI) to
change the environment in cardiac and emergency waiting rooms
Presenter 3: Helle Nystrup Lund and Lars Rye Bertelsen: Developing and implementing the Music
Star app in psychiatry.
Presenter 4: Jan Sonntag: The Atmosphere Concept in Dementia Care
Presenter 5: Katharina Nowack: The influences of sounds and sound levels in nursing homes on
residents' well-being
235 (S 449) "Don’t change me, make me stronger" - Music therapy to enhance
resilience in children with autism spectrum disorder
Laura Blauth
Introduction: This presentation focuses on the results of a PhD investigation into the effects of music
therapy and parent counselling on resilience in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Music
therapy with children with ASD is a well-documented and established area of work. However, the findings
of the recent international RCT study TIME-A do not support the use of music therapy for symptom
reduction in children with ASD. Nevertheless, it is controversial whether symptom reduction is an
appropriate treatment aim in the first place. Rather, treatment effectiveness might be better measured
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against improved resilience in children with ASD and their families. Music therapy seems well suited to
strengthen resilience factors but this potential has not been sufficiently explored yet.
Methods: Thirteen children (4-7 years) with ASD received individual music therapy sessions for five months.
In addition, caregivers were offered three parent counselling sessions each. Changes in child behaviours
indicative of resilience were measured using time-sampling video analysis. For statistical analyses,
generalised linear mixed models were employed. Views of caregivers were evaluated using thematic
analysis.
Results: Over the course of the intervention, resilience indicating child behaviours significantly increased,
including self-expression, initiating interactions, and attention sharing. Parents felt empowered, were more
able to recognise their child’s strengths, and reported improved child wellbeing.
Discussion: This study provides preliminary support for the use of music therapy to enhance resilience in
children with ASD and their families. The importance of explicitly articulating resilience as a treatment aim
and the resulting implications for research will be discussed.
Many young people rely on music to guide them through the good and bad times of their lives. Whether
immersing themselves in music to help process emotions or creating music as a means of self-expression, it
provides a powerful outlet that can help young people navigate the turbulence of adolescence.
The complex relationship between music, adolescents and wellbeing can be divided into many categories.
In this presentation we will use the structure of our forthcoming Oxford University Press Handbook to
address the topics of how music can be used for processing emotions, performing identity and being
connected. We will share descriptions from authors from around the globe to engage these themes and
present brief case narratives that integrate diverse practices with adolescents, as well as the theoretical
frameworks that inform them.
We will then draw these themes together to highlight current issues facing music therapists who practice
with young people in schools, hospitals and community contexts. The integration of new technologies will
be centralised and the importance of critical thinking will be highlighted.
237 When and where is music therapy necessary in dementia care and old
age psychiatry?
Tone Sæther Kvamme and Solgunn E. Knardal
Music therapists are capable of doing a lot of varied activities and interventions both in direct and indirect
music therapy (Ruud, 2017) But they need to increase their conscience about where and when music
therapy services are absolutely needed. In the area of dementia care and old age psychiatry there are an
increase of people within other professions that apply music in their work. Why bother to employ a music
therapist, when other professionals and volunteers can offer different music activities cheaper? What are
the differences between different approaches, for instance music based environmental treatment and
music therapy? (Håpnes & Rangul, 2018; Stedje, Engen, & Golubovic, 2018) This paper will address these
questions and propose some core areas where music therapy is needed. Different examples from music
therapy practice within dementia care and old age psychiatry will be presented (Knardal 2018, in press),
(Kvamme, work in progress) We will also suggest areas that needs to be addressed in research.
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Håpnes, O., & Rangul, V. (2018). Debattinnlegg: Musikkbasert miljøbehandling gir nye musikalske verktøy for
helsearbeiderne. forskning.no. https://forskning.no/meninger/debattinnlegg/2018/02/musikkbasert-
miljobehandling-gir-nye-musikalske-verktoy
Knardal, SE (2018) : La meg få vere eg….. heile vegen! Musikkterapi i demensomsorg (in press)
Kvamme, T. (work in progress). Å finne tonen. En fagbok om musikk og demens: Aldring og helse, akademisk.
Ruud, E. (2017). Lik, men ulik. Retrieved 30.11, 2017, from http://www.musikkterapi.no/nyheter/kronikk-lik-men-
unik
Stedje, K., Engen, R. B., & Golubovic, J. (2018). Debattinnlegg: Du trenger utdanning for å drive med musikkterapi.
forskning.no. https://forskning.no/meninger/debattinnlegg/2018/01/du-trenger-utdanning-drive-med-
musikkterapi
Fibromyalgia (FM), recognized by the WHO since 1992, affects about 2-4% of the world population.
Patients, mostly women, experience chronic widespread pain, fatigue, stiffness, sleep disturbances and a
variety of psychological disorders, especially depression and anxiety. Group Music and Imagery therapy
(GrpMI) works in a holistic way, focusing on the person as a whole, using music as well as spontaneous
imagery and the group as therapeutic agents. The general aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of
GrpMI in women with FM, specifically, in the perception of psychological wellbeing and functional capacity
and quality of life.
The study used a randomized experimental pretest-posttest control group design, with follow-up
assessment after 3 months. Fifty-six women aged 35 to 65 years (M = 51.3) diagnosed with FM were
randomly assigned to either GrpMI treatment (n = 33) or control (n = 26) condition. Experimental group
participants received 12 weekly GrpMI sessions. They were evaluated with standardized psychological
assessments.
Results showed statistical positive changes in both variables: increasing subjective wellbeing and reducing
the impact of FM in their health and functional capacity. Positive benefit at was sustained at 3-month
follow-up. The study validates the benefits of the therapeutic care that GrpMI offers - a method that
simultaneously deals with the different areas of needs of the person. GrpMI should be considered as an
alternative, complementary therapy in treatment of people suffering from FM. But further studies are
needed to establish efficacy.
At the end of ninety hours of GIM therapy, client and therapist resonate together with the therapy process,
aiming at defining significant developmental steps of progress by asking ourselves: what have we learned?
Based on the famous Soren Kierkegaard quotation: ‘Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be
lived forwards’ - we present an arts based view into a personal story formed by severe neglect and
relational betrayal in childhood and adolescence, followed by a series of work-related traumatic
experiences, all together leading to the diagnosis PTSD. Looking back at several years of unravelling
psychotherapy dealing with both main and side traumas, the client now experiences an enhanced quality of
life. She is more capable of developing positive coping strategies and important relationships resonating
into the future.
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Clients suffering from PTSD experience severe difficulties in regulating arousal of the autonomic nervous
system. In order to re-establish this balance, GIM appears, in an increasing number of studies, to be an
effective therapeutic method.
In this specific case, GIM/MI with a trauma-focused exposure approach and bodywork - inspired by Somatic
Experience and Guided Music and Body Listening - have been the primary methods. To unfold this complex
process, mandalas, examples of music from the GIM taxonomy, and transcripts related to the case are
presented, and theoretical perspectives on the model ‘level of exposure’ in PTSD treatment are discussed.
Both acute and chronic pain have a negative impact on quality of life and healthcare resources. Although
effective pain management interventions and programs exist, provision of these services is regarded as
inconsistent. There is evidence that interdisciplinary methods are efficient when addressing the
psychosocial, behavioural and biomedical aspects of pain. Interventions with music therapy as a
complementary treatment can affect the autonomic nervous system by reducing stress, focusing attention
and affecting emotions in a positive way, which is crucial for reducing pain experiences. However, it is not
yet understood why such a reduction of pain occurs. In an interdisciplinary collaboration between
researchers from music therapy, caring science, psychology, medicine and technology, the aim of this
project is to find evidence which may contribute to improved health and wellbeing in patients with
perceived pain. The project is built on a case report from a pilot testing of an intervention combining music
therapy, integrated mental training and person centered care to manage pain at wound dressing-related
procedures in an outpatient clinic. The design was based on empirical practical try-outs with an emergent,
data-driven methodology to control the tools for measuring the patient’s levels of stress, as well as to
investigate if the study interfered with the work of the health care professionals. As the first research-
patient revealed several confounding factors a decision was made to stop the pilot study for re-evaluation.
The case report illuminates methodological issues and facts of importance in the understanding of the
complexity of interdisciplinary studies.
243 Music therapy with children and adolescents: Health services research
and outcome study
Thomas Stegemann, Monika Smetana, Eva Phan Quoc and Hannah Riedl
Introduction: Although the Music Therapy Act in Austria came into effect in 2009, there is still little progress
in achieving regular funding of music therapy through health insurance services. Thus, the access to music
therapy outside of institutions is limited, especially for families with low economic status. At the same time,
there is an enormous discrepancy between needs and resource availability, especially for children and
adolescents. To offer policy makers and stakeholders an evidence-based foundation of decision-making for
treatment funding, it is crucial to provide reliable data of the potential and the effectiveness of music
therapy.
Methods: Two-stage research approach: 1) a nationwide survey on demographics, practice status and
professional developments in music therapy in Austria, 2) Music therapy Evaluation: Longitudinal Outcome
stuDy In Children and Adolescents (MELODICA) – a health services research project. Outcome measures will
be based on multi-perspective information (child, caregiver, music therapist) and include symptomatology,
well-being, socio-economic status, and a cost-utility perspective of the treatment.
Results: Data of the current survey will be compared to previous surveys, thus yielding trends in
professional and clinical developments. In addition, the study design and the implementation process of
MELODICA will be presented.
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Discussion & Conclusion: User oriented research and advocacy efforts are essential for the growth and
sustainability of music therapy. Sound data on outcomes of music therapy for distinct populations are a
critical factor to make music therapy an accessible and affordable treatment option within the health care
system.
Introduction: The clinical manifestation of asthma in young people can considerably disturb their daily
activities.
Methods: A open RCT, single center, with a pre-test/post-test design, to investigate the physiological and
psychological effects of music therapy treatment on the experimental group compared with a control
group. 37 young asthmatics of both sexes, coming from the urban area of Udine, aged between 8 and 18
were assigned in the two comparable groups (18+19), according to a randomization.
Procedure: Improvisative free vocal session and receptive methods, followed by a verbalization of the
experience, alternated with singing of canons and songs, have been applied to the experimental group, by
a music therapist and a psychologist in training, twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, for 6
consecutive days. Every sitting were about 90 minutes long.
Assessment: Everyday, A: Individual analysis of daily improvised videotaped sessions, through the MT SAS
for every participants. Pre-test/Post-test (weekly), B: Clinical evaluations: incentive spirometry, nitric oxide
dosage, salivary cortisol test. C: Psychological evaluations: STAI-S and STAI-T ; POMS 2; KINDL for quality of
life.
Results: On the experimental group: A: Mixed MT interventions has been well accepted by a large part of
young asthmatics. B: Improvements of the clinical and respiratory tests, none of them had asthmatic
attacks at rest. C: Reduction of state and trait anxiety; improvement in perception of confusion, unchanged
perception of depression, increase in vigor, fatigue and anger; improvement in physical well-being and
relationship with friends, decrease in emotional well-being and self-esteem.
246 (S 444) Voices: Music therapy with a 16-year-old girl suffering from paranoid
schizophrenia
Hannah Riedl
Introduction & Aim: “You must not speak! You must not eat! You must not move!” That is what the voices
in her mind tell her. Leyla herself had no voice when I first met her. She used an alphabet board to
communicate her words. She was referred to individual music therapy with the following aims: Developing
interaction and communication, promoting non-verbal expression, and non-verbal conflict processing.
Intervention: The music therapy process with Leyla needed highly diverse approaches and methods:
Starting with the Viennese “partner play”, then using songwriting, canon singing, and arts based methods
like poetry and drama play. Leylas own voice came back. First a whispery voice, then her full voice.
Reflections: The process with Leyla describes a process of encouragement. On the one hand, Leyla had to
be encouraged empathically and steadily to try new steps. On the other hand, I as the therapist had to
encourage myself to continuously be able to act while simultaneously resonating with the rigidified
symptomatology Leyla showed.
Conclusion: By using various approaches, Leyla benefited strongly from music therapy. Reflections on the
process show the necessity to be very open to using different music therapy methods in working on the
aims.
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Introduction: In my doctoral thesis, I studied emotion regulation in childhood. One of the main goals was to
find out how a multidisciplinary team can benefit from music therapists and their assessment and
observations during the diagnostic process. The aim of the paper is to point out my video analysis steps,
and to discuss the matrix of categories for the analysis of the data.
Method: The experimental part of my study is based on an explorative empirical examination with a
qualitative research focus. Participants: children (5-11 years) in a clinical setting. The data collection
included video footage of the first three individual music therapy sessions, and two questionnaires on
emotion regulation.
Results: Based on short video examples I will illustrate a mixed methods approach, focusing on three
different areas: General course of the session (session-report), specific verbal sequences, which include
emotional terms and emotion conceptions, and selected musical sequences.
Discussion: Being aware of the difficulties in translating audio and visual data into written language, it is
crucial to find possibilities in converting data without losing all the complex information that is held in the
music and the interaction. Another aspect in this study is to provide an open qualitative access to the data
without focusing only on specific predefined parameters or parts of interaction.
Conclusion: I want to show possibilities and challenges of video analysis and to define important markers in
the music therapy sessions that allows the music therapist to contribute to the diagnostic stage in an
interdisciplinary team.
Introduction: International research projects need research instruments in different languages. Therefore,
rigorous translation procedures are essential. This paper presents the translation process of the Healthy-
Unhealthy Uses of Music Scale (HUMS) from English into German. The questionnaire consists of two
subscales and was developed by Saarikallio, Gold & McFerran (2015) to examine adolescent´s musical
engagement as indication of proneness for depression.
Methods: We used the GESIS Survey Guidelines translation approach TRAPD (Translation, Review,
Adjudication, Pretest, Documentation): It consists of two independent translations, a discussion about the
translation differences that appeared, a subject-specific adjudication, and a target group pretest. As
verification, we included two independent forward-backward-translations as recommended by Ridder,
McDermott & Orrell (2017). Next, the psychometric properties of the German version will be tested, results
will be presented.
Results: An equivalent verbal version of the HUMS exists in German, named HUMS-DE.
Discussion & Conclusion: The used methods showed good feasibility for research practice. A first clinical
study will compare healthy adolescents, young refugees, and adolescents in mental health care by means
of the HUMS-DE.
Behr, D., Braun, M. & Dorer, B. (2015). Messinstrumente in internationalen Studien. Mannheim: GESIS – Leibniz-
Institut für Sozialwissenschaften (GESIS Survey Guidelines). doi: 10.15465/gesis-sg_006
Ridder, H. M., McDermott, O. & Orrell, M. (2017). Translation and adaptation procedures for music therapy outcome
instruments. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 26(1), 62–78. doi:10.1080/08098131.2015.1091377
Saarikallio, S., Gold, C. & McFerran, K. (2015). Development and validation of the healthy-unhealthy music scale. Child
and Adolescent Mental Health, 20(4), 210–217. doi:10.1111/camh.12109
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Aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a structured MT programme on clinical and social
functioning indices of patients with psychosis, hospitalized in an emergency psychiatric ward.
The MT intervention predominantly followed the Benenzon model of MT with methodological integrations
from a cognitive behavioral approach of Anglo-Saxon tradition. The treatment was delivered biweekly to 61
female patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder consecutively admitted to our ward.
Patients who did not complete the two-week MT intervention (N=45) were considered as the control
group. All participants were administered the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) for the assessment of
general psychopathology, the Hospital Anxiety And Depression Scale (HADS) for affective symptomatology,
the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S) for severity of symptoms and the Global Assessment of
Functioning (GAF) for psychosocial functioning.
Repeated measures analyses of variance revealed that patients who underwent the MT intervention had a
statistically significant reduction of BPRS and CGI scores, relative to the control group; furthermore, the
BPRS factor “anxiety/depression” and the HADS scores for affective symptomatology significantly
decreased after the observation period, relative to controls.
Our results are in line with previous studies showing favorable effects of MT in patients with psychosis , in
particular on affective symptomatology, and extend this observation to an emergency setting with short
periods of hospitalization in “Compulsory Treatment”. The work also describes the strategies used, the
sound-musical elements that recurred, the limitations of the short-term course, the points of strength of
the interpersonal relationships.
Patients with severe mental illness often experience reduction of motivation, emotional responsiveness
and socialization. Within the diagnostic language of schizophrenia these symptoms are referred to as
negative symptoms and are connected to poor functioning and reduced quality of life. Music therapy has
shown promising effects on negative symptoms, social functioning and quality of life for this group of
patients. User evaluations and qualitative studies support this and show that music therapy is highly
appreciated by service users and consistent with the recovery approach. However, there are few systematic
inquiries about the implementation of music therapy for patients with severe mental illness. Especially is
knowledge limited within contemporary mental health practices where integrated services are being
delivered in the community.
Preliminary findings from the postdoctoral project MusTCare will be presented. This is a qualitative action
research study aiming to gain knowledge about how music therapy best can be implemented in a Flexible
Assertive Community Team (FACT). Based on data from interviews and observation of my own music
therapy practice at a FACT-team in Norway, I will illuminate how music therapy can maximize support for
recovery. The presentation will focus on the importance of motivational factors for patients living in the
community. Themes for discussion will be interdisciplinary cooperation, home visits, performance and
family work. The perspectives of recovery and trauma informed care will be applied to illuminate the
findings and practical implications.
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256 Bodiless Tunes: Group music therapy treatment for eating disorders
Francesca Gasparotto and Stefano Navone
Clinical population: Eating disorders are conditions of contemporary discomfort that lead people to relapse
their emotional suffering on the body: over 3 million suffer from it and among these 2.3 million are
teenagers. Eating disorders are often fatal diseases, that cause serious disorders in eating behaviors, the
best known are anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
Clinical approach and theoretical background: The Music Therapy approach is mainly based on a sonorous
music relationship between the patients and music therapist. Active Music Therapy facilitates the
expressive process, increasing communicative-relational abilities and modulation and regulation of
emotions. This approach is based on intersubjective psychological theories and allows “affect attunement”
moments (Stern, 2010). The theoretical background is psycho-dynamic based on non-directivity towards
patients and an attitude of observation-listening linked to the concepts of neutrality and counter-
transference.
Case, discussion and conclusion: The experience of music therapy is composed of 33 sessions with a group
of girls diagnosed with eating disorder in comorbidity with other disorders.
The intervention becomes part of the integrated multidisciplinary model that aims to work on the
maintenance factors of the disorder. The musical-sound relationship aims to lead patients to a contact with
their emotional world to live creatively, enhancing self-esteem and their uniqueness, with consequent
positive repercussions on communication skills and social interaction. The music therapy treatment led to a
greater awareness of the girls of their inner world and of their corporeity, a better management of space
and time developing communicative-relational skills on a non-verbal level.
Writing a research protocol is one of the first steps when initiating a research project. After this, the
realization of the intentions formulated in the protocol is a demanding process requiring completely
different skills of the researcher. The engagement from a range of professionals in an interdisciplinary
research team is needed and the researcher must be the motivated driver of the process. Close
collaborations between researcher, team members and clinicians are essential to progression.
An ongoing research project in an outpatient unit for depression at Aalborg university Hospital investigates
how music listening may improve sleep quality in depression related sleep disturbances. A mixed methods
study design combining a randomized controlled trial and an interview study aims to analyze and discuss
quantitative and qualitative data on sleep, symptoms of depression and quality of life.
Music medicine is a relatively new field in psychiatry and unknown to many clinicians. On the contrary,
sleep disturbances are well known resulting in worsening of symptoms for the psychiatric condition. The
present challenges include motivation of doctors and clinicians to engage in the recruiting of participants
and to invest time in other aspects of the project such as presentations and co-writing articles.
The presenters discuss challenges and achievements in this research project based on the aims and method
described in the research protocol including present midway obstacles in the data collection phase.
Concerns and perspectives are presented from dual viewpoints represented by the head of the outpatient
unit (psychologist) and the researcher (music therapist).
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In 2013 the Norwegian Directorate of health recommended music therapy in their national guidelines for
psychosis. As a result, music therapy will be included in the “treatment package for psychosis» which will
be implemented in Norway in 2019. In both the guideline and the treatment package there is a twofold
focus on provision of knowledge-based treatment and adherence to the recovery-perspective. In our daily
work at Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital in Oslo, both the acute inpatient ward and the district psychiatric
centre, we are challenged to find the best way of providing music therapy to our patients. The two of us are
trained as music therapist from two different countries, providing us with somehow different theoretical
and therapeutic approaches. Oda has her training from Denmark and Hans Petter is trained in Norway. Our
clinical cooperation the past year has brought up many discussions and reflections about how music
therapy should be carried out in practice. Like, how should we reply to the request for music therapy as
both knowledge based treatment and recovery-oriented practice? And how can we best communicate our
work in our multidisciplinary teams. In this presentation we will first introduce some of our different and
common ways of doing music therapy in practice, illustrated by case examples. We will them present our
way towards a common understandings of what a good music therapy practice is and how to succeed doing
it. This will be illuminated by the theoretical perspectives of recovery, trauma informed care and emotion
focused therapy.
In 2011, the BBC exposed the sustained abuse of people with learning disabilities at Winterbourne View, a
UK assessment and treatment facility. The scandal prompted NHS England to pledge to enable people
inappropriately living in hospital to move to person-centred community-based services. This was a catalyst
for new nationwide legislation and guidelines (DOH 2014).
This roundtable will explore the resonance of these changes with music therapy practice during the last 7
years in terms of developments in joint working with fellow professionals, families and staff groups. Case
studies will add to existing evidence for the efficacy of music therapy undertaken as part of a collaborative
team with the person at the centre. How such support enables people to find their voice, to meaningfully
engage with others and to participate in the community will be explored in these areas:
Working with client and staff groups to understand and work with the impact of complex needs
Working with care providers to explore and enhance nonverbal communication via technology
The music therapist as co-ordinator of targeted support
To conclude, we will discuss ways in which collaborative working supports people with learning disabilities
to be heard and counted in their communities. How might music therapy research further enable this
process? Transforming Care and Commissioning Steering Group (2014) Winterbourne View: Time for
Change. Transforming the commissioning of services for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/transforming-commissioning-services.pdf
(accessed 1st October 2018).
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The overall theme of the EMTC 2019 is ‘Fields of Resonance’. Synonyms to ‘resonance’ are ‘resound’,
‘reverberation’ and ‘vibration’ (thesaurus.com). These notions could imply that music therapy should
resound more or less in harmony with history and contemporary trends in European health and culture. Is
this what we want? This presentation introduces the topic of music therapy as a potential ‘field of
responsiveness’. It originates from my research and meta theoretical transposing of Mikhail Bakhtin’s
dialogical ideas to music therapy. Responsiveness is not just understood as a synonym to ‘impartiality’, ‘the
quality of being responsive’, ‘receptivity’, ‘tolerance’, ‘broad and/or open-mindedness’ (thesaurus.com.).
Rather, it includes dissonances and misunderstandings too. The basis is: for a response to become
responsive, it insists on action, not in the sense of problem solving, but in the sense of relating to another,
face to face, while accepting that the Other remains a mystery. Music therapy as a field of responsiveness is
in this sense viewed as a critical and radical anti-authoritative communication event. As such, we can never
fully understand the client and we will always struggle and dispute what we know (theories, methods,
research). However, by doubting what we know (yet without forgetting it), we might open up for the client,
the therapy, and other voices in the world around us and allow all of this to influence us. In practice, such
responsiveness is impossible. The point is to maintain it as an ethical ideal, as something to struggle for.
262 (S 441) Opening the door of creativity. Resonance, relationship and potential
spaces in inter-cultural research with Belarusian special educators
Lisa Margetts
Margetts L (2018) Psychodynamic music therapy and the work of classroom practitioners working with children with
complex needs in Belarus PhD thesis, Department of Education, University of Roehampton
Winnicott D W (1971) Playing and Reality. London: Tavistock Publications Ltd
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DrumPower is a music therapy programme for violence prevention, social integration and personal
empowerment, developed in a clinical context and elaborated for preventive work in schools during the
last 16 years. It is based on an integrative approach founded in developmental psychology and combining
psychodynamic, humanistic, systemic and exercise-centered methods.
The structure of the programme enables music therapeutic exercises for the regulation of affect and
aggression, the resolution of conflict situations, the avoidance and resistance of threatening situations, and
the constructive handling of aggression within a thematic framework. The expression of aggressive qualities
in improvisational drumming is helpful to distinguish between destructive and constructive forms of
behaviour. Within the group, it is possible to work on constructive forms in dealing with aggression.
The programme was examined in different studies, which were presented over the last years at several
music therapy congresses in Cadiz, Oslo, Krems and Vienna. Concept adaptions for various participant
groups are developed in the running project practice.
This workshop will give an introduction to the structure of the DrumPower project. Interventions for group
cohesion, affect regulation and handling of aggression as well as forms of workshop performances are
practiced in selected exercises.
Music therapists all over the world are increasingly becoming part of modern neuro-rehabilitation teams.
The latest brain imaging technologies confirm that musical activity plays an important role in the
integration of the inseparable unity of cognitive and psychic functioning. In the National Medical
Rehabilitation Center (HU) music therapy has an important role on several levels.
In the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit - Early Section, a nonverbal language like music – reaching out for an
instrument, making sounds with it or singing familiar songs – may be the only way to approach unconscious
patients.
In the second phase, a stroke or a traumatic brain injury can result in serious long-term verbal disabilities,
such as aphasia. In the Rehabilitation Department of Hemiplegics and the Rehabilitation Department of
Brain Injuries most of the clients diagnosed with aphasia receive music therapy. Evidence-based case
studies show that verbal production during a song can slowly improve even in patients with the most
serious, global aphasia.
In the third - integrational - phase, community singing plays an irreplaceable role for clients with aphasia
whose speech remains hindered. They often experience isolation in society because of their verbal deficit,
still they can integrate in a singing group and helped through singing.
These cases underlie that music is a nonverbal, preverbal and postverbal language that can help patients to
use their functioning capacities and see the possibility of a new start, especially in these three phases of
neuro-rehabilitation.
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266 (S 447) A music therapy self-care group for parents of preterm babies in the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): experiences from a clinical
practice pilot project
Mark Ettenberger
Parents may face major mental health challenges during their babies’ hospitalization in the NICU, including
increased levels of stress, anxiety and symptoms related to depression or post-traumatic stress. Family-
centred music therapy in this setting goes beyond the mere integration of parents to the therapy sessions
and understands the wellbeing of the family system as an essential part of care in the NICU. At the hospital
‘Clínica de la Mujer’ in Bogotá, Colombia, music therapy is part of the interdisciplinary therapy team since
2016. In addition to the work with preterm babies and their families, a music therapy self-care group for
mothers and fathers was implemented in July 2018. Twice a week, the music therapist meets with the
parents to work on relaxation and stress reduction and to foster the construction of a support group. Music
guided relaxation, imagery, voice work and education about the use of music for personal wellbeing build
the cornerstones of the interventions. Visual-Analogue-Scales measuring relaxation, stress, anxiety and
mood are handed out before and after the intervention. Feedback from both parents and the staff has
been extremely encouraging and the self-care group has become an important part of the hospital's effort
to improve its humanization of care.
In this paper, the key concepts, techniques and main results of the music therapy self-care group will be
discussed. Video recordings from the sessions and testimonies from parents will be used to provide insights
into clinical practice and potential meanings that this group has for the parents.
Clinical music therapy practice shows that people with long-term psychotic problems often have great
interest in music creation and performance. However, we observe that this artistic activity, which is usually
practiced in a solitary manner, regularly leads to a stagnation of the creative process and/or the inability to
reach an effective musical creation.
In our presentation we will present an exploratory study in which we investigated (1) whether using a
process-compositional approach can break through this isolation and (2) how the artistic process can be
supported and facilitated in a manner resulting in the creation of a real musical product. Process-
composition is described here as a music therapy approach where improvisation and composition are
closely intertwined. As proto-musical themes emerge spontaneously during improvisation, they will be
developed by compositional techniques and specific music therapeutic interventions. This procedure takes
place within the context of an intensive dialogue with the patient in which the therapist is a key figure,
sustaining the creative process and bringing it to a satisfactory result.
This exploratory study uses a multiple case study design. Over the course of fifteen sessions the
therapist/researcher will go into musical dialogue with both a patient and a composer. On the basis of this
study, new music therapy interventions will be developed to address the stagnation and the solitary nature
of creative processes in patients with long-term psychotic problems. Furthermore, we will include the
influence of these process-composition approaches on the Quality of Life (QoL) of patients with long-term
psychotic problems.
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Therapeutic songwriting is a method that creates a song within a therapeutic relationship to address the
individual needs of the client(s). The song can tell the clients story, can represent ambivalent feelings,
wishes and desires, and become a reminder for the individual therapeutic process. This workshop is
practice oriented and intends to give basic knowledge about orientations, methods of Therapeutic
Songwriting, and the way of supporting the client´s contributions. It is divided into four parts: Part one is
about therapeutic approaches of songwriting. Here the participants get knowledge about therapeutic
orientations, working models and implementation of therapeutic songwriting, such like songwriting within
a framework of positive psychology, behavioral- and resource-oriented songwriting. The second part
contains different songwriting methods that considers the therapeutic needs and given conditions.
Techniques such like song parody, song collage, rapping over original music and original songwriting are
presented. The third part is about musical techniques, applied in creating a song: how to develop a melody?
Which accompaniment (musical form, instruments) is appropriate, how can emotion be represented in a
song? How can lyrics be written? Part four is a songwriting exercise within small groups that practices the
presented knowledge.
The objective of the presentation is to highlight and discuss the need and possibility of indirect music
therapeutic practice, where music therapy used for competence development based on knowledge sharing
and knowledge mobilisation in relation to caregivers in dementia care (Bunt & Stige 2014, McDermott et al
2018).
Based on a case, the presentation focuses on the music therapist as a facilitator of a situated learning
process for a group of caregivers, using video examples from the caregivers’ practice. The purpose of the
situated learning process was to work with how caregivers’ tacit knowledge of using song and music in the
dementia care could be conscious and professionally reflected, inspired by Schön (2001), Lave & Wenger
(2003) and Wenger (2004).
The case is part of an action research project, where the intention is to develope a realistic and user-
friendly manual for institutions/interdisciplinary staff on how to implement and embed song and music in
dementia care.
Bunt, L. & Stige, B. (2014). Music Therapy: An art beyond words (2nd Ed.). New York: Routledge.
Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (2003). Situeret læring - og andre tekster. København: Hans Reitzels Forlag.
McDermott, O., Ridder, H. M., Baker, F. A., Wosch, T., Ray, K. & Stige, B. (2018). Indirect Music Therapy Practice and
Skill-Sharing in Dementia Care. Journal of Music Therapy, 55(3), 2018, 255–279.
Schön, D. A. (2001). Den reflekterende praktiker: Hvordan professionelle tænker, når de arbejder. Århus: Klim.
Wenger, E. (2004). Praksisfællesskaber: Læring, mening og identitet. København: Hans Reitzels Forlag.
Cognitive Analytic Music Therapy (CAMT) (Kellett, Hall and Compton-Dickinson 2018) is a clinically tested
model that helps to improve how patients relate to others through the use of jointly –created musical
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improvisation and singing. This model was researched and developed over many years following medical
research guidance (Campbell et.al.2007).
The Clinician’s Guide to Forensic Music Therapy (Compton Dickinson & Hakvoort, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
2017), is an Anglo-Dutch collaboration that includes the post-doctoral iterations of two treatment manuals,
developed independently in conducted randomized controlled trials.
Kellett et.al (2018) recommends that the next stage in developing evidence-based music therapy is a three-
armed trial which would include both these two models compared to standard multi-disciplinary care or
passive listening. The published manuals are available for clinical practice and future research projects.
The workshop will provide participants with support and musical experiences on how to apply the
techniques and tools within the Cognitive Analytic model,(G-CAMT) as well as providing information on
Music Therapy Anger Management programme (MTAM)
· The facilitators will ensure time for delegates to discuss and practice the application of specific
music therapy techniques,
· Provide a safe place to share the challenges encountered with their own clients, specifically
thinking about patients with lack of treatment motivation, limited regulation skills, poor insight
and communication skills or risks of violent behavior.
· Help, advise and share how to evaluate clinical practice and to get started in developing, or
participating in a research project within clinical practice.
Background: Although receptive music therapy methods have a long established position in the music
therapists repertoire (Grocke & Wigram, 2007), their use has received limited attention in the past decade.
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At the same time, music psychologists have shown increasing interest in the ways that music is processed in
the brain and its role in mood and emotion regulation.
Objectives: Music therapists have an important perspective to bring to the discourse about music listening,
grounded in decades of practices using receptive music therapy methods. In this roundtable we will address
challenges to the importance of these approaches, which are sometimes relegated to music psychology or
music and medicine while music therapist focus the discourse on more active methods. We will argue that
without the grounded perspective of therapists, the theories and research or our non-clinical colleagues
can become detached from the reality of how people use music, particularly when they are struggling with
mental health problems.
Content: The presenters of this roundtable will explore a range of perspectives on how music can be used
to explore the combined body-brain-mind-conscious-and-unconscious systems and processes that
contribute to the integrated whole of self-hood (Elliott & Silverman, 2013). This will include perspectives
from cognitive behavioural, neurological, psychodynamic and relational approaches and the authors
represent a number of specialisations, including cognitive science, guided imagery and music, mood
disorders, and adolescent mental health.
278 (S 448) A Comparison of Self-Care Strategies for Music Therapists in the US and
Germany
Hanna Dowell and Douglas Keith
Self-care is considered significant for all professions, but especially for those in fields such as education,
medicine, and therapy. As music therapy continues to grow internationally, the importance of self-care for
music therapists grows as well. The purpose of this study was to examine experiential learning, personal
therapy and self-care strategies among music therapists in the USA and Germany. Quantitative and
qualitative data were collected and analyzed during spring 2018. The results show that music therapists in
Germany and the USA share similar self-care strategies, placing high emphasis on physical and emotional
self-care strategies such as exercising and maintaining relationships. Interviewed music therapists from the
USA had not had experiential learning in their music therapy education while music therapists from
Germany had. German music therapy survey participants ranked having personal psychotherapy higher
than survey participants from the USA. Music therapists from both countries call for emphasis on self-care
in music therapy education. Further research and implications show the importance of self-care in the
profession of music therapy and pose the question of how experiential learning or personal therapy can be
employed to support self-care.
Needs for a well-designed clinical outcome study that investigates specific benefits of music therapy for
children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is high, especially after obtaining the much-publicized and
somewhat controversial results of the TIME-A study (2017) and that of the Cochrane review (2014).
The primary aim of this three-year project is to explore possible relationship between behavioral and
neurological changes in young children with ASD aged between 2 to 6-year-old through child neuroimaging
and neuropsychological measures to determine a year intervention effects, comparing improvisational
music therapy with standard care and standard care without improvisational music therapy. Through both
clinical and research experiences, we are inclined to focus on social motivational aspects of improvisational
interaction between the child and the therapist that it would be worth investigating any change in the
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ConnAction of Music Therapy Students (CMTS) is a working group building an international network for
students and recent graduates. This abstract may present to you our aims and projects.
CMTS was founded in Vienna in October 2017 and started as a small group of three students. Our team has
been growing over the last year and now consists of twelve students from Austria and Germany involved in
different projects.
Our aim is to support each other in our professional development to become a music therapist. Therefore,
we are organizing student conferences and would like to provide relevant information on the website we
are now working on.
Furthermore, we collaborate with other organizations, encourage discussions about political aspects, share
knowledge, and build a social platform for personal exchange. Moreover, we want to increase awareness
for political issues that we are facing as a small profession.
The “ConnAction” student conferences are fully organized by and for music therapy students and
graduates. Besides workshops and presentations of theses we also prepare jam-sessions, shared meals and
improvisations to encourage social coherence. At our panel discussions we talk about political aspects and
ideas for upcoming projects. To simplify finding relevant information on training programmes,
organizations, student exchanges, internships and useful publications we are now working on a website.
Since the field of music therapy consists of a variety of training programmes we strongly believe that our
profession benefits from international interaction of the next generation of music therapists.
There is a growing interest in the link between the UNCRC discource UN Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) perspective (Unicef, 2018). Children in welfare contexts are affected by all of the sustainable
development goals, whether poverty, hunger, inequality or mental health. The rights enshrined by the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, run through the SDGs so the realization of these goals should take
into account the rights of children. This roundtable will outline perspectives how music therapy can be seen
as a solution to different challenges in the SDGs and how music can play a crucial role in supporting
children and young people to express, process and understand their experiences and build wellbeing and
resilience in the face of adversity.
The roundtable will provide international perspectives on music therapy within different child and
adolescent welfare systems. Panel members will draw from their expertise across contexts such as child
protection (Jacobsen, 2018; Hart & Jacobsen, 2018), foster care (Krüger & Stige, 2015; Tuomi, 2017;
Zanders, 2015), child abuse and poverty (Kim, 2015, 2017), family violence and homelessness (Fairchild,
McFerran & Thompson, 2016), to explore some of the recent developments and challenges in child and
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adolescent welfare research and practice, as seen from the perspective of SDGs. Future implications for
music therapy practice will be explored through discussion with all participants, and focus on the ways
music therapists can collaborate with children, young people, families, service systems and the wider
community in an attempt to contribute to personal and social change.
In recent decades, there has been a shift from hospitalisation to hospital-at-home in paediatrics. This shift
involves that more children are treated at home, and consequently have shorter stays at the hospital. Still
they are entitled to the same health care services as when treated within the hospital walls. In terms of
music therapy, a consequence of this is that patients that were normally prioritized for music therapy
within the hospital (on site) are increasingly spending more time at hospital-at-home. This presentation
addresses the transition from inpatient treatment to hospital-at-home in the paediatrics, namely within
palliative care for children, and the potential role of music therapy in this transition.
In this presentation I discuss how and why music therapy can contribute in this transition, potentially
bridging the gap between treatment at the ward and treatment in their home. Important questions are:
How can music therapy contribute to continuing the child’s therapeutic process from an in-patient to a
home-based treatment? Will the different contexts affect the content in music therapy, and if so, how?
Videoexamples are included in the presentation.
In search of improvisational music therapy (IMT) specific developmental characteristics of the children with
autism spectrum disorder (ASD), I delved into the clinical documents of session indexes of previous
research conducted during 2003-2006.
This is a retrospective observational study exploring certain interactional patterns of children with ASD in
improvisational music therapy in comparison with toy play sessions. The study involved 10 children aged
between three and six years old with clear diagnoses of autism. It was a single subject cross-over
randomized controlled study, and this presentation is based on microanalytic session indexes of 10 children
through DVD analysis of 12 sessions of each condition respectively totaling 240 sessions.
In improvisational music therapy, when mutual music making process between the child and the therapist
was developing well enough, cross-modal interaction involving ‘instrumental playing, gestures (or
movement) and vocalization’ were marked phenomena initiated by the children with ASD, whereas certain
developmental pattern of symbolic play were more often observed in toy play session than in IMT, even
though repetitive functional play were much more common in children with ASD.
As the study was based on very small sample, it is premature to draw any conclusion. Nevertheless, these
developmental patterns are hopeful sign for children with ASD. Implication of these observed clinical
phenomena will be discussed further in terms of clinical practice and future research focus.
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Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex disorder where symptoms are mainly manifest in an
interpersonal context associated with a trait of interpersonal hypersensitivity. For individuals with BPD,
relating to others is thus particularly precarious. Therapeutic approaches have explored the potential of
music improvisation addressing the challenges that clients face with respect to interpersonal
hypersensitivity.
Previous research has shown that musical improvisation can elicit interpersonal behaviors related to BPD,
however, there is still a significant amount left to be understood about how improvised musical exchanges
might be used as a therapeutic approach to address interpersonal hypersensitivity. This includes
information about the characteristics of the emotional experience in musical improvisations with BPD
clients and how does this relate to the dynamics of the musical coordination.
This presentation will present the findings of a case-control study. In this study, a carefully planned AB
piano improvisation paradigm was used, recording improvisations of 18 BPD clients and 18 matched
healthy controls.
Results indicated that emotional experiences of BPD clients are related to the coordination in musical
behavior that emerges between themselves and the therapist. Moreover, despite the heightened
emotional intensity experienced by participants in the BPD group compared to healthy controls, it was
surprisingly that clients with BPD express a high willingness to engage and participate in musical
improvisation therapy.
These findings are in accordance with previous research showing the close connection of emotional
experience and coordinated behavior in BPD, but it is novel to find empirical evidence of such issues in
musical improvisation.
Since 1985 have I worked as a music therapist and in the last 20 years I have specialized my work,
combining music therapy with elements from AAC. The goal of working with AAC, is to help clients that
cannot use verbal language, to find and develop other ways of communicating. Communicating with people
around us is a condition for human existence and development.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication includes different systems and forms that helps a person to
express thoughts, needs, wants and ideas when they can´t use verbal language. In this way they are able to
supplement existing speech or replace speech that is not functional.
The goal of working with music therapy with a client is to meet him/her at it’s own level. By using music
elements as pulse, rhythm, dynamics, sound, melody, harmony and dynamic, in an active or receptive form,
you work stimulating concentration, coordination, aloud to creates memories, stimulate the use of
language, supports creativity and offers great learning and experience.
In my presentation, I would like to present and share how I combine music therapy and elements from the
AAC systems, in order to enable speechless clients to communicate. I will also present how low- and high-
tech materials, help clients making choices, understanding the text of a song, or even giving the possibility
of stimulating different goals that are within the specific client’s needs and possibilities.
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In this symposium, we present the results of the pilot-study of a doctoral research project on the effect of
music therapy (MT) on second language acquisition in children with migration background. The study took
place in the elementary school Pisacane in Rome/Italy, which has one of the highest percentages of
children with non-European origin in Italy. Many of them have substantial problems in speaking and
understanding Italian.
One first class (6-7 years old children) followed a MT program over the course of 6 weeks (45 minutes per
week). The sessions consisted of rhythmic games with and without instruments, and all of them were
registered and then analyzed using grounded theory. The level of speaking and listening skills were
evaluated using bus story test (It-BST; Renfrew, 2010). The results of the It-BST and the video registrations
were then compared. Additionally, the children were observed in regular lessons to compare their behavior
in MT and in class.
The preliminary results indicate that attention, concentration and eye contact towards the music therapist
increased during MT. Children with lower scores on the It-BST showed a larger gain. Generalizations of
behavior from MT to the classroom could not be observed. This might be due to the short duration of the
study.
The results might help to get a better understanding of working mechanisms in MT, and might help to
implement MT in educational settings.
What does it mean when we take western music therapy to an eastern culture, and when we take Eastern
music to a western music therapy culture? Are we imposing one culture’s music, therapy practice or set of
values onto a different culture, integrating them, or is this cultural appropriation? Drawing on previous
research into this area which investigated the use of Indonesian music in western music therapy practice
(Loth, 2016), I will present work undertaken on the Indonesian Island of Bali.
A short-term music therapy pilot-project held in a Balinese special school will be described. The ways in
which the author, and her Indonesian co-music therapist, attempted to make this project relevant to the
local culture; children, staff and parents, will be discussed. Key issues included cultural views of disability,
the role of music in society and skill-sharing with local staff. The difficulties encountered and the broader
ethical concerns of bringing a western model of music therapy into this setting will also be presented. In
addition, the possibilities for the use of Indonesian music and instruments in Indonesian therapy practice,
as explored with the Indonesian school staff and music therapy students will be outlined.
This work will then be contrasted with a music therapy group in the UK which used Balinese instruments,
and the resonances between the two practices and the wider context of Intercultural music therapy
practice will be considered. The presentation will be illustrated with video examples from the music
therapy groups in Bali and the UK.
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292 Does Money Matter in Therapy and Can Free Sessions Hurt our
Profession?
Daniel Thomas and Vicky Abad
Introduction: Money is central to the process of therapy. This fulcrum is either explicit in the form of
session fees, or hidden within hospital or school budgets where therapy occurs “free-at-the-point-of-
delivery”. Either way someone pays. If therapists ignore the opportunity to acknowledge the financial
relationship existing between themselves and their clients, will therapy suffer? Could a discussion about
sessional fees with a client bring positive benefits to their process?
Aims: Music therapists live and work in a capitalist and monetized society. This paper seeks to explore the
complex relationships that exist between client, therapist and funder and will engage delegates in
wondering how the power dynamics in the therapy room are changed or molded by the explicit or hidden
“4th object” of money.
Outcomes: Using personal and professional experiences about the impact of money on the delivery and
development of therapy from over 15 years of business management, participant outcomes include;
· Greater clarity about the impact of money on sessions
· A understanding about the ethics surrounding the financial aspect of our work
· A willingness to explore their own relationship to money within a professional setting
This is a presentation based on the collaboration of editors and authors involved in the “Economics of
Therapy” book, published by Jessica Kingsley 2017.
This paper is about a running study which evaluates the `echt stark` project (German for: real strong). The
project constitutes a music-therapeutic, preventive action for girls aged 10 to 11. Its aim is strengthening
self-worth for preserving and improving mental health. The project is theoretically based on considerations
on the self from the perspective of developmental psychology, attachment theory and neuro-
psychotherapy.
A pedagogical model is used to describe the main challenges of adolescence. Gender-specific differences
during developing self-worth are shown. The main focus of music therapy is on body percussion and the
use of voice.
The project comprises six sessions in small groups. Illustrations are used to show the challenges of
adolescence. Two illustrated characters, Lotte and Cleo, facilitate talking about these challenges.
Furthermore, the main means of the project is making music by improvisation or other ideas for playing.
The therapist uses a specially designed feedback to strengthen the self-worth of the girls.
A pilot study has shown that fifty percent of the girls got a higher self-worth during the project. A now
running study wants to prove if and how the project is effective. Therefore music therapists are trained in
workshops to implement their own projects and collect more data.
The study uses a mixed methods design. A standardized questionnaire determines self-worth. Interviews
with girls and journals of sessions will help to find out what was important and helpful, and what was not.
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Introduction: Since 2017, the Music Therapy Research Centre Vienna (Wiener Zentrum für Musiktherapie-
Forschung, WZMF) represents a collaborative research project between the University of Music and
Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) and the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Wien). Based on the idea of
triangulating music therapy research, training and practice, the focus lies on music therapy with children,
adolescents, and families. This animated screen presentation illustrates the long and winding road from the
basic idea to a running research service.
Method: Developing a sustainable research infrastructure raised various issues to deal with, e.g.legal and
financial aspects, rooms and equipment, video and software systems, data storage and data security,
writing data management plans, submitting research and ethics proposals, and public relations activities.
This required the establishment of reliable communication structures within and between the two
collaborating universities, and initiating research networks. Furthermore, first research projects and
training had to be managed. Not least, from the beginning it was very important to strengthen the team
work to cope with all upcoming challenges, and to develop research ideas.
Results & Discussion: Building up a music therapy research centre can be quite challenging in many
unpredictable ways. Several attractive quick solutions had to be discarded to reach the goal of installing a
sustainable research infrastructure in the means of a best practice model. Research team members had to
adapt their individual competencies like being able to stand discrepancies, and the confidence that good
things take time.
Conclusion: Research is a journey, less a destination!
A recent Parliamentary Commission on Dementia and Music in the United Kingdom (Bowell and Bamford,
2018) identified the benefits of music therapy based interventions and a need for increased public
awareness and research. 'Together in Sound' is a partnership project between the Cambridge Institute for
Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) at Anglia Ruskin University, and Saffron Hall Trust, a community-focussed
concert hall and arts charity in rural Essex. The project, facilitated by a registered music therapist and
Masters level trainees, with input from professional musicians, delivers group music therapy to participants
with lived experience of dementia. A reflexive and iterative approach to planning and evaluation ensures
participants' views and experiences are taken into account and participants are invited to be part of
research opportunities through CIMTR.
This paper presents the initial findings of doctoral research examining the impact of group music therapy
on quality of life through personal accounts. Research texts are analysed within a narrative framework that
aims to “give voice to the marginalised” (Dwyer and emerald, 2017). In addition to presenting initial
findings, the presentation will reflect on the process of building therapeutic and research partnerships that
aim to empower participants to actively shape their experience; an approach that is congruent with anti-
oppressive practice and research (Baines and Edwards, 2015). This process contributes to fields of
resonance between the therapy room and participants' home lives, and between the wider community,
professional practice and research processes.
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The European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC) exists since 1990. Its goals are the support of and
further development of music therapy in Europe. It consists of 47 professional music therapy associations
from 29 countries. Two additional countries, Turkey and Slovenia, are observing members.
This poster will provide general information about the EMTC and its three regions. Additionally, important
events from the past and current projects for the further development of music therapy in Europe will be
presented.
The European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC) established a register for European music therapists in
the past. The standards represented the goal of what qualification a music therapist should have ideally.
One of the important aspects of the qualifications for the register was training. However, few European
music therapists applied for registration. For this reason, the EMTC put the register on hold in 2017 and
decided to conduct a survey of all music therapy training courses in Europe.
There is a broad scope of training in Europe that is often influenced by the music therapy traditions of that
country. Some countries have no training courses but must be trained in other countries within or outside
of Europe. Other countries are building up the profession of music therapy. At present, standards vary
greatly. But what determines a “qualified music therapist”?
The aim of the survey is to provide information that could serve as a basis for the establishment of a
common set of minimal standards for training that would support all countries in the further development
of the profession. This paper will present the process leading to this decision and will present the first
results of the survey. The next steps toward common standards will be discussed.
Introduction: back in 2000, World Health Organization reported stress as a matter of vital importance not
only for patients, but also for health systems and their correct functioning. Many socio-sanitary
professionals suffer this stress with negative consequences for their health and their quality of care,
generating a large number of negative psycho-labor consequences such as Burn-out syndrome or
compassion fatigue. Here is where Music Therapy becomes a therapeutic tool able to reduce the negative
effects of stress and anxiety in different socio-sanitary situations and circumstances, including people-
centered care and a holistic, integrating point of view.
Objectives: to verify if music therapy is beneficial in the treatment and prevention of burn-out syndrome.
Methodology: clinical study during 6 months. Weekly group sessions with active music therapy treatment.
Subjects of the study: employees of a nursing home. Study group 15 people and control group 15 people.
Measure instruments: questionnaire of socio-demographic variables, job satisfaction questionnaire by War,
Cook and Wall and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS).
Analysis of data and conclusions:
The extracted data revealed that music therapy was effective for the members of the study group, reducing
the symptom of stress, anxiety and burn-out syndrome. There was a significant decrease in the negative
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effects and consequences of this stress, and also an increase of the variables of well-being and health self-
perception.
Training in music therapy is complex, varied and different within Europe (Letule & Ala-Ruona, 2016). The
Institute of Música, Arte y Proceso (MAP) (Vitoria- Spain) has set itself the task of updating and adapting its
curriculum to the need to be, make and build science in music therapy. With the assistance of Aalborg
University’s music-therapy team, the MAP Institute offers music therapy training following Problem Based
Learning PBL methodology (Goodman, 2015; Lindvang & Beck, 2015; Sabery, 2015) and the requirements
recommenced in European standards.
In this collaborative presentation we address and put into context PBL methodology in music therapists’
training providing specific examples taken from the MAP Institute’s experience.
The symposium will look at the following:
1. The individual, driving their own learning and decision-making process. A humanistic, potential-
based approach.
2. The search for itineraries: openings, boundaries and contexts. Project-based learning.
3. Guiding, coordinating and providing a thread through the process: the role of the tutor.
4. Learning through experience and shared reflection. Tony Wigram´s legacy
5. Share between peer and external observers: Internal and external evaluations.
6. Plotting relations, processes and affinities: Summer Schools: contacts and resonance.
This inclusive perspective invites us to consider teaching-learning strategies to foster better clinical and
scientific action in music therapy in the near future.
Background: The theme for our presentation grew out of MOT82, a pilot project in music therapy in the
field of mental health in aftercare. MOT82 aims to give support to the participants` process of gaining
access to cultural activities and of making music a self-monitored health promoting daily life activity (Stige,
2018). In a user ask user evaluation about the project the participants being interviewed clearly expressed
how MOT82 had been an arena for mastery, personal development, inclusion and a strong collaborative
community (Tuastad, Johansen & Østerholt, 2018). However, the users also told stories about
stigmatisation. They discussed eagerly about stigma and mental health, where topics like diagnosis,
processes of labelling and identity issues where emphasised.
Objectives: Our presentation is based on a forthcoming research project about stigmatisation in the field of
mental health and substance abuse treatment. The American sociologist Erving Goffman explains stigma as
an attribute that extensively discredits an individual by reducing him or her from a `whole person` to a
`tainted, discounted one` (Goffman, 1963, p. 3). We want to examine how participants in music therapy, in
the field of mental health and substance abuse treatment, experience stigma. Furthermore, we will explore
if music therapy can make a difference touching on issues as inclusion, exclusion, isolation, participation,
user involvement, agency, public health, self-esteem, self-confidence and identity.
Content: Examples of how stigmatization is uttered by participants in MOT82 will be presented and
discussed through theoretically approaches within sociology and community music therapy.
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312 (S 446) Music therapy with musicians with acquired brain injury - Different
ways to restore musical abilities
Dana Franklin-Savion
Introduction: Music therapy (MT) practice with musicians with acquired brain injury (ABI) within a
rehabilitation hospital setting can be challenging, having these musicians face directly the loss of musical
abilities that once were a major part of their identity. The application of music in MT can motivate the
musician with ABI to engage in the therapeutic process more efficiently. However, it might also arouse
feelings of anger towards the body betrayed, of loss and of frustration.
Aim: Exploring together with each patient, their own way to restore musical abilities, as well as helping
them face the challenge of assimilation and accommodation to their new status.
Intervention: Two main therapeutic approaches can be considered: a) Re-building musical abilities,
primarily the ability of the musicians to play their own instrument again. b) Finding alternate ways to
express their musicality and musical abilities that were less affected by the injury, such as, choosing
different musical instruments easier to play, songwriting, composing, improvising, music listening, verbal
processing etc.
Reflections and conclusion: After working for several years with musicians with ABI within a rehabilitation
hospital setting, I have come to the conclusion that one can never plan ahead regarding which MT protocol
to use, as there are various possibilities to restore musical abilities with musicians with ABI. As long as the
music therapist is attuned to the patient’s needs and wishes, while maintaining one’s own flexibility and
creativity, the therapeutic process will be beneficial.
313 (S 447) Insights into inpatient music therapy with a preterm baby and his
mother
Leslie Schrage-Leitner
Introduction: The premature birth of a child can mean a great psychological burden for the child, the
mother and the whole family. Insights into inpatient music therapy practice with a preterm child in his first
weeks of life and his mother will be given in this presentation.
Aim: The music therapist’s attitude is a mixture of child-related observing and acting and mother-related
crisis intervention and empowerment. Aims are the child’s wellbeing, the mother’s coping and the
reconnection of their interrupted relationship.
This case shows subtle steps the mother takes toward her child and the role that music therapy can play in
it.
Intervention: A young mother has, after six weeks in hospital, given birth to her child after 26+5 weeks of
pregnancy. She was able to agree to a participation in music therapy only after it was made clear that she
was allowed to stop the intervention at any time. During the therapeutic process the mother uses the
opportunity to talk about her overwhelming experiences, gains security and relaxes. Eventually, she begins
to slowly approach her child. The baby immediately shows signs of improved wellbeing.
Reflections: The music therapist faces the challenges of gently softening the blockade, gaining the mother's
confidence and to offer space for what she wants to get rid of.
Conclusion: The space the mother has been given for her own could then enable her to turn to her baby
and to watch his reactions to her presence. A process of mutual loving relationship could slowly get started.
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Currently, an important change is taking place in the humanization of intensive and palliative care. The
need to take care of the person arises strongly: It is not enough to alleviate the physical symptoms
(Aslakson, Curtis, & Nelson 2014) but also it is necessary emotional support, to facilitate communication,
safe environment, accompaniment of family and staff members, among others, and to focus on the person
and attending to the suffering (Benito & Forte, 2018). That is, humanizing critical and palliative care.
Music therapy, from a biopsychosocial approach, offers all its methodological potential to the humanization
of intensive and palliative care (Preissler, Kordovan, Ullrich, Bokemeyer & Oechsle 2016): An experience of
connection, from a holistic model of intervention (Oribe, 2016), exciting and human for us, music
therapists.
In this symposium, we are going to resonate together around the need for the Humanization of Care,
sharing clinical experiences where music, with its creative potential opening a field of possibilities together
with the bond that is established through it alows us to tune silence (Patxi del campo), meet us from silence
to sound together (Sheila Pereiro) and resonate with staff members (Guacimara Molina), to humanize end-
of-life care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Mark Ettenberger), to alleviate "the total pain" of hospice
patients, families and staff members (Signe Lindstrøm) and to share the role of the music therapist in the
spiritual accompaniment of people at the end of life (Jaione Oribe).
In this way, the humanization of care with music therapy.
Assessment is a fundamental component of music therapy treatment that begins at referral and concludes
following discharge from care (Waldon, 2013; Waldon & Gattino, 2018). It can be challenging, however, to
define music therapy assessment and articulate its changing purposes across the treatment process.
Assessment evidence can be used to establish preliminary levels of functioning, formulate a treatment
plan, monitor progress during implementation, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and justify the provision
of services to commissioners and external funders. The International Music Therapy Assessment
Consortium (IMTAC) was founded to address these assessment complexities by strengthening our
understanding of music therapy assessment and promoting best practices in the profession.
The purpose of this presentation is to contextualize music therapy assessment using a data-based decision-
making model and define the purposes of assessment across the treatment process. The discussion will
include brief case examples, the role of assessment tools (both music and non-music-based) during
treatment implementation, recent evidence from music therapy assessment research, and a description of
IMTAC's efforts to champion music therapy assessment around the world.
In my clinical work with people living in residential homes, living with late stage dementia, I’ve noticed that
despite descriptions of the residents life events and history, respectively, often don’t include their music
preferences.
If the sensory perception (primarily in the autonomic and limbic system) doesn’t “match” the individual
expectations, or the reaction to the environment is difficult for the surroundings to understand the level of
the residents arousal will be unbalanced.
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This perception is connected to and influences the sense of identity, belonging, inclusion, meaningfulness
and comfort as understood in terms of Kitwoods definitions (1999).
As part of the multidisciplinary work, it would be helpful if we can “prepare” or form the sound
environment for a resident and create framework of security, which can have a preventive effect
concerning failure to thrive and agitated expressions.
Therefore, I as musictherapist in Fredericia municipality have developed a workshop-concept to support
people with dementia in early stage, or their relatives, to get together, share and get inspired by each other
to make playlists or write down their own musical story or preferences – including sound environment.
I will present the data and experiences from the first year of the work with descriptions from the narratives
brought to the workshops by the participants and will focus on the process of sharing, organizing and their
thoughts about the need for preparation to secure a supportive and comforting environment for the time
that may come.
The paper presents a music therapy project, the Dominga Project, which started in 2013 at the Paedatric
Oncoematology Ward, Bari Hospital. The project, one of the first in Italy in this context, was activated in
collaboration with APLETI association - Associazione Pugliese Lotta Emopatie e Tumori Infanzia. The role of
a relational music therapeutic approach with hospitalised children with cancer will be illustrated; several
clinical examples and vignettes will present methodology and techniques, both active and receptive,
applied in the sessions and how music therapy has been fully integrated in the medical protocol of
anasthesia to prepare and support children undergoing invasive medical procedures both with anaesthesia
and without.
The presentation will include the discussion of data gathered in the last year in an observational evaluation
study on the efficacy of music therapy on pre-operative anxiety of children undergoing invasive procedures
in anesthesia. The study involved a sample of 79 young patients between 2 and 12 years old assigned to
either an experimental or a control group.
The observational m-YPAS Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (Kain, 1997) was used for pre and post
evaluation of music therapy compared with standard care. The data showed a positive effect on pre-
operative anxiety in the experimental group (p< 0.002) in all of the five scale categories (activity, emotional
expressivity, state of arousal, vocalization, use of parents). The outcomes will be discussed and will be
related to the clinical observations of music therapist clinician, psychologist and medical staff.
‘The power of music to connect people has an impact which can extend far into a participant’s life like
ripples in a pond’ (Wood, 2016)
This presentation explores the concept of performance in children’s palliative care, encompassing both
private and public aspects of clinical practice and its potential for resonance in this setting.
Performance has played different roles, taken on different forms, definitions and values during the history
of the music therapy profession. Performance in paediatric palliative care has a particular context with
unique considerations, values and benefits. The multi-faceted benefits of performance when practised
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within a boundaried and ethically responsible framework are explored in this presentation, focussing on
the far-reaching resonance across the whole hospice community.
The presenter will draw on examples from her clinical practice and current research into the value of
performance in a joint music therapy and community music project in a children’s hospice. This
presentation positions performance as a resource the profession can draw upon where the context is
appropriate, robust ethical considerations are made and opportunities are sought to bring individuals and
communities together. ‘Performances create and sustain networks of relationships between and amongst
people, institutions and communities’ Ansdell (2010).
S 326 Music, imagery and physical health: Applying Guided Imagery and
Music (GIM) and related methods to music therapy practice
Alison Short, Esperanza Torres Serna, Maria Samara, Ruth Hertrampf and Annie Heiderscheit
This symposium brings together clinicians and researchers who are currently investigating how GIM-based
clinical methods can be used to address the physical health needs of clients in a wide range of settings and
contexts. The chair provides a theoretical overview of the theme and leads the discussion, beginning by
presenting the newly re-developed physical marker model (Short, 1990; Short, 2019), placing this
theoretical construct within an ecological framework to align with current medical and health care teaching
and practice worldwide. Each presenter then outlines their own specialist clinical and research approach
using GIM and related methods in clinical practice to address physical health needs. These include cardiac
care, fibromyalgia, physical sensory loss, cancer treatment, substance abuse and eating disorder. Questions
are opened to attendees, with the chair leading, moderating, informing and inviting presenters and
audience into the discussion of this symposium, including the continuum of using music and imagery
approaches right through to established GIM sessions.
The symposium includes the abstracts 327, 328, 329, 330 and with the following content:
Alison Short: Overview of symposium; Outline of the physical marker model and applications to
cardiac care
Esperanza Torres Serna: Clinical and research approach using Group Music and Imagery GrpMI to
address chronic pain.
Maria Samara: Guided Imagery and Music with the visually impaired population
Ruth Hertrampf: GIM related methods and cancer treatment
Annie Heiderscheit: GIM related methods with substance abuse and eating disorders
S 327 (326) Clinical and research approach using Group Music and Imagery GrpMI
to address chronic pain
Esperanza Torres Serna and Alison Short
The quantitative results will be presented, as well as qualitative examples of the research focused on
women with fibromyalgia. Pain is the main symptom of this syndrome. After working with Music and
Imagery (Grp MI), members of group changed their subjective perception of pain and even revealed other
damage or underlying psychic sufferings. This presentation further discusses uses of music and imagery and
GIM for chronic pain and attention to bio-psychological health care.
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Torres, E, (2015) Regaining a true self through music: GIM with a woman with fibromyalgia. In Dileo, (Ed.) Advanced
practice in medical music therapy: Case reports. (pp. 194-208) Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books.
Torres, E. (2015). Group Music and Imagery (GrpMI) for treating fibromyalgia. In D. Grocke, & T. Moe (Eds.), Imagery
and Music (GIM) and Music Imagery methods for individual and group therapy (pp. 267-276). London: Jessica
Kingsley Publishers
Torres, E., Pedersen, I. N., & Pérez-Fernández, J. I. (2018). Randomized Trial of a Group Music and Imagery Method
(GrpMI) for Women with Fibromyalgia. Journal of music therapy, 55(2), 186-220.
S 328 (326) Guided Imagery and Music with the visually impaired population
Maria Samara and Alison Short
Given the fact that especially congenitally blind people do not experience visual mental images, but
experience life mostly through their other sensory references, this presentation focuses on the potential of
using GIM as a therapeutic medium with visually impaired population. The challenges both the client and
the therapist face; the role of the music; the construction of visual as well as spatial representation of the
imagery; the adaptations needed, as well as the impact the GIM experience offers, taking under
consideration the major therapeutic issues, limitations and boundaries that visually impaired clients face,
are being presented.
Samara, M. (2016). Guided Imagery and Music and the Visually Impaired: Help me stay with the Light. Music and
Medicine, An Interdisciplinary Journal. Special Issue: Music and Imagery, 2, 45-54.
Cancer often goes along with multi-modal long-term medical treatment and is related to complex comorbid
physical and psychological health issues. The potential of GIM therapy addressing these issues and
supporting individual coping at different stages of the treatment trajectory are illustrated.
Hertrampf, R.-S. (2015): Group Music and Imagery (GrpMI) Therapy with Female Cancer Patients. In: Grocke, D. &
Moe, T. (Eds.), Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) and Music Imagery methods for individual and group therapy,
243–252. Barcelona: JKP.
Hertrampf, R.-S. (2017). `Keyboard of Life´. Music Therapy in Psycho-Oncology – Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) in
Curative and early Palliative Treatment for Women with Breast Cancer or Gynaecological Cancer. A Mixed
Methods Study. Doctoral dissertation, Aalborg University.
Hertrampf, R.-S. & Schönhals-Schlaudt, D. (2014): Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) und Gruppen-Musik-Imagination
(GrpMI) in der Behandlung krebskranker Menschen. In I. Frohne-Hagemann (Hg.), Guided Imagery and Music.
Konzepte und klinische Anwendungen, 185–206. Wiesbaden: Reichert.
Hertrampf, R.S. & Wärja, M. (2017). The Effect of Creative Arts Therapy and Arts Medicine on Psychological Outcomes
in Women with Breast or Gynecological Cancer: A Systematic Review of Arts-Based Interventions. Arts in
Psychotherapy, 56, 93–110.
S 330 (326) GIM related methods with substance abuse and eating disorders
Annie Heiderscheit and Alison Short
Substance abuse and eating disorders are complex diagnoses that include comorbid mental health issues
and are further complicated by a myriad of physical health issues. These issues are explored as they relate
to how GIM can address these comorbid issues that arise as a result of substance use and to address
client’s relationship to their body and symptomology.
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Heiderscheit, A. & Jackson, N. (2018). Introduction to music therapy practice. Houston, Texas.
Barcelona.
Heiderscheit, A. (2017). The effects of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music on interpersonal problems,
sense of coherence, and salivary Immunoglobulin A of adults in chemical dependency treatment.
Music&Medicine, 9(1), 24-36.
Heiderscheit, A. (2015). The use of the creative arts therapies in eating disorder treatment. In Heiderscheit, A. (Ed.).
Creative Arts Therapies in Eating Disorder Treatment, (p. 9-26). London. Jessica Kingsley.
Heiderscheit, A. (2015). The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) in eating disorder treatment. In
Heiderscheit, A. (Ed.). Creative Arts Therapies in Eating Disorder Treatment, (p. 120-141). London, England. Jessica
Kingsley.
Heiderscheit, A. (2013). GIM: Deprivation and its Contribution to Pain in Eating Disorders. In Mondanaro, J. & Sara, G.
(Ed.) Music and Medicine: Integrative Models in the Treatment of Pain, (p. 147-171). New York City, New York.
Satchnote.
Heiderscheit, A. (2015). GIM in the Therapeutic Hour and case illustration of an adult client in eating disorder
treatment. In Grocke, D. and Moe, T. (Eds.). Guided Imagery and Music and Imagery Methods for Individual and
Group Therapy, (99-107). London, England: Jessica Kingsley.
332 Group music therapy with at-risk youth: clinical data from an action-
research project
Teresa Leite, Joana Gonçalves, Alexandre Caetano and Ana Lapa
Music and groups are intrinsic components of the adolescents´ developmental path. Literature shows that
children and adolescents who suffered negligence, abuse and/or disruptive attachment patterns show
significant difficulties with emotional regulation and interpersonal relationships. At-risk children and youth
are particularly resistant to verbal therapy or the more traditional skills-training interventions. Music
therapy offers a culture-based, dynamic setting, which naturally reduces the adolescent´s resistance to
therapy while providing a contained frame for relating and processing emotions.
A study is being conducted to document the impact of group music therapy on the emotional and social
competencies of at-risk youth in a residential setting. This study includes an initial sample of 80 adolescents
between 12 and 18 years-old, with an experimental and a control group. The subjects in the experimental
group receive weekly sessions of group music therapy during 9 months. All subjects are assessed before
and after the groups are conducted. Data is being collected on emotional and social competencies,
indicators of psychopathology and a short well-being scale.
Although quantitative data are not available yet, clinical data will be used to reflect upon the impact of such
intervention, from a psychodynamic point of view, as well as a group dynamics point of view. Special
emphasis will be placed on emotional relatedness, containment, structure and validation as therapeutic
factors provided by the music-making experience and the therapist within the music therapy group setting.
Music therapy literatures question lack of digital technologies uptake. Swingler (2002) and Ruud (2010)
respectively exemplify by charging British and Scandinavian music therapy professions as slow to engage
with technology. Aligned, the author led panel at the 2007 International Computer Music Conference
(ICMC) discussed ‘Non-Formal Rehabilitation via Immersive interactive Music Environments’ – including
reflections on Aesthetic Resonance sound and music therapies via digital technologies (Brooks et al 2007).
Aesthetic Resonance refers to a situation when the response to intent is so immediate and aesthetically
pleasing as to make one forget the physical movement (and often effort) involved in the conveying of the
intention (e.g. Brooks, 2011; 2004; 2002; 1999). Ellis (1997) defined AR as "special moments experienced by
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individuals /.../ in which they achieve total control and expression in sound after a period of intense
exploration, discovery and creation". Hagman (2010) defined AR as "the intersubjective dialogue" that
characterizes creative work "with intrapsychic forms (those which arouse the emotional necessities of our
physiological, psychological and relational natures) falling into sync". Neuroaesthetic Resonance is posited
as evolving from AR (Brooks, 2013).
Medical experts who knew each patient evaluated.
Aesthetic Resonance (AR) has been catalyst of three European projects from 1998-2002 having foci on
exploring bespoke technologies to complement and supplement traditional therapeutic intervention in
rehabilitation across situations addressing spans of ages, diagnoses, and conditions. Empirical work,
theoretical foundation behind the body of research is documented in the author’s papers with novelty and
originality in the full paper. The research is ongoing.
Music therapy literature about music therapy practice, theory, and research presents different perspectives
about the level of evidence upon which its practice is based. Nowadays, evidence-based music therapy
practice supports efficient and effective practice in different areas. In the last years, the evidence-based
music therapy approach has contributed to the proliferation of randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses
and systematic reviews that support the interventions and effects of music therapy practice.
The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1465-1858) is a collection of databases that contain different types of high-
quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. Cochrane reviews examine research
evidence on interventions using agreed-upon criteria for quality evaluation. The first Music Therapy
Cochrane review was published in 2006 (Gold, Wigram & Elefant). In 2018, the database shows 33
Systematic Reviews, 2 Cochrane Protocols, 1315 trials and one clinical answer with the keyword “music
therapy” at title, abstract, keyword (update 15/10/2018).
The purpose of this study is to review Cochrane articles published covering the keywords “music therapy”
and “music-based interventions”. Procedures for data analysis include descriptive and statistical analysis to
categorise and inform about the level of evidence of music therapy interventions. Recommendations will
be made for Music Therapy research and its implications for the level of evidence that Systematic Reviews
and Cochrane Protocols contribute to clinical practice.
Assessment of clients’ needs and the evaluation of the effects of intervention are important for the clinical
populations we serve in order to develop interventions that are tailored to an individual’s needs. Patients,
families, providers and music therapy clinicians can all benefit. Determining the clinical outcomes following
intervention is also important in terms of examining the role music therapy has made to changes in the
person’s functioning. Furthermore, measures used for these purposes can be used in researching music
therapy. The development of measures that are relevant to music therapy and sensitive to patient progress
are central to these processes. Measures also need to meet psychometric requirements, specifically in
terms of reliability (inter-rater and test-retest) and validity (does the measure do what it actually claims to
do?). In essence, do two different music therapists use the same measure in the same way, and does a
music therapist use a measure the same way on different occasions and/or with different clients?
The purpose of this presentation is to describe the processes involved in testing measures to ensure that
they are reliable and valid. Key terms will be defined including psychometrics, reliability, validity,
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assessment and evaluation. Processes for validating a measure into other languages to ensure cultural
sensitivity will also be discussed, drawing on one author’s experience of validating a standardized English
language music therapy measure into Chinese and Spanish.
Traditionally, autism has been described within the medical model of disability; autistic people have been
seen as damaged versions of neurologically typical (or “normal”) people, and the main goal of therapies for
autistic people has been to make them indistinguishable from their non-autistic peers. As an autistic person
and part of the international autistic community, I know first-hand how damaging this approach can be,
and would like to present an alternative, culturally based approach. In my presentation, I will give the
audience an insight into what it means to grow up in a culture that does not fit your own neurology, and to
be denied a culture that is natural to you. I will then talk briefly about the history of autistic culture, and I
will give some examples of what autistic culture can look like. Finally, I will discuss how we as music
therapists can help autistic clients to discover and develop their own culture, rather than imposing
neurotypical culture on them. I will give some examples of how I implement these ideas in my work with
autistic children and adolescents. In my conclusion, I will invite people to continue exploring autistic
culture, and I am hoping for a lively discussion at the end.
Introduction: Many argue that music therapy offers unique avenues for change and a distinctive way of
clinically understanding our client, and this calls for evidence-based assessment approaches that meet the
rigor of modern test theory thereby strengthening the integrity of the profession. Even though the field of
music therapy assessment is rapidly developing, still many areas of working are not supported by
systematic and robust assessment tools. Often clinicians and researchers have to develop their own way of
assessing or measuring to fit the need or focus at hand. This is not an easy task and there are many aspects
to consider including choosing and connecting purpose, activities, data source and outcome format and
interpretation (Jacobsen, Waldon & Gattino, 2018).
Aim: Music therapists mostly apply observational methods where the clinical population and their needs
and challenges determine the focus and process of these observations. This workshop aims to inspire
clinicians and researchers on ways to choose, understand and structure their observations and activities
and how to design an assessment tool that can produce relevant, robust and useful information within
clinical practice and research.
Activities: Using live examples of possible assessment activities in sessions with instruments and role-
played clients, the participants will get hands-on experience with designing and conducting assessment
sessions including creating operationally defined constructs, designing musical protocols, how to collect,
analyze and interpret data, and meet institutional and interdisciplinary needs.
This is a presentation based on the collaboration of members from the International Music Therapy
Assessment Consortium (IMTAC).
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Presentation of an explanatory Case study to describe the intensity in agitated behavior before, during and
after treatment with listening to preferred music categorized ‘supportive music’ in patients with severe
cognitive disturbances following acquired brain injury (ABI) at a sub-acute rehabilitation hospital,
Regionshospitalet Hammel Neurocenter. Agitated behavior is frequent in patients suffering from traumatic
brain injury (TBI), and often associated with prolonged hospitalization, poor adherence of therapy and
difficulty achieving functional goals. The condition often appears simultaneously with post-traumatic
amnesia (PTA), and in patients with ABI of non-traumatic etiology. Typical treatment involves behavioral
strategies, verbal interventions, environmental adjustments and physical restraint, along with the use of
pharmacological agents. Presentation of the study that includes 7 patients, 6 males and 1 female with age ≥
18 years that score from 2-5 on the RLAS and an ABS score above 21. Presentation of the intervention;
listening to a personal composed playlist consistent of 3-6 pieces of preferred music fulfilling the criteria of
familiar, predictable and stylistically simple music over a period of 3 days. Presentation of measurements
that consist of ABS scores, pulse, blood pressure, recordings from video surveillance and semi structured
interview of involved staff and 1 relative. The results is discussed and a conservative conclusion shows that
listening to preferred music composed as a personal playlist decrease intensity of agitated behavior
measured in ABS scores, increase orientation and ability to collaborate and does not decrease pulse or
blood pressure.
As music therapists we often see clients who seem to have no words, no feelings, no awareness of
themselves. For many years music therapists have worked with these clients in psychiatric or
psychosomatic settings. Based on psychodynamic understandings of mental „structure,“ these clients can
be described as “low-structured” clients. The concept of „structural disorders“ and „structure-related
psychotherapy“ (Rudolf, 2011) are grounding theories for music therapy treatment. These theories are
informed by developmental psychology (especially infant research), the development of a core self (Stern,
2000), and mentalization-based psychotherapy (Fonagy 2013).
The Workshop gives a short insight into these theories and presents a model of music therapy treatment
with patients with structural deficits. Treatment steps are described in detail, starting from listening and
experiencing and moving through expression, regulation and mirroring to relatedness. The participants
bring in clinical examples.
There is a need for well-evaluated music therapy assessment tools in many clinical fields. Music therapists
often work with clients who cannot be assessed using clinical questionnaires. Therefore nonverbal
assessment tools are required. The Music Therapy Expression and Communication Scale (MAKS) is an
assessment tool for children, adolescents and adults in psychiatric settings. The scale has been evaluated in
two studies (Moreau, 2010) with children and adolescents. This poster discusses its clinical application,
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giving a short description of the scale, its items, and psychometric data (objectivity, reliability and validity).
Clinical procedures and assessment protocols are presented, as well as data analysis and clinical report.
W 347 Music therapy based techniques for team building in organisations and
institutions
Alice Pehk
The organization as a system has its own life, which is conscious and unconscious, with subsystems relating
to and mirroring one another. The study of this unconscious behaviour and dynamics leads to a deeper
understanding of organizational behaviour and facilitates organizational change if needed. Music therapy
based techniques (MTBT) if used in team training support bringing out the unconscious intentions and
attitudes as well as showing the possible hidden patterns of the team. It is the “power of the music” that
makes the material that is not seen or noticed before more visible.
The intentions of using MTBT in team training depend on the actual needs of the organization. The
objectives could be e.g. improving the esprit de corps in the team; developing or reinforcing the common
values for the team; diagnosing the actual situation in the team; detecting the patterns, understanding the
undercurrents or dynamics operating in the team; better acceptance of individual differences of the team
members, deeper understanding of the co-workers’ personal uniqueness and intentions; enhancing
awareness of the role of the individual or team within the system; integrating new team members to the
team; supporting self-development of the team members and developing the self-observing abilities in the
team context; supporting and improving creativity and spontaneity.
In the work-shop the basic principles of using MTBT (incl. TEAM-GIM method) in team building will be
introduced, including case-examples. Expressive as well as receptive activities of MTBT will be provided in
the group of participants.
349 “If I cut his wings…”: A music therapy process for ending life in the
elderly
Jaione Oribe
This paper presents a music therapy intervention in the elderly at the end of life, exemplified with a case
study. It illustrates how a therapeutic process based on a person-centered model of care, which attends the
wholeness of the person including the family (Gallagher et al. 2017), can contribute to create a meaningful
transition from life to death. In that example the intervention level is transformative (Dileo, 2016) and
includes both receptive and active music therapy techniques (Wigram, Grocke & Bonde, 2005). End of life
can be a spiritual and transcendent moment (Magill, 2005) in which the person and their relatives can
accept the goodbye with love and compassion. The relationships developed throughout the length of the
music therapy process can create a sacred and intimate atmosphere (Hogan, 1999) in which the person,
relatives, music and music therapist resonate together. Music therapist’s presence is relevant for that
resonance: spiritual awareness (Oribe, 2016), intuition and acceptation of the natural countertransference
(Economos, 2018) play a major role, as it is shown here.
The case study consists of 8 music therapy sessions, mainly in hospital setting, within Palliative Medicine
team. Luis, a 77 year-old man, died at the end of the 8th session, although a short-term death was not
predicted at the beginning of the process. He was a medically challenging patient because of the changing
situation he showed. The last session with Luis supposed a transformation for every person in the room and
gave meaning to the whole music therapy process.
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350 Music Therapy for Enhancing Cognitive and Motor Abilities for Elderly
with Stroke
Wai Man Ng
According to statistics done by Chinese Stroke Association in 2016, there were 2.5 million new occurrence
of stroke, warranting a huge demand for rehabilitation care. Research (AMTA, US) has shown that stroke
survivors can benefit from music therapy on speech, motor skills, cognitive functions and psychosocial-
welling.
From 2016-2017, there was a small-scale music therapy research conducted in Hong Kong. In this
randomized controlled trial, 45 elderly stroke patients with impaired cognitive and motor functions, were
recruited and allocated in 3 groups: 1) The experimental group (Group A) was undergone to a music
therapy treatment based on cognitive and physical training exercise; 2) The control group (Group B) was
undergone to treatment based on cognitive training (with no music); 3) Another control group (Group C)
was undergone to treatment based on physical training (with no music). All of the three groups have
conducted 16 sessions (90 mins long for each session).
Four main assessment tools were used to measure the effect of music therapy: 1) Lawton IADL Scale, 2)
VFT, 3) EMS and 4) 6-Minute Walk Test. The result shows that, the score for experiential music therapy
group (Group A) is higher than the two control groups (B & C) – which validates the effect of music therapy
in improving the cognitive and motor functions of the elderly stroke patients.
In this presentation, presenter will introduce the background, design, assessment tool, result, findings and
discussion of this study, to illustrate how music therapy can assist in the stroke rehabilitation in detail.
Introduction: Public interest in the benefits of music for people with dementia has rapidly increased in
recent years. Music therapists working in dementia care often need to respond flexibly to the needs of their
work environment: for example, teaching families and carers how to use music therapeutically to meet the
psychosocial needs of people with dementia and using their music therapy skills more broadly when
working in a large multi-disciplinary team. Although music therapy skill-sharing is not new in music therapy
practice, there is a need to articulate our expanding roles as music therapists in dementia care as the
number of people living with dementia continues to rise.
Methods: Building on our previous roundtable discussion and our article on indirect music therapy practice,
five dementia specialist researchers from four countries will present our local and international skill-sharing
projects. We will expand our discussion on the longer-term challenges and benefits of indirect music
therapy practice in dementia care from our individual cultural contexts, and from wider perspectives of the
music therapy profession.
Conclusion: Skill-sharing is complex and context-driven. Cultural, societal and economical expectations for
music therapists usually determine how and what we can skill-share. It is also important to consider
potential risks and limitations of skill-sharing without sufficient resources. Despite challenges, indirect
music therapy practice is necessary so that people with dementia benefit directly from the informed and
safe use of music provided by families and carers, which will in turn strengthen and further develop the
‘resonance’ of their reciprocal relationships.
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352 Voice work resonating from within; - Group music therapy with women
suffering from postnatal depression and anxiety
Sanne Storm and Sofie Buchhave
CLINICAL POPULATION: Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems postnatal.
This paper is connected to a recently begun research project focusing on perinatal depression and anxiety
using Psychodynamic Voice Therapy (PVT) as an approach for treatment. It will discuss the clinical needs
and therapeutic processes of six women suffering from postnatal depression and anxiety receiving group
music therapy.
CLINICAL APPROACH: The clinical approach is PVT, interventions based on body and voice as primary
instruments. The multiple and diverse purposes of PVT will be presented. Drawing is included as a tool for
an intra- and inter-dialogue.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: The basic theoretical approach and understanding of PVT will be described
from a neuroaffective perspective addressing concepts like arousal, dynamics and forms of vitality. PVT is
connected to the concept of the lived body and a trust that a healing potential lies within ourselves when
activating our creativity.
CASES: Core elements of the diversity in the subjective experience of the six women connected to central
vocal interventions will be highlighted.
DISCUSSION: It will be discussed and reflected upon what “best-practice” is for women suffering from
postnatal depression and anxiety. Additionally possible criteria for being referred to group music therapy
based on Psychodynamic Voice Therapy will be discussed.
CONCLUSION: In spite of a diverse group, and individual reasons for sufferings and challenges, verbalized
themes is resonating across the group. Furthermore basic needs for nourishing a centering sensation as
well as the ability for finding time and tools for self-soothing is defined.
359 (S 445) Do the outcomes prioritised by research reflect the value of music and
music therapy to people with dementia? Synthesis of findings from two
literature reviews
Becky Dowson
There is a growing acknowledgement that music-based interventions, including music therapy, have
potential to benefit people with dementia. The evidence base which seeks to prove these benefits is
growing. As researchers we have a duty to ensure that we do not focus our enquiries solely on what we
think is important or valuable, but that we take into account the perspectives of people with dementia,
whose voices may be underrepresented. Can we be sure that the tools chosen by researchers reflect the
value of music to people with dementia as it is perceived by stakeholders, especially people with dementia
themselves? I will present the findings and synthesis of two complementary literature reviews which were
conducted with this question in mind. Firstly, a review using meta-narrative techniques explored the
outcome measures and indicators which have been used in studies of music and dementia from 1980
onward. From the results, meta-narratives describing how research in this area has been guided by
perceptions of dementia in medicine and society were developed. Secondly, a review of case studies
involving music therapy for people with dementia used Critical Interpretive Synthesis to investigate the
value and benefits of music therapy as they are described in the context of clinical practice. Findings from
these two reviews were synthesised to explore whether the areas which are prioritised by music and
dementia-focused research reflect the experience of key stakeholders in music therapy. I will conclude with
reflections on the implication of these findings for research and practice.
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The round table will introduce the Erasmus+ funded project, STALWARTS. It brings together music
therapists and researchers from five European countries and universities (Bergen, Bologna, Porto, Tallinn
and UWE Bristol) to collaborate with teachers and young people in community-based partner schools. The
overall aim of the project is to develop accredited courses of study for teachers to use music and the
creative arts to prevent early school leaving and to support vulnerable young people in schools.
The project’s objectives include: use of participatory action-based methodology for the development of
classroom-based enquiries carried out by teachers in collaboration with students; a focus on guaranteeing
the rights of young people with reference to UNCRC and other European policy documents and education
guidelines (Horizon 2020, 2030, OECD 2016). These objectives enable the voices and needs of the young
people to remain central.
The presenters will outline the background and evolution of the project with individual summaries of
findings from classroom-based enquiries in Estonia, Norway and the UK. These draw additionally on
neuroscience-informed classroom pedagogical practices and the ecological theories of Bronfenbrenner.
Presentations will also demonstrate how the training modules integrate into the different university
programmes.
The final report for Erasmus+ is due for submission in Autumn 2019, therefore the timing of this conference
is apt, bringing together the many findings of this two-year project. During the roundtable, some of the
challenges for the music therapists involved in the project will provide opportunities for the attending
participants to be engaged in dialogue and debate.
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In many European countries there is a strong demand for evidence-based interventions in mental health
care. Scientific evidence on the effects of psychological interventions leads to inclusion in multidisciplinary
guidelines and care programs. Therefore, it is essential for music therapists to show the effects and
applicability of their interventions.
Setting up a meta-analysis study can be an interesting solution to summarize the results of multiple
individual studies into the effects of music therapy. Meta-analysis integrates the findings of studies in an
accurately defined research area, for example on the effects of music interventions on stress-related
outcomes. New knowledge can be created through the combination of research results from the different
studies and provides answers to questions that cannot be satisfactorily answered in the individual studies.
Results of a multilevel meta-analysis also provide insight into the specific effect moderating factors of the
intervention, like the style of music, the therapeutic method, or the number of sessions.
The aim of this workshop is to show that meta-analyses not only provide overall effect sizes, but also gain
more insight into the effect moderating factors of the arts therapeutic interventionsThis workshop will
focus on;
1) the approach and concepts of multilevel meta-analysis for the field of music therapy.
2) examples of multilevel meta-analyses in music therapy that are currently being carried out.
3) the explanation (and try-out) of a structured roadmap for conducting a meta-analysis.
4) sharing ideas for setting up a meta-analysis related to the daily practice of arts therapists.
Clinical Population/problem: The word assessment in music therapy sounds for many music therapists as
"the use of assessment tools". However, clinicians can use different strategies to assess clinical demands
considering the practices of observing, reviewing, testing and interviewing outside of the context of
assessment tools, shaping the assessment procedures according to the particular needs of each client. As a
proposal established by the International Music Therapy Assessment Consortium (IMTAC), this paper
presentation will present different possibilities on how to deal with the practice of assessment in music
therapy without a tool.
Clinical approach and theoretical background: This paper focuses on different possibilities of assessment
and the use of the guide of the eight stages described by Gattino, Jacobsen and Storm (2018) on assessing
without a tool in music therapy. Case examples will be presented using video vignettes from music therapy
practice, emphasizing the use of observing, interviewing, testing and reviewing practices.
Discussion & conclusion: Using an eight-step guide can be a beneficial alternative for clinicians who want to
take information from their clients in music therapy and can raise awareness on the value of assessment in
music therapy clinical practice for music therapists, clients and interdisciplinary colleagues. This
presentation encourages clinicians to consciously use assessment practices without a tool to personalize
the process of collecting client data as part of quality assurance and professional ethical consideration.
Gattino, G., Jacobsen, S. & Storm, S. (2018). Music therapy assessment without tools: From the Clinician’s
Perspective. Music Therapy Assessment, 64-97.
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Training focus: teaching in music therapy is a theme not well developed in the training literature. Most of
the publications focus on the curriculum, competencies and the different contents covered by the music
therapy education.
Problem: teaching strategies represent a theme few discussed in music therapy training. Also, there are few
cases examples in the literature showing how teachers can deal with challenging situations within the
music therapy education. This roundtable will present different cases examples of teaching strategies
dealing with challenging situations in different training contexts in music therapy.
Learning model: the theoretical frame for this roundtable is the Problem Based Learning (PBL) method. The
PBL is a learning method based on the principle of using problems as a starting point for the acquisition and
integration of new knowledge (Savery, 2015).
Discussion: this roundtable gathers four music therapists from different countries (Brazil, Denmark,
Portugal and Spain), which have relevant teaching experience working in music therapy training programs,
dealing with various challenges in the teaching environment.
Conclusion: challenging situations lead teachers in music therapy to reflect on their practices and the
necessity to find out good teaching strategies to figure out problems and difficulties in the teaching
environment.
Savery, J. R. (2015). Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Essential readings in problem-
based learning: Exploring and extending the legacy of Howard S. Barrows, 9, 5-15.
In recent years there has been significant growth in music therapy practice with children and parents.
Empirical studies have primarily investigated outcomes of parental participation, with less attention paid to
the musical-social processes through which therapy is enacted.
This paper presents a practice-led, phenomenologically-informed study of music therapy practice within a
specific UK healthcare context. The rise in parental attendance in this context challenged conventional
frames of practice and theory. The study was an investigation of the enactment of music therapy, both at
the micro-level of a single session, and across a wider meshwork of people, places, and events beyond the
confines of the therapy room.
On the basis of the study, the paper argues that music therapy practice with children and parents appears
as a distinctive therapeutic configuration. An ecological attitude is proposed, signaling a way of thinking in
practice, and a radical repositioning of therapist, child, parent, and music therapy itself. Such repositioning
raises questions of resonance at various levels: relational, practical, and professional. This paper argues for
an active acknowledgement of the tensions inherent in such questions, and potential implications for both
practice and research.
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The use of standardised and validated outcome measures is vital for rigorous research on the effectiveness
of music therapy. When changes occur within non-verbal interactive music therapy this becomes even
more challenging. Therefore, selection of appropriate outcome measures is crucial. The workshop leaders
will share practical experience of music therapy research implementation in which they used the Basic
Empathy Scale (BES; Jolliffe&Farrington, 2006). This tool has been successfully implemented in different
countries in both, general population and samples including juvenile and adult offenders (Heynen,
VanDerHelm, Stams, & Korebrits, 2016)
Jolliffe and Farrington (2004) conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the relationship
between empathy and offending, showing that low cognitive empathy was strongly related to offending,
with low affective empathy being weakly related. VanLangen, Wissink, VanVugt, VanDerStouwe and Stams
(2014) replicated these results in a meta-analysis.
We will discuss from various perspectives if this finding has a bearing on whether music therapy can
increase affective empathy and decrease challenging or offending behaviour.
Jolliffe and Farrington (ibid) questioned whether an understanding of another person’s emotions may be
impaired by a lack of understanding one’s own emotions. The answer to this question has implications for
music therapists, the role of supervision and in mixed-methods research in the levels of emotional
awareness of clinicians. The presenters will give a short presentation of recent developments in empathy
research and psychometric properties of the BES. Discussion on emotional recognition and how effective
the therapist can be in developing a therapeutic alliance will follow.
371 (S 445) The role of music and in music therapy for the reduction of behavioural
and psychological symptoms for people with dementia during group
music therapy sessions
Paolo Pizziolo, Jörg Fachner and Helen Odell-Miller
Reason for the research: Music Therapy (MT) literature reports a reduction of Behavioural and
Psychological Symptoms associated with Dementia (BPSD) after MT. The importance of significant session
events in active group MT in increasing engagement and creating relationships has also been noted. This
study investigated the internal mechanism of MT at Moments of BPSD Reduction (MBR) which occurr in
group active MT sessions. Resonance between members and their music making is a key feature of the
improvisation techniques in the study.
Methods: A mixed method design was used to quantitavely identify MBRs and then qualitatively describe
MT techniques, setting characteristics and significant moments, which contribute to MBRS. 72 small group
therapy sessions were analysed using data from 12 sessions for 6 small groups. The qualitative MBRs
description was based on Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of music therapist’s semi-structured
interviews. An analysis of association between qualitatative descriptors and MT techniques at each BPSD
Syndrome was undertaken.
Results: 35 MBRs were identified. 20 emergent themes and a pool of 4 techniques and/or qualititive
descriptors for hyperactivity, apathy, aggression and depression syndromes were idenfied and described.
Discussion: MT techniques used at MBRs work when they are connected with the features and conditons of
the clinical environment. This condition creates resonances in group members music and relationships.
Conclusion: Whilst this study sample size is small, and cause and effects can not be entirely demonstrated,
the study does identify some MBR “ingredients” which could became elements of a future Randomised
Controlled Trial hypothesis.
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Where does the focus of the therapeutic relationship lie from a music therapist’s perspective? Although the
main focus of all treatment is sound and music, music therapists resonate with other creative arts. Musical
traits are observed and encouraged but actually it is gestures and attempts to create that are released.
Although needs and weaknesses are being addressed potential, normalisation and possibility are behind
what develops. Even though change in an individual is the ultimate aim, treatment from the whole
community is what ensures it (Fiorini 2007).
This symposium seeks to use the theoretical principles of the creative potential working model Del Campo-
Fiorini, (Wigram, T., Pedersen, I. N., Bonde, L.O. 2011 ) coupled with treatment in and with the community
to resonate. Several music therapists will activate this sound using examples of community action to seek
divergences and convergences in the dialogue of artistic and therapeutic interventions.
1. Patxi del Campo. The creative psyche model; the potential of internal transformation through
creating.
2. Elvira. Diversario; a model of artistic creation-based convergence and boundary-breaking in the
community
3. Sheila. Creating together in TEA. Making and being community through
4. Margareta Wärja: POESIS - intermodal expressive arts therapy in oncology.
5. Marta. Facilitating family (severe vulnerability) action: play, drama and music.
374 Echo of the Self and Resonant Emptiness: a music therapy and
psychotherapy integrated intervention in Eating disorders treatment
Elide Scarlata and Teresa Ferrante
Multi-professional competence compose an effective soundbox in the client and his inner dissonances
treatment. Music therapy promotes client harmonization by the sound and psychotherapy operates on
dissonant conflicts activating search for pursuit balance and harmony. Multi-professional treatment is
characterized as a “field of resonance”, if music therapist training is enriched by an individual
psychotherapy and psychotherapist training is completed by an individual music therapy process. To that
end it will be presented experience and results of a music therapy and psychotherapy integrated
intervention carried out for one year at Eating Disorders Center inside a Health Institution.
Perception of emptiness, expression of every aspect in Eating Disorders, is related to body experienced as
“soundbox”. As such it contains emptiness (Anorexia) and fullness (Bulimia) elements. Multi professional
intervention creates at different levels new balance for dissonant parts of Self, a modulation of emptiness
and fullness. The last one gives to client a new frame for awareness and a personal experience of Self in the
flow of Time and Space. Moreover by multi professional intervention the client may focus at different levels
own traumatic core, going through and elaborating unresolved conflicts towards a new dimension of Self
individuation.
Heiderscheit, A. (Ed.). 2015a). Creative Arts Therapies in Eating Disorder Treatment. London: Jessica Kingsley
Publishers.
Kohut, H.,(1971), The Analysis of the Self: A Systematic Approach to the Psychoanalytic Treatment of Narcissistic
Personality Disorders, New York, International Universities Press.
Stern,D., (1985), The Interpersonal World of the Infant: A View from Psychoanalysis and Development, Basic Books
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The voice and (sound-)body of the therapist are important tools in the context of a therapeutic process. To
experience resonance as a patient, the therapist’s voice as his or her primal instrument can play a decisive
role. An important prerequisite is the health and awareness of the therapist’s own voice.
In this approach, a combination of Qigong and Voicework can address two essential concerns: the care of
the therapists’ health and well-being; and the development of a professional and personal relationship to
one’s own instrument.
The Workshop provides an introduction to the ancient Chinese set of movements, breathing and focused
intention, Qigong Yangsheng. The morning practice of Integrative Voice Therapy and Voice Pedagogy by E.
Haupt are explored as tools to care for the voice in a structured manner. Exercises and key points of Qigong
Yangsheng can support healthy, authentic, stable and also flexible voice production and help to experience
and to use the speaking, humming and singing voice in a context of health promotion and well-being.
Please wear comfortable clothes and come either in socks or in shoes with a thin and flexible sole.
The concept of resonance between people and its investigation on various levels is a fundamental part in
social and cultural anthropological research and has also been discussed widely in music therapy referring
to Daniel Stern’s concept of ‘now moments’. Clinical case reports include many descriptions of experiences
of resonance between therapists and patients. Patients as well as therapists may experience them as
meaningful moments, as a feeling of having a special connection with each other and being “on the same
wavelength”. In this roundtable, we focus on these phenomena occurring during music therapy with
neurodegenerative patients and patients in neurorehabilitation.
We will discuss these aspects by reporting case studies and show how certain moments in therapy are
interpreted in terms of resonance from the stance of music therapy (Tucek), social-cultural anthropology
(Vogl), social neuroscience (Maidhof). We will also discuss moments of resonance as observed in an NMT
context and show how the therapist responds to the patients’ current needs (Street).
Successful therapeutic interaction is also crucial for therapy progress and resonances between significant
Moments of Behavioural Reduction (MBR) of Dementia symptoms will be shown in group music therapy
sessions (Pizziolo). A resonance among the different MBRs is highlighted by mapping qualitative MBR
descriptions and by linking them according to analogic similarities and multilayer resonances.
Different perspectives on what happens in shared moments of interest are vital for music therapy theory
and debate, but the common denominator is that MTs are interested in moments in which therapy creates
Change.
380 Interactive Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in People with
Advanced Cancer: A Mechanistic Study
Joke Bradt
Chronic pain is one of the most feared symptoms in people with cancer, with 70% to 90% of people with
advanced disease reporting pain. Although music therapy is frequently used for pain management in cancer
care, there is a lack of knowledge related to therapeutic mechanisms (i.e. mediators) that lead to
improvement. Yet, it is well accepted that knowledge of mediators as well as a validated theory of action
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(i.e., how the intervention activates the mediators) are needed to optimize psychosocial treatment
interventions. Therefore, the purpose of this ongoing multi-site clinical trial is to examine mediators
hypothesized to account for the pain-reducing effects of interactive music therapy in people with advanced
cancer who have chronic pain. This study uses a mixed methods intervention design in which 100
participants are randomized to 6 interactive music therapy (IMT) or 6 social attention control sessions. The
mediators (anxiety, mood, self-efficacy and perceived support) and pain outcomes (pain intensity and pain
interference) are measured at three time points using self-report measures as well as biomarkers (salivary
cortisol, lachrymal dopamine, serum oxytocin, and plasma β-endorphins). Follow-up interviews are
conducted with 20 participants to examine congruence between the hypothesized mediation model and
their explanations of how IMT impacts chronic pain. We will present preliminary results of this 3-year study.
In addition, this presentation is aimed at enhancing understanding of what mechanistic studies entail,
demonstrating how mixed methods research can strengthen such studies in music therapy, and explaining
why mechanistic studies are important for clinical work.
This study aims to quantify effects of active music therapy in post-stroke recovery, with the current analysis
focussing on timing and temporal behaviour as an indicator of improving motor control and recovery in
relation to the treatment start.
Seven patients suffering from right hemisphere stroke have received standard care and additionally two
weekly sessions of individual active music therapy over a period of three months (20 sessions) including
various interactive rhythmic exercises on djembe and drum kit performed together with the testing
therapist. Four received music therapy as early intervention (between month 1-3 after stroke), three as late
intervention (between month 4-6). Four test sessions (baseline, after 3, 4, and 7 months) were recorded
using optical motion capture.
Motion capture data of the four test sessions was used to quantify timing of djembe hits in two exercises
containing patterns of three hits and a pause of one hit. While in the first test sessions, patients tended to
increase the tempo of the pattern, they improved in keeping the temporal structure towards the later test
sessions. Furthermore, the tempo of the three hits became more stable and more synchronized with the
therapist’s hits. Patients in the late intervention group showed improvements only in the last test session,
but improved to a similar level.
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In many countries music therapy has been used for decades in child oncology to promote healthy coping,
expression of emotions etc. However, the literature doesn’t comprise descriptions of standardised
interventions or outcome studies on music imagery as to side effects of chemotherapy in children.
This paper concerns a presentation of preliminary results and reflections on clinical potentials from the
Scandinavian MICO multi–site project comprising two RCT studies on the effect of music and imagery on
nausea and side effects of chemotherapy in children with cancer. Study 1 involves children (7–12 years) and
specially designed music imagery narratives composed by the principal investigator. Study 2 concerns
teenagers (12–17 years) and a continuum model of music and imagery. Both studies combine of music
therapy sessions and music medicine.
In this paper, we provide an outline of the preliminary qualitative and quantitative results showing that the
applied music and imagery interventions have resource– and health–promoting qualities and resonate with
various needs of paediatric patients and their families. In addition to focusing on the needs of children with
cancer, one of the important spin–off benefits of the MICO project is the development and successful
application of new adapted material for the medical personnel aiming at improving staff wellbeing and
counteracting work–related stress. Consequently, being resonant not only with the needs of the patients
but the entire ecology of clinical setting, the MICO project suggests an expansion of the role and affordance
of music therapy in paediatrics. See www.misocstudy.com
The development of music therapy worldwide increased in the last decade and more trained professionals
are demanded in different areas. This leads to a further demand for the recognition of music therapy as
profession by government or National Health Systems. These issues are discussed in conferences to
propose common standards for professional qualification; this requires more precise professional
competences at different levels of music therapists’ development.
In this roundtable the role in the development and recognition of the Music Therapy Profession of the
World Federation of Music Therapy, the European Music Therapy Confederation and the National Music
Therapy Organizations / Associations worldwide will be discussed presenting different topics involved, e.g.:
a) Standards for training and qualification of music therapists.
b) Advantages & disadvantages in the process of establishing certification and accreditation systems
for music therapists in Europe and other regions of the world.
c) The situation of the music therapists´ accreditation systems in Europe, and the promotion of
national recognition systems or independent structures.
d) How to identify the domains that a certification / accreditation process should evaluate?
e) Is it possible a global accreditation system for music therapists, promoting a set of global standards
or domains to promote mobility and exchange of clinicians, researchers and teachers.
Presenters will promote the debate on questions and doubts that arise when discussing the topics
proposed. They also describe a research project based on an idea to build a database of information about
music therapy accreditation and licensing procedures throughout the world.
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The national project “Singing elderly care” is a part of “Singing Norway”. The project has since the
beginning in 2015 been working with implementation of caregiver singing in 26 so-called Singing care
homes/nursing homes in Norway. In a Singing care home staff, volunteers and relatives receive training and
help with implementation of singing as a tool for communication and socialisation with residents. The main
goal is increased well-being for residents, and their caregivers. The project leader is a music therapist.
Through 2018 and 2019, three Singing care homes are followed in a qualitative follow research project,
conducted by researchers from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Centre for
research in music and health (CREMAH, Norwegian Academy of music), and Singing Norway. The aim of the
research is to explore how the project affects the daily lives of residents and caregivers in these 26 Singing
care homes.
Preliminary results suggest that the project contributes to more use of singing in the care homes, and that
residents and their caregivers have positive attitude towards the project. The implementation of caregiver
singing gives an increased feeling of joy and happiness to residents, and the communication between
residents and their caregivers is improved.
This paper will present the main findings in this research project, and the project’s relation to music
therapy as both practice and research field will be discussed.
W 392 Living Light and New Blood - Experiencing two contemporary GIM
programmes
Svein Fuglestad
Introduction/Background: Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) is a music-centred method combining music
listening, relaxation, visualization and conversation. Specific music programmes are used in this method,
and more than 100 different new music programmes have been developed during the last three decades in
addition to the original core programmes by Helen Bonny, the founder of this method.
Aim and Content: In this workshop a couple of new contemporary GIM programmes will be presented. New
Blood contains instrumental versions of orchestral re-recordings of various tracks by the English rock
musician Peter Gabriel. The intention with the program is to give the traveller ‘new ideas and energy’, and
might with it’s ‘new blood’ be a way of touching the inner resonance in people not so familiar with classical
music. Living Light (developed in collaboration with Ian Leslie in 2018) contains mainly contemporary neo-
classical pieces by living European composers. This programme was created with an acknowledgement of
the ongoing difficulties and challenges we all face on the planet in these times. The intention with this
music programme was to offer the traveller engagement with the positive beauty of music as experienced
in the moment.
Activities: In the experiential part of the workshop the participants will listen to extracts from the two new
music programmes, focusing on different affordances this contemporary music offers, and expressing the
experiences in various creative forms. There will be time for reflection and sharing both in dyads/small
groups and plenary how these music programmes resonates with(in) the participants.
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Introduction: Aging is a period of great changes and these changes require the elderly to make an effort to
adapt to the new conditions of life, a time of risk for the balance and psychological well-being of the elderly
person (Sequeira, 2002). It is therefore crucial to offer meaningful activities for the elderly, that promote
their self-esteem, their individuality, their creativity and socialization with peers, in a way to delay physical
and cognitive decline and to improve both their quality of life (Wigram, Pederson & Bonde, 2002) and their
well-being. The project "Aging with Rhythm and Knowledge" intends to constitute one of these offers, and
aims to promote the improvement of cognitive function and socialization skills in the elderly.
Method: The project includes structured individual music therapy and cognitive stimulation sessions, in
elderly homes. An Initial Evaluation is made to the participants using the Mini Mental State Examination,
Individualized Music Therapy Assessment Profile Scale, Psychological Well Being Manifestation
Measurement Scale and Satisfaction Assessment Questionnaire. Reassessed after 6 months.
Results: Results for the period between October 2017 and Mars 2018, revealed that the elderly under study
improved cognitive and social functions, wellbeing perception and showed satisfaction with the project.
Conclusion: Aging does not necessarily have to be a synonym of deterioration of social and cognitive
abilities. Older people can maintain and even improve their social and cognitive functions through the use
of these type of programs.
Peer review is essential to the quality of scientific publications. As the volume of submissions to music
therapy journals increases, there is a need to expand the number of reviewers who have the necessary
skills to conduct high quality peer reviews. Yet, many reviewers do not receive formal training or education
on the conduct of peer review and the peer review process. The purpose of this workshop is to provide
information on peer review, and support attendees to develop and advance skills need to provide high-
quality peer reviews. During the workshop, attendees will learn about the peer review process and
strategies to write effective peer reviews. Sufficient time will be allocated for interactive sharing of
experiences of (un)helpful review comments and for discussion of issues attendees may have encountered
when conducting peer reviews. In addition, attendees will have opportunities to apply review strategies
through case application exercises. Important topics to be addressed during this workshop include: 1)
reviewer benefits resulting from their engagement in peer review; 2) ethical obligations towards the
author, journal, and profession; 3) the art of offering constructive criticism while conducting an objective
evaluation; 4) tips and strategies for writing effective reviews; 5) common pitfalls in peer review; and 7) the
use of reporting guidelines to inform and structure evaluation of quantitative and qualitative research
manuscripts.
Due to the complexity of clinical therapeutic interventions, “personalisation of therapy” is the overall
research topic of this Josef Ressel research excellence Centre (JRC).
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One stream focuses on longer time-frames, i.e. on right periods (in psychological and physiological terms)
for music-therapy (MT) interventions with individual patients. To identify how experts and patients
recognise such right periods and how they describe them, we held focus group interviews with health care
professionals and patients. The common language (concept categories) derived from these interviews will
be correlated with video analysis and biometric data (ECG), in order to develop replicable procedures
related to optimum periods for therapy. (Tucek & Simon)
Therapeutically significant moments ("Moments of Interest") in the MT process (within right periods) will
be identified in the second stream of our research investigating shorter time frames (Maidhof & Vogl).
Patients as well as therapists may experience certain moments, as a feeling of resonance with each other
and being “on the same wavelength”. Here we are interested in a variety of nonverbal aspects and how
interaction is organised in the brain.
JRC wants to investigate MT processes as close as possible to clinical practice. One of the challenges of
gaining authentic data is, to measure without interfering with the therapy. To realise this we had to
develop certain technical solutions to bring the lab to the patients and to synchronise and/or aggregate
various sources of data e.g. video, ECG, EEG and endocrinological data. Data analysis is ongoing and first
results will be shown.
Introduction: Case study of a woman in her 50ies, fluent in visual arts and free improvisation. The patient
invited the therapist to work together as artists for five sessions. In their musical relationship, motifs from a
classical piece seemed helpful to alleviate fear and inner conflicts on the patient’s side. The presentation
includes a short audio and samples from musical scores.
Aim: Validation of patient’s artistic goals. Preserving an independent musical personality for the sake of
dialogue and self-care, while maintaining a therapeutic relationship with the patient. Proposing a possible
development of her cathartic artistical style.
Intervention: Free duo improvisation on piano & percussions. Matching/Grounding/Containing patient’s
improvisation. Musical modifications: development of a stable metrum and tonal center, softer attack,
variations in tone length, introduction of melodic motifs and chromatic ornaments. Recognition and
introduction of motifs similar to Maurice Ravel’s “La belle et la bête”.
Reflections: After the intervention, the patient started to play more calmly, and subsequently engaged in a
happy and flowing percussion duo with the therapist, using different instruments and furniture elements.
In this following improvisation, the two players became indistinguishable. Both were holding the metrum
with one hand and developing melodic motifs with the other hand, responding to each other. Internal
conflict seems to have made way to a flowing dialogue.
Conclusion: A precious occasion to enter the creative world of a schizophrenic artist. The use of themes
from narrative classical music, paired with appropriate intervention techniques, seemed to help her to
resolve moments of inner conflict.
Both public interest in and publication of music intervention studies are increasing, with more than 1,300
articles indexed in PubMed over the last 20 years. Concomitant with this growth are concerns about
inadequate intervention descriptions and inconsistent terminology in published research, which limits
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validity, replicability, and clinical application of findings. The growth of music therapy as standard care,
along with increased use of music listening and music-facilitated movement interventions delivered by a
variety of healthcare professionals, necessitates close examination of intervention reporting to improve
specificity of meta-analyses, interprofessional communication, and integration of research findings into
practice.
During this session we report findings from our recently published systematic review examining reporting
quality of music intervention research published from 2010-2015. Additional data were gathered to gain a
more complete picture of where music intervention research is being conducted (patient populations;
primary outcomes), as well as intervention content and training of those delivering interventions. Unique
to this analysis was an examination of terminology to improve interprofessional communication and
collaboration through improved consistency of terms, and development of shared language. In addition to
findings, we will explore whether these findings are reflective of clinical practice, problems that arise from
inconsistent, imprecise, and/or inaccurate use of terminology, and how these problems impede our ability
to articulate the unique qualities of music therapy services.
While neurophysiological biomarkers have been previously used as an outcome measure to evidence
change, neuroscientific research into the action mechanisms underlying music therapy (MT) are largely
lacking. However, social neuroscience and its theoretical and methodological advances can provide a
framework for investigating the neural processes as they occur during MT.
In this case study, we were interested in the emotional processing during dyadic improvisation. We
recorded dual-EEG and video from a music therapist and a client with Dementia during a real-world MT
session. Following the selection of therapeutically important segments of this session, we calculated the
frontal alpha asymmetry from the EEG, which is a well-established marker of central emotional processing.
Following a microanalytic approach, we observed repeating patterns consisting of negotiating, trying to
maintain as well as losing a shared pulse again.
Interestingly, the neural markers of emotional processing of both participants seem to be related to these
patterns: an increase in positive emotional processing was associated with periods of finding and
maintaining a shared pulse, while an increase of negative emotional processing was associated with periods
of losing the shared pulse. These fluctuations in emotional processing, as seen in the directionality of the
frontal asymmetry data, are strikingly similar for both, possibly indicating resonance processes of the
therapist with the client. However, the emotional peaks appear to be more pronounced in the client.
In sum, this novel approach of employing a social neuroscience framework seems feasible and is promising
for active MT approaches and research into clinical improvisation.
Introduction: Oncohematological patients can experience increased distress related to both the treatment
intensity and isolation in protected environment. If not addressed, this emotional distress can lead to
anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficacy
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Introduction: Gynaecological cancer is a major diagnosis in women worldwide, surrounded by taboo. Body
image, sexuality, self-image and existential well-being are affected by oncological treatment. Women with
gynaecological cancer are an underresearched population in psychotherapy and psycho-oncology in
general.
Method: Results from two mixed methods studies assessing psychological outcomes are presented and
discussed. Short case vignettes illustrate their clinical relevance. One randomized clinical trial implemented
receptive group music therapy versus Progressive Muscle Relaxation for women with gynaecological or
breast cancer during active outpatient treatment in Germany (N = 28). The other trial with parallel design
implemented receptive music therapy and expressive arts in either individual or group settings for
gynaecological cancer survivors with a good prognosis in rehabilitation phase in Sweden (N = 57).
Results: Both trials showed significant effects of the music therapy interventions on psychological health.
Results were sustained or further improved at follow-up measures. Qualitative findings revealed enhanced
empowerment and coping with sexual and existential distress related to oncological treatment.
Discussion: Women treated for gynaecological cancer can greatly benefit from receptive music therapy
interventions in dealing with psychological distress related to diagnosis and oncological treatment at
different stages of treatment trajectory. More research in the field is recommended.
Conclusion: Sexual and existential distress related to medical treatment are major issues for women
treated for gynaecological cancer, but rarely addressed in research. Receptive music therapy and the arts
offer safe spaces for resonance for improved coping, empowerment, sexual and bodily well-being.
The Music Therapy Profession agreed that supervision has an important role in music therapy clinical
practice. Supervision is expected to be done with a music therapist who have advanced training and
experience in a field of clinical work (e.g. ASD, neurological diseases, depression) or a theoretical approach
to clinical practice (e.g. Psychodinamic MT, Benenzon Model MT, GIM, Nordoff-Robbins, Neurologic MT).
Literature and research about Supervision in Music Therapy is not so broad and do not cover all the areas
of inquiry involved in the supervision process. This study examines the role of supervision in music therapy
clinical practice and in the process of becoming an experienced music therapist. In the first phase of this
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study a set of questions and areas of inquiry were identify for data gathering and analysis: a) types of
clinical supervision; b) aims and areas of clinical supervision; c) misperceptions about supervision; d) gaps in
music therapy supervision; e) training and accreditation of supervisors; f) expertise and qualification of
supervisors; g) issues in the relationship supervisor – supervisee; h) ethics procedures in supervision. To
respond to these questions a descriptive and content analysis of literature published was done to provide
an overview of the current status of Supervision in Music Therapy. Databases (Scopus, WOS, RILM, ERIC,
ProQuest, PsycInfo, Pubmed, ScienceDirect) were reviewed and hand-searches in Proceedings of World,
European and Latin American Music Therapy Congresses and books / book chapters were done. This
research is an on-going project and preliminary results from literature review will be presented.
«Stimming», short for «self-stimulatory behaviour», is most commonly talked about in connection with
autism, but it is something that virtually everybody does to some degree. Autistic people just tend to do it
more, differently and maybe for a greater number of reasons. As an autistic adult, I stim a lot and often use
stimming deliberately as a self-help tool. The rhythmic nature of stimming makes it easy to integrate into
music therapy, and it is often a good starting point when trying to connect to an autistic person with limited
communication. So, my workshop will be especially useful for music therapists working with an autistic
clientele, but will also be relevant for others who wish to learn more about stimming and how to integrate
it into their music therapy practice or their own life.
I will start with a short talk about the what, why and how of stimming. Then we will explore stimming by
trying out different stims together and talking about the experience. Participants will be encouraged to
share their own stims. I will bring some of my own stim toys, and we can also try how musical instruments
can be used as stim toys. We will then combine stimming with musical improvisation. There will be room
for discussion, and participants are very welcome to contribute their own examples from their music
therapy practice.
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scientific evidence is necessary for the advancement of Music Therapy as a scientific discipline and
profession.
The aim of the study was to design and develop a music therapy program based on songwriting, which
attempt to improve the quality of life of caregivers oficina people with dementia.The sample of caregivers
(n = 21) was divided into three homogeneous groups that received 12 sessions of intervention. A non
randomized, quasi-experimental design with repeated measures (pre-post intervention) was employed to
determine whether there was a therapeutic effect. The following test were administered before and after
the intervention: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36v2), and the
Beck Depression Inventory, and Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale. The results suggest that therapeutic
songwriting has to be an effective intervention to promote the well-being and QOL of caregivers of people
with dementia.
This research program has been carried out at the National Reference Centre for Alzheimer’s disease and
Dementia Care of IMSERSO (Institute for Older Persons and Social Services) un colaboration with University
if Salamanca.
The human voice offers an incredible number of qualities. Not only does it provide a broad spectrum of
musical expression possibilites, it also serves as the main medium for verbal communication. This also
applies to any therapeutic context, rendering the voice fundamental in its role as a non-disguisable
expression of oneself (Rittner, 2008). However, experiencing one’s own voice very often is related to
excessible amounts of shame – for patients and even music therapists as well. Vocal improvisation utilises
all assets the human voice has to offer, therefore providing a field of exploration that might lead to more
experience with and acceptance of your own voice.
In our workshop, we would like to offer different improvisation formats, such as half-structured or
supportive improvisations, in order to playfully give an idea of what possibilites ‚voicework‘ (Baker & Uhlig,
2011) in music therapy provides. By splitting the group into smaller ensembles, both active and receptive
vocal improvisations can be experienced. Furthermore, we will offer opportunities of reflecting on one’s
own vocal experiences, possibly encouraging participants to be more aware of the voice as an instrument
of relationships, both between client and therapist as well as to oneself.
416 (S 450)
Raising Your Voice, Being Heard, Shifting Perceptions. An exploration of
Nordoff Robbins music therapy with people seeking asylum and
refugee status in the UK
Antonia Beardsall and Kerry Atchison
This presentation will address the need for refugees and asylum seekers to have their voice heard, to be
listened to and to find ways to enable the clients themselves to challenge and shift perspectives about
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refugees in Britain. This theme will be explored through the work of Nordoff Robbins music therapists at
two community access refugee drop-in centres in the UK.
Using recorded extracts of contrasting case studies, we will highlight how broader music therapy practice
such as performances, recording projects and jam nights play essential roles in enabling refugees to
experience themselves being heard and valued, and provide opportunities for their voices to resonate
beyond the social isolation they can experience, beyond their close communities and reach a wider
demographic.
We invite the following questions: why and how music does music enable their voices to be heard? What is
the significance of being heard through music for these people? What impact does this experience of one
refugee being listened to have on other people present - other refugees, observers, audience members,
people working in the venue?
Through considering the experiences of people we have worked with and sharing the accounts they have
given us about their broader experience of life in the UK, we will reflect on what music can offer in terms of
offering people agency, the chance to contribute, and to assert their full identity (of which the label
“refugee” is only one part).
Introduction: The major needs of palliative care patients are as follows: feeling physical comfort, having the
possibility to choose and control one’s decisions, feeling connected with family members and the outside
world, having inner peace (Schmid, Rosland, von Hofacker, Hunskår, & Bruvik, 2018). Music therapy can
meet the needs of those patients who can no longer improve with any other medical treatment (Bell,
2017).
Aim: To study the possibilities of the music therapist’s action in providing palliative care and to determine
the need of music therapist in a palliative care team.
Method. Action research strategy used (Kardelis, 2016) combining qualitative and quantitative methods: 1)
Case study with audio analysis of individual music therapy sessions and analysis of researcher’s diary
content. Participants: palliative care patients in individual music therapy sessions (N = 3); 2) Questionnaire
survey. Participants: patients, family members and the hospice staff, who participated in community music
therapy sessions (N = 30).
Results: Case study highlighted activities of music therapist oriented towards support and encouragement
while focusing attention to the physical, emotional and spiritual experiences of the patients. For the group
sessions the most desirable were supplemental, supporting, encouraging and mediating activities of music
therapist. Results of the questionnaire revealed the complexity, benefit and need for palliative music
therapy service.
Conclusions: Research results demonstrate the multifunctional activities performed by the music therapist
in providing palliative care and the need for music therapy services in the palliative care team.
422 The model of three levels – an example of music therapy practice in the
mental health field
Øystein Lydvo and Lars Tuastad
The music therapists at Bjørgvin District Psychiatric Centre (DPS), a psychiatric residential unit in Bergen,
focus on the interaction between individual and community in their practice. The model of three levels
shows how music therapy can be organized at secondary care , primary care and in the local community
with the components «inside, outside and own conduct (Lydvo, 2017):
1. Inside: Music therapy treatment in secondary care at Bjørgvin DPS.
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2. Outside: Music therapy in primary care at the culture unit U82 (Bjotveit, Tuastad, Wormdahl,
2017).
3. Own conduct: Music activity in the local community.
The theoretic base is built on a resource-oriented approach, emphasizing thoughts from empowerment
philosophy (Rolvsjord 2010), recovery tradition (Solli, 2014) and an ecological community music therapy
way of thinking (Stige & Aarø, 2012). Through sound and movie clips you will get an opportunity to follow
the music therapy band Soul Party through all stages in this model.
Objectives: The main goal of the research is to assess the impact of music therapy based on validation
approach (N.Fail) for individuals in late stage dementia. MT & VT can have a positive impact on level of
relaxation, anxiety, communication, mobility, cognitive functions, problematic behaviors and achievement
of individual goals of study participants.
Material: 10 individuals with late stage dementia living in residential homes will take part in the research
meeting the criteria: MMSE < 23 and Age > 65.
Method: In the research single study research design will be used. Assessment of the effectiveness of
therapeutic intervention included: Agitation Behaviour Mapping Instrument (ABMI), The Dementia
Communication Difficulties Scale, Cognitive Assessment Scale for Elderly (CASE), The Bruininks Motor
Ability Test (BMAT), physiologic response and MIDAS. To collect qualitative data, the participants will
observed and also the sessions will be videotaped. The tests were carried out directly before and after the
each cycle of research sessions.
Intervention: 14 techniques of validation therapy are translated into musical intervention. The session will
take place 3 times a week (30 min) in the treatment room or in the patient room. Creativity in the frame of
the technique. The research schema will last: 5 weeks (observation & assessment) – 5 weeks (intervention)
– 5 weeks (observation & assessment) – follow up (recommendations).
Expected results: Intervention can stimulate the improvement on various areas of functioning in dementia
including relaxation, decreasing an anxiety, opening for communication, improvement of mobility,
improvement of cognitive functions, decreasing of problematic behaviors.
This paper bases on fourteen-years fieldwork in a retirement home in Milan, Italy, holding a double role as
a PhD medical anthropologist and a music therapist myself.
By analyzing improvisations with patient suffering with Alzheimer disease, I discuss how non-verbal
communication underpins forms of knowledge that help representing the meaningfulness of therapy and
its mechanisms of efficacy.
Medical anthropological reflection highlights that MT treatments embody particular conceptualizations of
illness (Young 1995) and care, by vesting patients with a particular kind of agency and personhood.
What kind of knowledges is MT based on - both as a social and historical phenomenon, and as an object of
ethnographic research?
Anthropological description of MT treatments draws on "somatic modes of attention" (Csordas 1993) in
order to analyse how the interactions between music therapists and patients organize the therapy’s
meaning. How the improvisational soundscapes (Kheshti 2009) the therapist and the patient share rely on
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specific codifications of feelings and performative formations (configurations) of sensoriality, which raise
"another sense", or "other senses" in the work of therapy?
By answering these questions, the paper shows that the “sense of healing” in MT is based on particular
politics of personhood and the Self, which in their turn are based on particular kinds of interactions carried
out in MT sessions.
Finally, epistemological and methodological conclusions are drawn on the ways in which anthropology of
and through the senses (Stoller 1997, Classen 1997) can support MT knowledge honing its epistemological
framework as well as its theoretical and methodological tools.
This presentation describes a work with two randomized groups in a women's drugs treatment therapeutic
comunity (T.C). Women's profiles (n=32) are alcohol, cocaine, heroine consumers and others, also in some
cases polyconsumers. They can remain at the TC between three months and a year, depending of the
evolution, and they are selected in three diferent groups, depending of the evolution of the treatment.
Each initial group was created savig homogenity of these three treatment groups, and in a randomized
distributin. One experimental group (e.g.) and a control group (c.g.), both openend groups because an
average of women is continously starting and finishinng the treatment at the TC. The e.g. received 12 music
therapy sessions related with emotional management and exploration, self-experience and relapse
prevention through music therapy improvisation, songwritting, lyric analysis and receptive music therapy.
Control group (c.g.) received also 12 music listening sessions using their musical preferences without any
therapeutic content or intervention at the sessions. Self-efficacy Scale (SES,Sherer et al 1982), TMMS-24
(Trait-Meta Mood Scale, Salovey and Mayer 1995, related with Perceived Emotional Intelligence) , STAI
(State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983) and BECK Depression
Inventory (Aaron T. Beck) were used pre and post intervention, collecting significative data related with two
groups in these fields. Also were collected subjective post-sessions self reported questionaries and data
related with individual and media-group relapse during the intervention, all in both groups.
Music therapy research in context of families documents growing emphasis on working family centred and
there are claims that music therapy promotes empowerment and the accessibility of music for the families
(Edwards, 2011; Jonsdottir, 2008; Jacobsen & Thompson, 2017), however, there is little research that
shows how this actually happens in time and space. This presentation is based on an ongoing action
research project with a group of neurodiverse families where the aim is to observe and document closely
what actually happens in between musical engagement, people and materials. The approach to practice is
resource-oriented and based on the needs and interests of the participating families. Providing examples, I
will focus on what the different group members (children, other family members, music
therapist/researcher) do to make music and its affordances accessible. Which features and qualities of
activities, instruments and other resources contribute to accessibility according to whom and how? This is a
case of accommodated environments, activities and instruments and the collaborative learning of a group
of neurodiverse people (including a music therapist).
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Music therapy literature has begun to reflect an interest in clinical understanding of practice to respectfully
work with LGBTQ+ or gender and sexual minority clients (Bain, Grzanka, & Crowe, 2016; Boggan, Grzanka,
& Bain, 2017; Whitehead-Pleaux et al., 2012; Whitehead-Pleaux et al., 2013). Music therapy offers unique
ways to explore oneself, develop resilience despite oppression, and experience community with others. My
clinical approach is inspired by Stephens’ adult improvisational therapy (Bruscia, 1987) and understanding
of identity is largely informed by queer theories; fluid identity (Sullivan, 2003) and performative identity
(Butler, 1990) provide conceptualizations of how gender and sexuality impact people’s lives.
A weekly music therapy group for gender and sexual minority college students met for community building,
self-expression, and self-empowerment through musical experiences. Using action research methodology, I
seek to discover group members’ experiences, about 1) how the group met their changing needs, 2) any
barriers to participation, and 3) what social change needed to occur. Due to the high level of participant
involvement, benefits of conducting action research include high levels of trustworthiness (Anderson, Herr,
& Nihlen, 2007), incorporation of social justice (Hunt, 2005), and collaboration (Bolger, 2015). Challenges
include planning for and around the unknowns of an emergent design, logistical complications such time
investment and recruitment (Stige & McFerran, 2016). Such research does not provide best practices for
other clinicians to follow, but rather a proposed template for action research will inspire others to find out
what engaged, critical, reflective practice means in their own communities.
439 (S 450) Music and Imagery in a clinical trial with adult traumatized refugees
Bolette Daniels Beck
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Resonance is a way of reflectivity and responsiveness and may therefore be used as a tool to promote
sensitivity in qualitative music therapy research. From the perspective of four music therapy researchers,
we will discuss our ways of exploring clinical practice and possible approaches to qualitative research from
the way we understand resonance.
In this symposium, intercultural points of resonance are presented, including perspectives on cultural
values and the meeting between western music therapy and practitioners in countries spanning from
Indonesia, Palestine, Romania and Belarus. The presenters explore how they have sought to bring music
therapy training and practice to cultures other than their own, addressing how culture influences music
therapy approaches, the role of the therapist, theoretical underpinning and learning environments.
In this symposium we explore the notions of health musicking in various ways; from healthcare musicians,
health related practices of music, music in community health setting, health promoting musical activities
for socially vulnerable people, and music as a public health resource. Based on input from Norway, Sweden,
Finland and the UK we discuss the interplay between the music therapy profession and other professional
health practices. The symposium includes the following presentations:
Brynjulf Stige (chair): Resonances between Music Therapy, Public Health, and Human Rights
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In this symposium, four experienced music therapy clinicians will give examples of their clinical work with
people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. They will discuss the role of the music therapist, and how it
is possible to maintain a therapeutic relationship and resonate with clients who are challenged with severe
mental health symptoms.
In this symposium, five music therapy clinicians and researchers present their experiences and reflections
on practical, theoretical and methodological questions that arise in the music therapeutic work with
persons with dementia. In dementia care, various approaches are important for the music therapist for
creating positive interactions and connectedness and also for decreasing behavioural and psychological
symptoms. For researchers and clinicians, it is important that they ask themselves if their work reflects the
values of the persons with dementia, and, in addition, if they can play a role when it comes to preventive
measures.
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In this symposium, four experienced music therapists introduce their clinical work and research with people
with acquired brain injury. Both active and receptive approaches to music therapy are used in settings that
make use of for example musical instruments, predesigned playlists or community singing. Acquired brain
injury may change the way a person experiences music, which may be different for patients who were
previously musicians, thus an overall question is whether music therapy may restore musical abilities
and/or lead to health benefits and which role the music therapist plays in the interdisciplinary team.
Preterm babies and their parents may face major mental health challenges during hospitalization in the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Music therapy is applied to for example alleviate pain and reduce stress,
anxiety and depression. The music intervention may be active or receptive such as parental singing or
listening to recorded parental singing.
The symposium includes the following six presentations:
Mark Ettenberger (chair): A music therapy self-care group for parents of preterm babies in the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): experiences from a clinical practice pilot project
Alexandra Ullsten, Julie Mangersnes and Tora Söderström Gaden: A Nordic perspective on family-
centered neonatal music therapy
Barbara Sgobbi: Premature family music therapy intervention (PFMI): a Italian protocol to support
parenting and preterm development
Stephanie Lefebvre and Eduarda Carvalho: Parental voice and music therapist voice with preterm
infants
Leslie Schrage-Leitner: Insights into inpatient music therapy with a preterm baby and his mother
Catharina Janner and Tora Söderström Gaden: Introducing Music Therapy into a Norwegian Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit
Music therapy students are supervised when they do clinical work in order to develop their skills,
reflectiveness and a professional identity. In this symposium, these supervision processes are explored
from the perspectives and experiences of the supervisors. This exploration is based on qualitative research
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studies and continuous supervision experiences. The benefit for growth, expertise development and self-
care will be discussed. Finally, the symposium presenters explore how supervision may benefit from
including music, and the importance of supervision of novice music therapy supervisors.
Introduction: Music therapy is empowering for the child but also for their families. In this symposium, the
presenters explore music therapeutic work with children and their families, including the work with parents
in separate counselling sessions, and give perspectives on theory and research. As a starting point for going
into depth with the topic and open for discussion with the audience, survey results are provided on the
educational and theoretical background of music therapists working with families, the clinical population
they are working with, the setting for the sessions, and the methods they most prominently use.
Refugees and asylum seekers may have many traumas in their background and represent a vulnerable part
of the population in the European countries. The aim of the symposium is to share experiences from music
therapy treatment and research across countries, approaches, and settings with both children, adolescents
and adults.
The symposium includes case studies, research protocols and results in the the following presentations:
Bolette Daniels Beck (chair): Music and Imagery in a clinical trial with adult traumatized refugees
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Antonia Beardsall and Kerry Atchison: Raising Your Voice, Being Heard, Shifting Perceptions. An
exploration of Nordoff Robbins music therapy with people seeking asylum and refugee status in the
UK
Sami Alanne: Music Psychotherapy in the Finnish National Guidance Supporting Refugees` Mental
Health
Sylvia Ingeborg Haering and Barbara De Angelis: Effect of Music Therapy on Second Language
Acquisition in Children with Migration Background: a pilot study
Karin Holzwarth and Tina Mallon: Music as a Natural Resource - Music therapeutic based programs in
primary schools to support refugee children in Germany
In adherence with the EMTC19 conference theme, two round tables have merged into one with the aim of
joining forces and discussing across borders to strengthen the field of music therapy on a political as well as
clinical and educational level. See abstract numbers 19 and 386.
Documentary movies
Miracles of Music
Pim Giel
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Authors
Adam Vogel; 12 Astrid Faaborg Jacobsen; 86; 117
Adenike Webb; 12 Astrid Heine; 106
Agnes Burghardt-Distl; 40 Astrid Notarangelo; 37
Agnieszka Smrokowska-Reichmann; 113 Atarah Fisher; 17
Aimee Telsey; 4 Austėja Staniunaitytė; 112
Albert Diefenbacher; 40 Avi Gilboa; 6; 9; 31; 39
Alejandro March; 99 Aviya Riabzev; 30
Alex Street; 102 Ayelet Dassa; 30
Alexander F. Wormit; 46 Barbara De Angelis; 80; 119
Alexandra Ullsten; 26; 118 Barbara Menke; 41; 43
Alexandre Caetano; 90 Barbara Sgobbi; 10; 118
Alexia Quin; 51; 116 Barbara Zanchi; 87
Alice Berry; 115 Beate Roelcke; 51
Alice Pehk; 83; 94 Becky Dowson; 96; 117
Alison Short; 62; 88; 89 Becky White; 17
Alistair Robertson; 52 Ben Loveridge; 13
Ambra Palazzi; 25 Beth Pickard; 26; 52
Amelia Oldfield; 24; 49; 52 Bettina Eichmanns; 23
Amy Clements-Cortes; 5; 7; 36; 120 Biljana V. Coutinho; 46
Amy Myers; 46 Birgitta Burger; 59; 103
Ana Lapa; 90 Bjarte Johansen; 84
Anabela Santos Rodrigues; 106 Bolette Daniels Beck; 115; 119
Andeline Dos Santos; 14; 63 Brian Harris; 39
Andras Jakab; 45 Brynjulf Stige; 3; 9; 37; 95; 116
Andrea Hunt; 59 Carine Ries; 36
Andrea Volpini; 66 Carlo Gianoglio; 68
Andreas Wölfl; 63; 72 Carmen Cheong-Clinch; 63
Andrew Rossetti; 4 Carol Lotter; 46
Anelia Larsen; 69 Carsten Diener; 46
Angela Harrison; 7 Catarina Ramalho; 33; 117
Anita Swanson; 7; 37; 46; 120 Caterina Marigliani; 12
Anke Coomans; 54 Catharina Janner; 47
Ann Sloboda; 3 Catharina Messell; 104
Anna A. Bukowska; 113 Catherine Warner; 97
Anna Graf; 107; 117 Cathy McKinney; 29
Anna Lisa Prechtl; 81 Cesar Augusto Piccinini; 25
Annegret Körber; 49 Charlotte Dammeyer; 64
Anne-Katrin Jordan; 6 Charlotte Lindvang; 116
Annie Heiderscheit; 18; 41; 88; 89 Cherry Hense; 5
Ann-Marie Dassler; 4 Cheryl Dileo; 12; 59
Ann-Sofie Paulander; 65 Chiara Rutigliano; 87
Anthony Brooks; 90 Christian Gold; 32
Antonia Beardsall; 111; 119 Christiane Kehoe; 56
Antonia De La Torre; 83 Cinzia Petitti; 108
Armida Mucci; 68 Claire Flower; 18; 99
Artur C. Jaschke; 75 Claire Ghetti; 32; 46
Ashley Walton; 79 Claire Molyneux; 82
121
ABSTRACTS
11th European music therapy conference
122
ABSTRACTS
11th European music therapy conference
123
ABSTRACTS
11th European music therapy conference
124
ABSTRACTS
11th European music therapy conference
125