bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing the Effects of People, Processes, and Technology on Ballistic Evidence Processing Productivity
Authors: Maguire Edward R. , King William R. , Matusiak Matthew C. , Campbell Bradley
Published: January 2016

Automated ballistic imaging technology is a potentially effective tool for improving the investigation and prosecution of violent crime involving guns. This technology enables crime laboratories and law enforcement agencies to link crimes committed with the same gun. Yet, in many localities, structural and procedural constraints hamper the potential effectiveness of ballistic imaging as an investigative tool. This study examines the impact of new personnel, processes, and technology on ballistic evidence processing productivity in the Stockton Police Department’s Firearms Unit. Using interrupted time series analysis, we examine the impact of several organizational changes on ballistic evidence processing productivity. Our findings demonstrate that the Stockton Police Department achieved rapid improvements in its ballistic evidence processing capacity. The study shows how introducing key organizational changes in a police department or a crime laboratory can generate disproportionate impacts on ballistic evidence processing productivity.
Tazarotene 0.1% Cream as Monotherapy for Early-Stage Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Besner Morin Catherine , Roberge David , Turchin Irina , Petrogiannis-Haliotis Tina , Popradi Gizelle , Pehr Kevin
Published: January 2016

Background:

Numerous treatments are available for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), including systemic retinoids. Very few data are available on topical retinoids.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficiency of tazarotene as monotherapy for early-stage CTCL.

Methods:

An open-label, prospective study of tazarotene as monotherapy for stages IA to IIA CTCL was conducted. Index lesions on 10 patients were followed for 6 months on treatment, plus at least 6 months off treatment.

Results:

Six patients (60%) showed complete response (CR). Erythema, scaling, thickness, and lesion area decreased progressively throughout treatment. The mean time to CR was 3.8 months; CR was durable for at least 6 months in 83%. Of the 4 patients (40%) without CR, 2 (20%) had stable disease and 2 (20%) stopped the medication because of local side effects; none showed progression.

Conclusions:

This is the first Canadian trial providing evidence that topical tazarotene has excellent potential as a monotherapy agent for stages I to IIA CTCL.
Promoting physical activity in secondary schools
Authors: Cale Lorraine , Harris Jo , Duncombe Rebecca
Published: January 2016

There are growing expectations on schools to promote health and physical activity and helping schools to effectively do so is considered a priority. This paper reports on selected findings from a research project that was concerned with supporting secondary schools in the effective promotion of physical activity and establishing their needs in this regard. Specifically, the paper explores secondary school teachers’ experiences of and perspectives on promoting physical activity. The study involved an online survey with secondary schools across the United Kingdom, plus interviews with teachers from eight schools from different regions in England. The findings highlighted a number of issues concerning the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles generally, many of which seem to be long-standing. For example, issues associated with the status and place of health, the amount and nature of the training and support provided or accessed by teachers in the area, and schools’ effectiveness in promoting and engaging all pupils in healthy, active lifestyles were identified. These findings led to questions regarding the extent to which teachers are adequately and appropriately equipped to effectively promote physical activity and to recommendations to improve the support for and practice of schools in this area.
Reframing how evaluators think and act: New insights from Ernest House
Authors: Astbury Brad
Published: January 2016

This essay examines some of the core concerns of House’s approach to evaluation, with specific reference to his latest book Evaluating: Values, Biases and Practical Wisdom. This is a difficult book to characterise in a few pithy statements. Part memoir, part evaluation novella and part scholarly textbook. Arguably, this is one of the most unique discourses on evaluation in the past decade. Anyone who has conducted evaluations knows there are always myriad choices. Determining what actions to take and who gets to decide is never easy. House provides a rich repository of wise counsel. After reading this book evaluators will find themselves pausing longer to think and reflect on everyday decisions. I conclude by offering some suggestions about areas where House’s work could benefit from further development.
A Study of Burnout and Multidisciplinary Team-Working amongst Professional Music Therapists
Authors: Hills Barbara , Norman Ian , Forster Lucy
Published: January 2016

This paper reports the findings of a survey of 151 members of the British Association of Professional Music Therapists, conducted in January 1998, to investigate burnout and job satisfaction in relation to multidisciplinary team membership. Information on personal profile and employment characteristics was also sought, as music therapists are such a widely diverse group. Three aspects of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment) were measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson 1981). Factors influencing reward and dissatisfaction in the job were also assessed in relation to multidisciplinary team membership. Personal and team role clarity and team and professional identification were assessed in therapists who were members of multidisciplinary teams.

Therapists who were members of multidisciplinary teams were found to have higher levels of personal accomplishment and similar levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation in comparison to those working independently. These results are discussed in relation to previous surveys of other health and social care professionals. Sources of pressure and reward differed between multidisciplinary team members and non-members. Music therapists who were members of multidisciplinary teams were found to have a moderate level of personal role clarity within their team and identified with their profession more than with their multidisciplinary team.
An Educational Model for Music Therapy: The Case for a Continuum
Authors: Robertson James
Published: January 2016

This paper proposes that an educational dimension to music therapy in both training and practice should be considered. The rationale of recent and forthcoming curricular developments in music teaching would seem to imply that the perceived boundaries between music education and music therapy are becoming less distinct. It is thus likely that the two professions begin to be curious, at least, about such close proximity. Yet the therapeutic potential of music is not exclusive to the profession after which it is named. Furthermore, it would appear that the responsibilities of the music teacher in the present educational climate require a more inclusive (and therapeutic) approach as pupils with special needs, increasingly, are integrated into the mainstream sector. It is probable, therefore, that the teacher, rather than the therapist, will be inclined to meet these needs. While the boundaries between the professions necessarily prevail, a re-alignment (by means of a continuum) might be appropriate. This paper represents the personal views of the author as to how such an adjustment could be made and certain parallels are drawn with the profession of art therapy. The outline of a case is then presented for the consideration of educational music therapy. This would enable teachers of music to follow a modular programme of study which, while confined to the special educational needs sector, could provide an alternative route to a music therapy qualification.
Speaking with Clients
Authors: Simpson Fraser
Published: January 2016

This article describes the process and results of a project undertaken to research the place and significance of verbal communication between therapists and clients in Creative Music Therapy. Six music therapists were interviewed for the study, all of whom were experienced in working with clients with normal language skills. The study examines ways in which the therapists converge and diverge in their ways of thinking about and using words in the clinical setting, and a theoretical model is presented in an attempt to elucidate the fluid relationship between words and music. The bulk of the analysis is presented in categories originating from the therapists' comments. It is concluded that this aspect of music therapy requires careful consideration by music therapists, being both highly complex and intertwined with personal ideologies1.
Aesthetic Experience and the Healing Process
Authors: Lawes Martin
Published: January 2016

Music therapists are now required to have personal therapy as a part of their training. In many cases, as in mine, this is likely to be psychotherapy rather than music therapy. This paper gives an account of my own therapeutic journey which began quite a few years before I trained, but focuses on the place of music in that journey. I explore how composition and improvisation helped me to contain and process my emotional experience in a unique way.
Clinical Improvisation within Neurological Disease
Authors: Davis Graeme , Magee Wendy
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this paper is to examine how clinical improvisation techniques influence the structure of a Huntington's Disease (HD) patient's expressive responses. The paper reviews the literature pertaining to music therapy in the treatment of HD, highlighting that there has been no anecdotal or empirical link made between the specific use of clinical improvisation and the degree of structure in the patient's expressive responses. A case study is then used to illustrate the influence that musical structures have in the organisation of a HD patient's musically expressive and interactive responses. Given the lack of intervention available to meet the expressive and interactive needs of a non-verbal HD patient, this paper argues that music therapy has an important role to play.
An Introduction to Vibroacoustic Therapy and an Examination of its Place in Music Therapy Practice
Authors: Hooper Jeff
Published: January 2016

Vibroacoustic (VA) therapy transmits to the body pre-recorded music, or pre-recorded music combined with sinusoidal low frequency sound, through loud speakers built into a chair, table or bed unit. The development of VA therapy has not been confined to one country or one product and, after examining the theoretical background to VA therapy, the author describes four VA systems.

In Europe, music therapy is traditionally seen as a process which develops from an ‘active’ musical relationship. In contrast VA therapy is a ‘receptive’ intervention. The author discusses completed and on-going research with VA equipment, and concludes by asking – is VA therapy music therapy? He suggests that the principles of VA therapy can inform active music-making.
Marking Her 30 Years of Work for the UK Music Therapy Profession, Denize Christophers is Interviewed
Authors: Tyler Helen
Published: January 2016

Denize Christophers has been closely involved with the British Society for Music Therapy for 30 years. She began to work as secretary to Juliette Alvin in 1972, and took over the administration of the society after Alvin's death. Denize runs the BSMT office from her home in Barnet, dealing with thousands of enquiries from the general public, organising conferences and workshops in conjunction with the APMT, distributing the BJMT, and supplying books and information about music therapy to students and music therapists worldwide.
A Review of Current Practice in Group Music Therapy Improvisations
Authors: Skewes Katrina
Published: January 2016

The information contained in this article has been derived from a series of interviews conducted by the author with selected specialists in music therapy group improvisation. Although the music therapy literature barely addresses the musical material created in group improvisations, it is not true to say that there is no expertise in this area. Rather, it is likely that the difficulties in communicating these musical processes via the written word or transcribed score have discouraged researchers and clinicians from publishing current theories and understandings. For this reason, selected specialists were approached to take part in in-depth interviews aimed to solicit their current understandings of music therapy group improvisations. The results in this article are made up solely of the information shared in these interviews in response to a series of open-ended questions posed by the author.
Introducing the New Interview Series: The UK and a European Perspective
Authors: Sutton Julie
Published: January 2016

Readers of the BJMT will be aware that a series of interviews with UK-based music therapists (the Historical Perspectives Series) has now come to an end. It was fitting that the final two interviews marked the contributions of two administrators. Both Denize Christophers for the BSMT and Diana Asbridge for the APMT gave a strong impression of the huge development of UK music therapy over the years. Looking to the future, this development looks set to continue worldwide. In the UK, we are concerned in particular with the administration of our professional bodies and working within the framework of State Registration and Continuing Professional Development.

Following on from the first set of interviews, the new series will add a broader perspective, incorporating contributions from both inside and outside the UK. This will offer us an opportunity to view UK music therapy within another framework – one that is grounded in our history, while also acknowledging changes within the profession, and looking towards future developments. It is a conscious move from the past to the future, and will contribute to the ongoing dialogue between the UK and the rest of Europe at a time of significant change.

The following set of three interviews incorporates the thoughts of therapists who are directly involved with developments in music therapy in different areas of Europe. Tony Wigram will need no introduction, and here he writes in his capacity as a colleague who has considerable experience of work in the UK and in Europe (in particular, his involvement with the Masters and PhD courses in Aalborg, Denmark). Nigel Hartley who, as Chairperson of the APMT, represents the UK profession at an exciting and challenging point in its history, is also informed by his experience of working in other European countries. Jos De Backer, the head of the Leuven Music Therapy Masters in Belgium, and a well known presenter and teacher in many European countries, is also the current President of the European Music Therapy Confederation (EMTC).

For the interview, each of these experienced therapists was asked a series of questions, which fell into four categories:

general perspectives of the state of the profession employment and clinical practice research and training the UK perspective

Questions and answers are printed below. The broad range of opinion and experience documented offers a unique view of the profession as a whole, and of how developments in the UK fit within a European perspective. In forthcoming editions of the Journal, a series of further interviews will develop the themes identified by Hartley, Wigram and De Backer. It is apt that the interviews end with De Backer's acknowledgement of the fact that whereas the many differences between countries cause challenges, these differences also ultimately add to a richness and breadth of knowledge and experience which must, at all costs, be respected. At times of change it is essential to bear this sentiment in mind.
Service Evaluation: Music Therapy and Medicine for the Elderly
Authors: Moss Hilary
Published: January 2016

This paper describes a six-month evaluation of the music therapy service in a Medicine for the Elderly unit. It describes the unit and introduces the role of music therapy in this clinical area, with reference to relevant literature. The service evaluation is then described in detail. Four evaluation methods are presented. A user feedback questionnaire, which was designed by the writer for music therapists, is presented with results and discussion. A twelve-week music therapy group is observed and evaluated using rating scales to measure the level of patient communication and interaction within and outside the group. Two clinical vignettes are presented and, finally, qualitative observations are outlined.

The paper then describes how these four methods were used to produce management recommendations for future service planning. It highlights the need for service providers to engage in consultation with service users when planning and reviewing services. It emphasises how important it is for music therapists to evaluate their services, and sets out this model in the hope that it will provide ideas and guidance for therapists wishing to do the same.
The Longest Goodbye — A Case Study
Authors: Atkinson Christine
Published: January 2016

This article is a case study of a client whom I shall call Simon. He attended music therapy with me for four years. In this paper I aim to explore the concept of containment and the provision of a safe, facilitating environment, illustrating in the case material how integral they are to my work as a music therapist. Using the material, I demonstrate how Simon moved from being chaotic and uncontained in his self-expression to a place where he was able to explore his feelings and share them with me.

From early on in the music therapy with Simon, ‘ending’ became a dominant theme. I aim to explore the reasons why endings were so significant, how Simon responded to endings and how we negotiated the all-important ending of our therapeutic relationship.
Music Therapy for Autistic Children and Their Families: A Creative Spectrum
Authors: Woodward Ann
Published: January 2016

A review of the literature shows that little has been published about music therapy for parents and children together, and Oldfield's recent article (Oldfield et al. 2003) describes this work as ‘fairly uncommon’.

This paper uses three clinical examples to illustrate a range of approaches to working with children with autism and their parents: a group for children with autism and their parents in a mainstream primary school, short-term work with a 4-year-old autistic girl and her mother, and work with a mother and her two young sons, one of whom has Asperger's Syndrome. Music therapy can help children with autism to communicate and interact and can build their self-confidence. It can also play an important role for parents of children with autism, who may be under great stress, by fostering relationships, developing positive interactions and helping them to feel contained and supported.
International Interview Series
Authors: Sutton Julie
Published: January 2016

For this edition's interview and bearing in mind the forthcoming World Music Therapy Congress in Brisbane, well-known Australian music therapists Denise Grocke and Sue Coull offer a perspective of developments in music therapy in their country. This is balanced with comments from Kay Sobey, who along with Sarah Hoskyns is leaving her post during the next months. It seems fitting to both mark their influence and include their insights into the profession in this and a forthcoming edition of the journal.
Turn-Taking in Music Therapy with Children with Communication Disorders
Authors: Holck Ulla
Published: January 2016

In a well-functioning dialogue, the nonverbal and often implicit visual and auditory cues ensure good continuation without interruptions or overlapping speak. In mutual interplay, both partners participate in turn-organisation, and therefore an analysis of cues indicating turn-taking and turn-yielding can provide information about the participants' social skills, whether or not the dialogue is verbal.

This article presents relevant concepts from conversation analysis literature in order to analyse music therapy interplay aimed at promoting preverbal and social skills. As the character of the turn-organisation is dependent on the developmental age of the participants, the described cues are compared to research in early mother–child interplay, as well as studies of turn-organisation in dialogues with disabled children.

The theoretical part of the article is illustrated by a turn-analysis of case material from music therapy with a 2½-year-old boy with communication disorders. The analysis was a part of the author's doctoral research and focuses on the boy's participation in turn-organisation as well as the therapist's use of turn-yielding and turn-overlapping.

The article concludes with a discussion of the applied theoretical concepts in relation to music therapy practice. It will be suggested that the turn-yielding cues can be compared to response-evoking techniques, while the management of simultaneousness (overlaps) naturally is very different in verbal than in musical dialogues.
Issues in the Training of Music Therapists — Two Views from the Past
Authors: Sutton Julie
Published: January 2016

Relating to the leading article in this edition of the journal, we reprint two short contributions published between 1988 and 1993, focusing on different issues about music therapy training. While these articles originally stood alone, they can be seen as perspectives from the past that also resonate with the present, and the current issue of the journal. They also draw together some general and specific ideas about the development of music therapy and the place of training programmes within this, a topic that is embedded in the Interviews from this issue. Taken as a whole, while very much of their time, these views from the past enable us to both look back and forwards, and provide another perspective from which to view this edition of the journal.
Parents, Children and Their Therapists. A Collaborative Research Project Examining Therapist-Parent Interactions in a Music Therapy Clinic
Authors: Procter Simon
Published: January 2016

This paper reports on a collaborative research project, conducted at the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre, London, which investigated parental involvement (including therapist-parent interactions) in their children's music therapy. It observes a tension between therapists' dual concerns on the one hand to preserve confidentiality and on the other to inform and support parents in relation to their child's music therapy. It suggests a reformulation of confidentiality based on the development of relationships founded on trust and the supported exercise of informed judgement. The collaborative research process, although unusual in music therapy, is considered to have much to offer.
Music Therapy as a Short-Term Intervention with Individuals and Families in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Authors: Molyneux Claire
Published: January 2016

There seems to be a growing interest in both music therapy with families and short-term therapy, and a body of music therapy literature relating to these areas. Within the context of waiting list targets in the NHS, therapists are increasingly experiencing a demand for short-term, effective interventions that are easily accessible for families and individuals. This paper describes a way of working that has developed through clinical work at Tanglewood, the Children's Day Resource at Leicestershire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and focuses on the use of music therapy as a short-term intervention that has developed with individuals and families. Case studies will be used to illustrate a model of short-term work and some relevant literature will also be discussed.
Music Interventions in Oncology Settings: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Pothoulaki Maria , MacDonald Raymond , Flowers Paul
Published: January 2016

This paper presents a systematic review of published research investigating therapeutic applications of music in cancer patients. The review focuses on published international research from the USA, Canada, Australia and European countries using four electronic databases: PSYCHINFO, WEB OF SCIENCE, MEDLINE and SCIENCEDIRECT. Twenty four papers were identified and each paper was coded in terms of sample type, basic research question, research design and methodological details, results and implications for future research. Utilising previous work such as Aldridge (2003) as a point of departure, this review provides information on the key areas of interest in the psychology of music therapy and the therapeutic use of music amongst cancer patients and gives an account of the methodological approaches that were adopted. Results provide an overview of reported outcomes of music interventions such as reduction in anxiety, reduction in side effects of chemotherapy, physiological effects, psychological effects, behavioural improvements and communication and expression improvements.
Music Therapy for People with Schizophrenia or other Psychoses
Authors: Gold Christian , Dahle Trond , Heldal Tor Olav , Wigram Tony
Published: January 2016

OBJECTIVE:

Music therapy is a psychotherapeutic method that uses musical interaction to help people with serious mental illness to develop relationships and to address issues they may not be able to using words alone. We aimed to examine the effects of music therapy for people with schizophrenia.

METHOD:

We reviewed all randomised trials comparing music therapy to no treatment, placebo, or standard care. A search in the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Register was supplemented by manual searches in journals. Outcomes were analysed using fixed-effects meta-analysis. The number of music therapy sessions (less than 20 vs. 20 or more) was examined as a possible source of heterogeneity.

RESULTS:

Four trials were included. These examined the effects of music therapy (between 7 and 78 sessions) over the short to medium term (1 to 3 months). Music therapy added to standard care was superior to standard care alone for global state. Continuous data suggested positive effects on negative as well as on general mental state and social functioning, but these depended on the number of music therapy sessions.

CONCLUSIONS:

Music therapy helps people with schizophrenia to improve their global state and may also improve mental state and functioning if a sufficient number of music therapy sessions are provided. Further research should address the dose-effect relationship and the long-term effects of music therapy.
The Voice of Experience
Authors: Powell Harriet
Published: January 2016

This article offers a simple model of generating locally relevant evidence within a study designed to suit the local context. In describing the social inclusion of older people in group music therapy and in the evaluation of a six-month pilot, it aims to show the importance of user-centred evaluation as an enabling and empowering process (Procter 2002). The successful project resulted in further funding from an inner-city social services community care section to continue and develop the work. The service-users (clients) in the study (which also involved music therapists, managers and care staff) are a multi-ethnic group of older people with physical and mental health problems, including dementia, living within the community in Supported Living Schemes' and attending Day Centres. This is a conventionally socially excluded and marginalised group, who often live extremely isolated lives because of social, psychological, mental or physical difficulties (Davidson 2004). A summary of the findings, conclusions and outcome of the study demonstrates how participants have gained more control over their lives by having their voices and experience heard.
“Why Can't We Be Friends?”
Authors: Foster Neil
Published: January 2016

This article describes a research project undertaken to explore the concept of friendship in the context of music therapy relationships. An extensive review of the music therapy literature is presented, drawing also on related disciplines including psychoanalysis, philosophy, musicology and sociology.

Data from interviews with three music therapists, practising across a range of clinical contexts, is presented in categories, followed by a discussion of the findings and their implications. Issues arising include boundaries, the balance between professional and personal dynamics, the role of music in intimacy, and trust between professionals.

It is concluded that friendship is a complex issue, but that personal dynamics such as friendship are often present in clinical relationships at different times and in different ways. Boundaries and ethical rules are considered fundamentally important. They are viewed as flexible rather than fixed, depending on the clinical setting and the client's needs.

The study also concludes that friendship and related concepts such as love and sexuality may be taboo subjects within the profession. It seems that this may be due to anxieties about professional discreditation as well as more general anxieties within society. The lack of open discussion on these subjects can then give rise to therapist anxieties about intimacy with clients. This is seen as an issue particularly affecting inexperienced or trainee music therapists.
Drawing and Drumming
Authors: Bryce Lorna , Wettone Susannah
Published: January 2016

This article describes a pilot open art and music therapy group which took place on an assessment ward in a Medium Secure Unit for patients detained under the UK's Mental Health Act. The aim was to offer an optional therapeutic space to patients who had limited access to off-ward therapy and activities, and to see whether this would be of value in this setting.

The ward environment is described, the need for on-ward therapy outlined and relevant literature surveyed The planning, setting up and evaluation of two phases of the work are then detailed, with particular focus on the rationale for the ways in which sessions were run and the roles of the two therapists (one a music therapist, the other an art therapist). Changing group membership and its impact on the therapy is described, and modifications to the original approach explained.

Feedback from staff and patients is presented and discussed, leading to reflections on the value of this kind of therapeutic experience in such a setting.
Using Electronic Music Technologies in Music Therapy: Opportunities, Limitations and Clinical Indicators
Authors: Magee Wendy L , Burland Karen
Published: January 2016

In recent years there has been growing interest in the use of a range of electronic technologies in music therapy. However, there remain no empirical investigations into the clinical applications of these tools, nor guidelines for their use. This article draws from a recent research study which explored how music therapists are using technology in practice with children, adolescents and adults across special educational, community, hospice and rehabilitation settings in the UK (Magee & Burland in press). Particular focus was given to technology requiring switches and sensors. The purpose of this article is to make clinical recommendations regarding the opportunities and limitations of using technology in music therapy, using illustrative data extracts from therapists experienced in using technology in practice.

The study shows that music therapists turn to technology to enable a client to participate actively or to widen the client's musical expression. Technology offers improved access for people with complex physical needs to engagement in active methods of music therapy. Using technology in music therapy has benefits for the client, the therapist and the wider interdisciplinary treatment team. Despite its positive role, technology is experienced as offering a lesser aesthetic experience than acoustic instruments. Finally, clinical indicators and contra-indicators are offered to guide clinicians in understanding when technology may be helpful and when it might be avoided in the clinical context.
Avoiding Conflict
Authors: McFerran Katrina , Baker Felicity , Kildea Clare , Patton George , Sawyer Susan M
Published: January 2016

Music therapy is an integral part of the inpatient treatment programme for young women with disordered eating at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. As part of ongoing clinical audit activities, an investigation was undertaken to analyse retrospectively the lyrics of young women who had participated in the music therapy programme. The purpose was to monitor and improve local clinical practice and clarify the specific contribution of music therapy to the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. Results highlighted the role of mothers in the experiences of the young participants, with references to this relationship exceeding those to any other relationships. These findings are discussed in conjunction with an abandoned study where parental consent was not forthcoming for participation in a group music therapy research project. This article promotes a continuing awareness of the importance of the mother-daughter relationship in the treatment of eating disorders.
The Arts in Health and Social Care — Is Music Therapy Fit for Purpose?
Authors: Hartley Nigel
Published: January 2016

This article considers the place of the arts therapies within contemporary health and social care provision, from the perspective of a music therapist employed as a senior manager in an end-of-life healthcare institution. Using St. Christopher's Hospice, London, as a case study, the work of a large group of artists, made up of arts therapists, community artists and arts teachers, is profiled, with a particular focus on how they work together, how their work conflicts and overlaps, and the challenges and complexities that service users, members of a multi-professional team, managers and funders all face in understanding what each of the artists has to offer. The question “Is music therapy fit for purpose?” is directed at both the training institutions who educate arts therapies students and the professional bodies who support them and define their work. Their responsibility to understand and articulate the changing environment within which their students and members are expected to practise is placed central to the argument. It is suggested that if music therapy and other arts therapies are to be considered fit for purpose and thus survive the challenges currently facing the health and social care sectors, they may need to reconsider the content of what they teach and revisit their definitions of what arts therapists do.
Including the Excluded
Authors: Cobbett Steve
Published: January 2016

This paper describes the use of music therapy in supporting adolescents from a deprived, inner-city background with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) and draws on the author's work with adolescents in SEBD schools and pupil referral units (PRUs). The complex needs of this client group are outlined in terms of social, cultural, developmental and organic factors. The difficulties they face in accessing traditional National Health Service-based psychotherapy are described and ways of providing a more inclusive therapy service are suggested including the use of music therapy, providing therapy in schools rather than in mental health clinics and thinking about the nature of the therapeutic relationship being offered. The need to ensure that music therapy practice adapts to the cultural needs of such clients is also explored with a focus on the use of music technology and rap. A case study is used to illustrate the approach used by the author.
A Dialogue with Prof. Tony Wigram
Authors: Wigram Tony , Sutton Julie
Published: January 2016

This article reviews the career and publications of Prof. Tony Wigram. This enables the reader to follow the changing face of British music therapy during the period from its origins to the present day. Through tracking the career of a prominent and internationally renowned UK therapist, it is possible to illustrate the ways in which music therapy has developed since the early days of working towards a professional profile, through the growth of the profile of the profession in a variety of ways, including the long period of work towards national registration. There is consideration of the changes in the topics and nature of publications and research, undertaken in response to the changing environments in which therapist work.

It is anticipated that current practising music therapists will find this review of interest in a number of ways: as a historic record of the growth of the profession seen through the eyes of an active teacher, author and researcher; a resource of great current and future value in terms of the ideas and publications presented across the spread of the UK profession; a springboard from which to view the future.
Transgenerational Interactions in Music Therapy
Authors: Timmermann Tonius
Published: January 2016

In this essay I will explore aspects of transgenerational transferences from clinical, sociological, political and personal perspectives. Transgenerational interactions contain the unconscious transferences of patterns of behaviour, experiences and emotions to the subsequent generations of a family system. These transferences are symbolically returned to the original persons involved during the therapeutic process.

Aside from transgenerational transferences within the family context we also see collective psycho-traumatic experiences like war, expulsion, mass murder, mass rape, and starvation. The “emotional anaesthesia” of the affected person often leads to dissociations and unconscious repetition of psycho traumatic symptoms by descendants in the same family.

Through case material I detail how and in what ways both the music therapy and the music therapist can be part of a process that is essentially one of connecting with a humanity that lies in all of us. Theoretical contexts for this include reference to systemic work and the ideas of C. G. Jung that are incorporated into music psychotherapy technique and practice.

The style of the essay is less formal than that of an article and stems from the original keynote presentation that this is based on, as well as my approach to the material. It is intended to provoke thought about work with those traumatized that reminds us of the connections between the individual and their society.
Key Changes Music Therapy: An Extended Pilot Project in an Adult Mental Health Hospital Setting
Authors: Rowland Cathy , Read Beccy
Published: January 2016

This article introduces an evolving research project based in an NHS adult in-patient mental health setting. The project was set up to assess the longer term benefits of music therapy for these client populations, and to enable and facilitate patients' personal growth. The background to the project and method of evaluation is described, including pre and post therapy evaluations from both patients and staff. Samples of data collected are presented. Recommendations are made for similar projects in music therapy.

This was a collaborative project between the NHS setting and the local charity Key Changes Music Therapy, launched in 2008 to: “…promote the use of music to alleviate behavioural, emotional and physical difficulties, and to protect and promote good health by the use of music. Key Changes also aims to advance the education of the public concerning music as a means of therapy and to carry out and publish research” (Memorandum and articles, registered charity no: 1124102).
The Mother's Voice in Early Childhood: Implications for Music Therapy
Authors: Nöcker-Ribaupierre Monika
Published: January 2016

After many years of research and clinical experience of using music and the concept of the mother's voice in neonatology, the author investigates these topics in more detail via a literature review. Informed by research from bio-psychosocial contexts, developmental psychology, neuroscience, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and music therapy, a comprehensive overview of literature relevant to music therapy in neonatology is explored. The author's stance is stated in relation to this range of perspectives.
Advanced Training in Music Therapy with Premature Infants: Impressions from the United States and a Starting Point for Europe
Authors: Haslbeck Friederike , Costes Therese
Published: January 2016

This article describes the role of music therapy in neonatal work, and introduces two US-based music therapy advanced-training programmes in Florida and New York City aimed at music therapists who are interested in working in neonatal care. Advanced training is common in the United States and is relevant for therapists wishing to specialise in particular areas of work, or to further extend their general clinical skills. The task of achieving a high professional level of music therapy practice that supports the use of different therapeutic approaches and guarantees therapist mobility within Europe is a unique challenge. There is a review of the two existing neonatal music therapy training programmes and an exploration of how similar courses might be designed and implemented in Europe, along with a list of recommendations. The authors suggest that training opportunities would serve to further raise the professional profile of music therapy in Europe and establish this young and expanding field as an important therapeutic approach in neonatal care.
Voice and the Self in Improvised Music Therapy
Authors: Warnock Tina
Published: January 2016

This essay examines the close relationship between the development of the self and the human voice, with reference to key theorists such as Jung, Winnicott and Stern. The focus is on an exploration of how these theories can be combined with our knowledge of the early vocal communication systems in the mother–infant dyad as a means of enhancing the quality of our voice work in music therapy practice. Music therapy and related literature in this area will be summarised, and the need for detailed studies in a wider range of clinical settings will be highlighted. Case examples will enable exploration of the application of these psychological concepts in work with children and young people with learning disabilities and autism, showing examples of shifts and developments which were seen to be direct results of working with the voice.
“Dare We Speak of Love?” An Exploration of Love within the Therapeutic Relationship
Authors: Atkinson Christine
Published: January 2016

This essay explores concepts of love within the therapeutic relationship. Much has been written about the client's love for the therapist, but relatively little from the perspective of the therapist's love for the client. This article seeks to consider why this may be so, and then to offer a case study to illustrate how love did develop between myself, as therapist, and one of my clients, whom I shall call Suzie, to preserve her anonymity. The case study highlights how our therapeutic relationship developed and the conclusions I drew when the therapy ended.
The Role of Music Therapy for Anxious Adolescent School Refusers: The Importance of Identity
Authors: Shipley Amy , Odell-Miller Helen
Published: January 2016

The specific role of music therapy for anxious adolescent school refusers is considered with particular emphasis upon identity and the self. Literature is examined covering areas of education theory, school refusal, psychoanalytically informed thinking, and music therapy. Two case studies with adolescents receiving music therapy at a large general hospital are discussed, and these illustrate new ways of thinking about music therapy and school refusal. The parallel processes between the student music therapist and her adolescent clients are discussed. Concepts of identity and paradox are explored, concluding that these multi-layered paradoxes can be experienced musically. They often manifest as a constantly changing balance between moments of chaos and calm, risk and safety, exploration and retreat. The case studies describe in-depth work where resistance and anxiety are addressed within the musical improvisations between therapist and adolescents in individual therapy. The authors point to the gap in knowledge in this specific field, and build on previous work, linking theoretical thinking to casework.
How Intense is This Silence? Developing a Theoretical Framework for the Use of Psychodynamic Music Therapy in the Treatment of Selective Mutism in Children with English as an Additional Language: A Heuristic Case Study
Authors: Jones Kate
Published: January 2016

Selective mutism (SM) is often referred to as a rare disorder affecting children when they first enter the education system. Current research suggests the prevalence of SM among children with English as an additional language (EAL) is under-reported due to a lack of awareness and resources within schools. Usual treatment of SM in schools in the UK combines a behavioural approach with speech and language therapy. There is a small amount of literature that suggests that music therapy might complement this approach.

This article describes a heuristic research case study which aimed to develop theory about the way that music therapy can be used in the treatment of foundation stage (nursery and reception class) children with SM and EAL. Eleven sessions of music therapy with a four-year-old boy with SM and EAL in a UK nursery school were videotaped, and meaningful moments selected and analysed in order to generate themes informing a theoretical understanding of the therapeutic process.

A creative synthesis of themes provided a theoretical framework which incorporated key elements of music therapy practice, suggesting that music therapy could be a useful intervention in the treatment of SM.
Gentling the Bull: Harnessing Anti-Group Forces in Music Therapy Group Work with Adults with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Cho Wook se
Published: January 2016

This paper aims to examine music therapy group work with adults with learning disabilities, with a particular focus on the musical manifestations of the ‘anti-group‘ (Nitsun 1996) forces. Anti-group is a concept formulated by the group analyst Morris Nitsun in order to describe the destructive aspects of groups that threaten their integrity and therapeutic development. To illustrate the working of anti-group forces in a music therapy group setting, I will also present a case study of a slow open music therapy group which I ran for 3 years in an NHS clinic for adults with learning disabilities. Finally I will try to illustrate how recognising, confronting and harnessing the forces of the anti-group (firstly by the therapist and then by the group members) provided the group with opportunities for growth and creativity, in particular in the way the members related to each other musically.