Gender Aware Music Therapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Author(s):  
Cassidy Besse

Abstract The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the influence of gender on music therapy practice through the experiences and perceptions of gender aware music therapists (GAMTs). Participants (N = 5) included five board-certified music therapists or equivalent who have published scholarly literature on topics related to gender and music therapy. Participants shared their experiences in semistructured individual interviews; interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Six major themes emerged: (a) GAMTs recognize how socialization produces binary music participation, which is often perpetuated in music therapy practice; (b) GAMTs share the belief that gender roles and expectations create exclusive music practices that may restrict and limit musical expression and participation; (c) GAMTs create therapeutic spaces that encourage authentic music engagement by thoughtfully accepting and/or rejecting established gender stereotypes prevalent in music culture; (d) GAMTs suggest that gender is a marker of identity, which may or may not affect how the therapeutic relationship develops between music therapy clients and clinicians; (e) GAMTs utilize theories and therapeutic approaches that influence their music therapy research and practice; and (f) GAMTs recommend that practicing music therapists recognize their personal biases, develop a heightened awareness for how gender influences society, and actively pursue an inclusive practice that does not assume gender. Clinical implications and future research recommendations are discussed.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thomas Dravitzki

<p>Research in the last 30 years has shown that young people have been increasingly turning away from religion during the period of emerging adulthood, despite the benefits that religious people experience. The present hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the meaning of young adults’ experiences of being religious in a New Zealand tertiary education setting. Phenomenological interviewing was used to capture the experiences of 10 religious students, including how they practise their religion and what they believe, with the aim of developing a deeper understanding of what being religious meant for them. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the findings showed that being religious meant: having a relationship with God, being different to one’s secular peers, experiencing challenges, and that being religious was ultimately constructive. Many of the students experienced challenges to their religious beliefs and identities from fellow students, teachers and at an institutional level. The benefits of being religious outweighed the challenges and included: praying being therapeutic, religion providing support and helping define the students’ life purpose and identity. The implications of the study are discussed in relation to raising awareness about the importance of mutual respect, moving beyond religious tolerance to fully inclusive education and improving the integration of religious students in tertiary environments through curricular and co-curricular activities and programmes. Recommendations for future research include a greater focus on assessing the extent of the challenges religious tertiary students’ experience, and examining whether students of particular religious traditions experience unique challenges and benefits.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thomas Dravitzki

<p>Research in the last 30 years has shown that young people have been increasingly turning away from religion during the period of emerging adulthood, despite the benefits that religious people experience. The present hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the meaning of young adults’ experiences of being religious in a New Zealand tertiary education setting. Phenomenological interviewing was used to capture the experiences of 10 religious students, including how they practise their religion and what they believe, with the aim of developing a deeper understanding of what being religious meant for them. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the findings showed that being religious meant: having a relationship with God, being different to one’s secular peers, experiencing challenges, and that being religious was ultimately constructive. Many of the students experienced challenges to their religious beliefs and identities from fellow students, teachers and at an institutional level. The benefits of being religious outweighed the challenges and included: praying being therapeutic, religion providing support and helping define the students’ life purpose and identity. The implications of the study are discussed in relation to raising awareness about the importance of mutual respect, moving beyond religious tolerance to fully inclusive education and improving the integration of religious students in tertiary environments through curricular and co-curricular activities and programmes. Recommendations for future research include a greater focus on assessing the extent of the challenges religious tertiary students’ experience, and examining whether students of particular religious traditions experience unique challenges and benefits.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
charlotte wiseman ◽  
Yannick Jacob ◽  
Meggy Belowski

<p>While the links between wellbeing and performance are well demonstrated, the topic of CEO wellbeing has received little attention in the research literature. This study offers insights into how CEOs experience and recover from a crisis of wellbeing. Three male CEOs from the professional services industry were interviewed. Three themes emerged from an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the data: energy management, increased responsibility and relationships. Results demonstrate the potential for post-traumatic growth and highlight the need for updated models of resilience and leadership. Pragmatic elements were added to the IPA process in order to arrive at suggestions on how CEOs may better manage and sustain their wellbeing. Implications for the organisation as well as suggested future research are discussed.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
charlotte wiseman ◽  
Yannick Jacob ◽  
Meggy Belowski

<p>While the links between wellbeing and performance are well demonstrated, the topic of CEO wellbeing has received little attention in the research literature. This study offers insights into how CEOs experience and recover from a crisis of wellbeing. Three male CEOs from the professional services industry were interviewed. Three themes emerged from an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the data: energy management, increased responsibility and relationships. Results demonstrate the potential for post-traumatic growth and highlight the need for updated models of resilience and leadership. Pragmatic elements were added to the IPA process in order to arrive at suggestions on how CEOs may better manage and sustain their wellbeing. Implications for the organisation as well as suggested future research are discussed.</p>


2021 ◽  
pp. 030802262110394
Author(s):  
Namino Ottewell

Aim To understand how employees with schizophrenia in disability employment interpret their work experience. Method Nine people with schizophrenia were interviewed. Data were analysed with the interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results All participants regarded themselves as ‘persons with mental illness’. Some participants developed their mental illness identity by realising that working without accommodations is difficult. Although participants found working in the current company comfortable because the supervisors provided appropriate accommodations, they were dissatisfied with low salary. A proportion of the participants felt dissatisfaction with the menial work, which led to low levels of self-esteem as they viewed non-disability employment of higher value. In addition, the present study noted a difference between self-labelling and labelling by others; although participants regarded themselves as ‘persons with mental illness’, they felt reluctant to be viewed as such by others. Most of the participants wanted to work in non-disability employment in future for financial and personal reasons, such as to increase self-esteem. Conclusion It is imperative that benefits and other issues in disability employment for people with psychosocial disability relating to mental illness are explored more broadly in future research. Further, employers must create healthy workplaces, for all employees regardless of disability can benefit from it.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Wilhelm ◽  
Lindsey Wilhelm

Abstract As a music therapy private practice is both a business and a healthcare service, it should adhere to ethical standards from both disciplines. However, this topic has rarely been examined in the music therapy literature. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore ethical dilemmas experienced by music therapy business owners (MTBOs) in their private practice and how MTBOs avoid or address ethical dilemmas. Utilizing convenience and snowball sampling techniques, 21 MTBOs in the United States were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. To answer the two areas of inquiry, we identified three themes and 12 subthemes: (1) Ethical issues related to client welfare, (2) Ethical issues related to business relationships and operation, and (3) Strategies to address or avoid ethical dilemmas. MTBOs also shared how they ensure ethical behavior in themselves, with their employees or independent contractors, and when interacting with professionals outside the private practice. These findings provide a better understanding of MTBOs’ lived experiences of ethics in their private practice and may benefit other music therapists who are in private practice or are wanting to go into private practice. Limitations and recommendations for further research are provided.


Author(s):  
Emilia Marie Wersig ◽  
Kevin Wilson-Smith

AbstractThis interpretative phenomenological analysis explores aid workers’ understanding of identity and belonging through the transition from working in humanitarian aid to returning home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had returned to the UK after working in recently founded non-governmental organisations in Northern France between 2016 and 2019. Analysis of interview data identified four superordinate themes: (1) shared humanitarian identity, (2) limits and borders, (3) holding on to humanitarian identity and (4) redefining belonging and identity. Aid workers’ belonging in humanitarian work settings is rooted in shared moral values and being able to fulfil a clearly defined role. Upon returning, aid workers struggled to reintegrate, manifesting as denial of having left humanitarian work, re-creation of the social setting and moral demarcation. Participants formed a new sense of belonging through redefining their social in-group. The study sheds light on a previously unexplored area of research, specifically characterised through the closeness of the international humanitarian setting and participants’ homes. Findings suggest organisations can assist aid workers’ re-entry by supporting professional distance in the field, and through opportunities that allow to sustain moral values post-mission. Future research should focus on the role of peer support in the re-entry process and the re-entry experiences of aid workers returning from comparable settings further afield (e.g. Greece).


Author(s):  
Jonathon Oden

Abstract The purpose of this study was to descriptively analyze music therapy employment data from 2013 to 2019, including years in the field, gender, age, ethnicity, hours worked, jobs created, number of new board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs), funding sources, and wages. A database was created to analyze descriptive data from the 2013–2019 American Music Therapy Association Workforce Analysis Surveys as well as data from the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Results indicate a large portion of music therapists (MTs) have been in the field for five years or less. Though the majority of MTs work full time, there is a high rate of part-time employment. An estimate of the total number of new full-time jobs represented a ratio of 57% of new MT-BCs during the period. Private pay was the most reported funding source for music therapy services. Music therapy wages tended to be higher for those with higher levels of education. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are provided.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-201
Author(s):  
Emily Carlson ◽  
Ian Cross

Although the fields of music psychology and music therapy share many common interests, research collaboration between the two fields is still somewhat rare. Previous work has identified that disciplinary identities and attitudes towards those in other disciplines are challenges to effective interdisciplinary research. The current study explores such attitudes in music therapy and music psychology. A sample of 123 music therapists and music psychologists answered an online survey regarding their attitudes towards potential interdisciplinary work between the two fields. Analysis of results suggested that participants’ judgements of the attitudes of members of the other discipline were not always accurate. Music therapists indicated a high degree of interest in interdisciplinary research, although in free text answers, both music psychologists and music therapists frequently characterized music therapists as disinterested in science. Music therapists reported seeing significantly greater relevance of music psychology to their own work than did music psychologists of music therapists. Participants’ attitudes were modestly related to their reported personality traits and held values. Results overall indicated interest in, and positive expectations of, interdisciplinary attitudes in both groups, and should be explored in future research.


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