Development of a Music Therapy Micro-Intervention for Stress Reduction

<p>Mindfulness training has become very popular in recent years and has proven successful for reducing anxiety and depression and enhancing coping skills (amongst other benefits). This research project explores the perceived benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training on a music therapy student working with young people with complex needs in special education. Secondary analysis of clinical records (session notes and a reflexive journal) was employed and included the use of both inductive and deductive methods of analysis. Five themes were developed (framed as themes of learning) including: Presence, Non-striving, Beginner’s Mind, Acceptance, and Patience with a final key finding being the effect of modelling to the students. Findings showed these benefits emerging through a journey from early data (before MBSR training) to later data (after MBSR training) and suggest that mindfulness training can be beneficial for both music therapy students and (indirectly) to those they work with. The themes and perceived benefits proved very interconnected with each relating to several others and ‘Being Present’ emerging as an over-arching theme. Similarities between benefits discovered and certain principles of music therapy were discussed and whether the benefits found may have occurred naturally through the course of music therapy training amongst other factors of change and natural growth.</p>

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Music Therapy Interventions for Stress Reduction in Adults With Mild Intellectual Disabilities: Perspectives From Clinical Practice

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.572549 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Martina de Witte ◽

Esther Lindelauf ◽

Xavier Moonen ◽

Geert-Jan Stams ◽

Susan van Hooren

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Future Research ◽

Music Listening ◽

Coping With Stress ◽

Music Therapists ◽

Therapeutic Goals ◽

Therapy Goals ◽

Therapy Interventions

Stress is increasingly being recognized as one of the main factors that is negatively affecting our health, and therefore there is a need to regulate daily stress and prevent long-term stress. This need seems particularly important for adults with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) who have been shown to have more difficulties coping with stress than adults without intellectual disabilities. Hence, the development of music therapy interventions for stress reduction, particularly within populations where needs may be greater, is becoming increasingly important. In order to gain more insight into the practice-based knowledge on how music therapists lower stress levels of their patients with MID during music therapy sessions, we conducted focus group interviews with music therapists working with adults with MID (N = 13) from different countries and clinical institutions in Europe. Results provide an overview of the most-used interventions for stress reduction within and outside of music. Data-analysis resulted in the further specification of therapeutic goals, intervention techniques, the use of musical instruments, and related therapeutic change factors. The main findings indicate that music therapists used little to no receptive (e.g., music listening) interventions for stress reduction, but preferred to use active interventions, which were mainly based on musical improvisation. Results show that three therapy goals for stress relief could be distinguished. The goal of “synchronizing” can be seen as a sub goal because it often precedes working on the other two goals of “tension release” or “direct relaxation,” which can also be seen as two ways of reaching stress reduction in adults with MID through music therapy interventions. Furthermore, the tempo and the dynamics of the music are considered as the most important musical components to reduce stress in adults with MID. Practical implications for stress-reducing music therapy interventions for adults with MID are discussed as well as recommendations for future research.

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A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of Music Therapy on Pain and Stress Reduction During Transvaginal Ultrasound-guided Oocyte Retrieval

10.26226/morressier.5912d9ebd462b8029238641c ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Wing Ching Cheung

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Transvaginal Ultrasound ◽

Oocyte Retrieval ◽

Ultrasound Guided ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

The Impact

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Ritmiskās sinhronitātes ietekme uz stresu un imunitāti bērnu ar invaliditāti vecākiem

Mūzikas terapija II : pētniecība, pieredze, prakse, atmiņas: zinātnisko rakstu krājums ◽

10.37384/mt.2021.110 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 110-132

Author(s):

Evija Rolle-Kupliņa ◽

◽

Mirdza Paipare

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Nk Cell ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Blood Analysis ◽

Interpersonal Processes ◽

Sense Of Security ◽

Saliva Analysis ◽

Therapeutic Context ◽

Stress Patterns

Parents of children with special needs suffer from depression and anxiety disorder, as well as chronic insomnia and stress, this is confirmed by the presence of elevated cortisol levels and reduced immunity. In music therapy, rhythmic music and synchronization, especially music with drums, is used as a therapeutic activity capable of influencing mood improvement, stress reduction and relaxation in a therapeutic context, as it can fit into and adapt to many rhythmic complex and coherent ranges in the real world. This is unifying, creating a sense of security and belonging, allows music to be a facilitator of communicative and social interaction processes. The study uses Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Cohen, et al., 1983), Improvisation Assessment Profile (IAP), Bruscia, 1987, Natural killer (NK) cell blood analysis, stress (cortisol) saliva analysis. The results of the study showed statistically a significant decrease in psychological and physiological stress patterns, improvements in immunity, interpersonal processes as well as intra-musical synchronization between the first and the tenth sessions.

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The Effect of Music Therapy on Perceived Parental Stress in Perinatal Care: An Exploratory Study

Music Therapy Perspectives ◽

10.1093/mtp/miab016 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jenna Bollard-Marcovitz ◽

Raffi Tachdjian ◽

Esteban Roa ◽

Luisa Flores ◽

Scott Brown ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Parental Stress ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Perinatal Care ◽

Numeric Rating Scale ◽

Parental Mental Health ◽

Healthy Infants

Abstract The perinatal experience contains many stressors that can impact parental mental health. We examined the integration of music therapy (MT), an evidence-based health profession, and its stress reduction role in parents during their inpatient maternity and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Stress Numeric Rating Scale (SNRS-11) were used to measure stress reduction in 34 maternity and NICU parents (17 maternity patients and 17 NICU parents). Participants included parents on the antepartum unit (expecting parents on bedrest), laboring parents, pre-operation parents before cesarean delivery, parents of full-term healthy infants on the postpartum unit, and parents of premature infants on the NICU. Results were calculated based upon number of sessions rather than total number of participants and indicated that after one MT session, a 50% reduction in the SNRS-11 was measured in NICU and antepartum parents. The PSS score demonstrated a more modest stress reduction in the NICU parents but failed to achieve a statistically significant decrease in the maternity group. Findings were in line with existing literature in MT-associated stress reduction levels and may be integrated as part of an ongoing continuity of care during pregnancy, delivery, and NICU hospitalization. Earlier screening for stress may benefit parents during their perinatal hospital stay. Further research exploring the benefits of MT, as part of continuum of care and stress management for the inpatient perinatal parent population, may encourage the inclusion of MT services and improve quality of care.

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Beneficial effects of music therapy on stress reduction

http://isrctn.com/ ◽

10.1186/isrctn70947363 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Hohneck

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Beneficial Effects

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Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol

Journal of Music Therapy ◽

10.1093/jmt/thaa002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 57 (2) ◽

pp. 219-242 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dana Yakobson ◽

Shmuel Arnon ◽

Christian Gold ◽

Cochavit Elefant ◽

Ita Litmanovitz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Infant Attachment ◽

Developmental Care ◽

Sensory Regulation ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Institutional Review ◽

Attachment Quality

Abstract Music therapy (MT) interventions and skin-to-skin care (SSC) both aim to address the varied needs of preterm infants, including sensory regulation and stress reduction, inclusion of parents in their infant’s care, support of parents’ emotional state, and enhancing the parent–infant attachment process. Few studies have investigated the combination of both modalities through randomized controlled trials. Evidence of longer-term effects is missing. This article presents a study protocol that will investigate the effects of combined family-centered MT intervention and SSC on preterm-infants’ autonomic nervous system (ANS) stability, parental anxiety levels, and parent–infant attachment quality. 12 clusters with a total of 72 preterm infants, with their parents, will be randomized to one of two conditions: MT combined with SSC or SSC alone. Each parent–infant dyad will participate in 3 sessions (2 in the hospital and a 3-month follow-up). The primary outcome of preterm infants’ ANS stability will be measured by the high frequency power of their heart rate variability. Secondary outcomes will be physiological measures and behavioral states in infants and anxiety and attachment levels of parents. This trial will provide important, evidence-based knowledge on the use of the “First Sounds: Rhythm, Breath, and Lullaby” model of MT in neonatal care, through an intervention that is in line with the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program model for supportive developmental care of preterm infants and their parents. Ethical approval (no. 0283-15) was granted from the local Institutional Review Board in April 2017. This trial is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03023267.

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