The Effect of Music Therapy Exposure and Observation Condition on Analytical Clinical Skills and Self-Confidence Levels in Pre-Intern Music Therapy Students

The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) requires that students observe and participate in a variety of clinical situations prior to internship placement (Wheeler, 2000). Furthermore, AMTA recommends that clinical observations should be provided during the early stages of music therapy training in order to help "clarify whether the student is interested in and suitable for a career in music therapy" (Wheeler, 2000, p. 287). Therefore the role of observation, when combined with other early educational experiences, is to provide (a) basic understanding of the individuals served by music therapists, (b) basic understanding of the role of a music therapist, (c) examples of music therapy in action and provide personal, and (d) professional preparation for music therapy internship placement. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of video-based clinical observations as a component in the training of pre-intern music therapy students.Use of Video for Clinical ObservationBeginning in the 1940's, clinical observation was incorporated into the music therapy training process. For example, students at Westminster College training in "hospital music" participated in weekly lecture and practica that incorporated both interaction and patient observation (de l'Etoile, 2000). Today, clinical observation continues to be part of the practicum experience. In fact, when students were asked about practica experiences, they specifically requested increased observation experiences (McClain, 1993). Furthermore, results of a survey investigating pre-intern educational practices and perceptions of those practices indicated that 37.5% of respondents believed that they did not spend enough time observing during their pre-intern clinical training (Belgrave, Gooding, & Mori-lnoue, 2008).Due to a lack of resources, it can often be difficult for university programs to provide additional observation time. In 2004, Jones (2004) conducted a survey on the status of collegiate programs; of the 52 institutions that responded, 13 (25%) indicated that they had inadequate practica resources. This suggests that it may be necessary for educators to search for alternatives to traditional practica-related observations. One possibility is the use of videotaped clinical observations. In situations where direct observation is not possible, video observations can serve as a valuable alternative, providing opportunities for discussion as well as exposure to a variety of clinical situations and populations (Davis et al., 1 989; Madsen & Standley, 1991). Research however, suggests that use of video observations in the field of music therapy is limited. Wheeler (2000) conducted a survey of university music therapy education programs in which she asked about the use of video in the classroom. Of the 40 institutions that responded, only two indicated that they utilized video observations in the classroom setting.Use of Video for Additional Instructional PurposesThough the use of video was limited in terms of clinical observations, Wheeler's (2000) survey did reveal other uses of video in the music therapy training process. Clinical training uses included (a) reviewing video with instructors (four schools), (b) reviewing video with peer mentors (two schools), (c) using video to provide self-feedback (three schools), and (d) using video as an alternative to on-site supervision (three schools). In addition to clinical training, respondents indicated other uses of video, most of which were academic in nature. Uses included but were not limited to: (a) video as a teaching tool, (b) video to assess student attitudes, and (c) video as a self-assessment tool. An example of the academic use of video can be found in a study conducted by Ten Eyck (1985). This study involved the use of video as a teaching tool in the classroom. Students enrolled in an orientation to music therapy/music education course were asked to view videotaped sessions of former students conducting field teaching assignments prior to conducting their own field teaching experiences. …