scholarly journals What Can I Understand about Children with Special Needs from the Musical Offerings that Emerge in the Music Therapy Process?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Shane Cammell
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Free Form ◽  
Children With Special Needs ◽  
Formal Approach ◽  
Arts Based Research ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Instrumental Works ◽  
Therapy Sessions ◽  
Key Questions

<p>This arts-based research thesis sought to understand two children with special needs, through their musical offerings within the context of their music therapy sessions. The process of understanding the children came through firstly listening to and extracting meaningful musical data from recordings of their sessions. This data included both actual excerpts of the musical interplays between the child and music therapist (myself), and more broadly, underlying themes drawn from the recorded session material. The data was then creatively 'melded', resulting in two original instrumental works, herein referred to as 'songs'. Before, during and after writing the songs, rigorous analyses were undertaken utilising both a formal approach, via the use of a contextual question framework, and two creative approaches: free-form narration and data-led imagery. The contextual question framework, involving the repetitive use of two key questions - where? and why? - sought to understand the data's context, its purpose for inclusion, and its influence on the respective song. One of the creative approaches, that of free-form narration, sought to, rather than analysing the song through formal structures, instead 'tell the song's story', narratively conveying the experience of being with the child in his music. The other creative approach, that of data-led imagery, involved creating images during and after being 'immersed' in the musical data, employing instinctive or subconscious means to further develop the therapist's understanding of the child's musical offerings, and moreover, the child himself. Upon completion of the two songs, it was discovered that clinical themes present from the sessions strongly influenced the song creation process. Results also strongly supported the validity of arts-based research as a viable means of analysing music created with children with special needs.</p>

scholarly journals What Can I Understand about Children with Special Needs from the Musical Offerings that Emerge in the Music Therapy Process?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Shane Cammell
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Free Form ◽  
Children With Special Needs ◽  
Formal Approach ◽  
Arts Based Research ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Instrumental Works ◽  
Therapy Sessions ◽  
Key Questions

<p>This arts-based research thesis sought to understand two children with special needs, through their musical offerings within the context of their music therapy sessions. The process of understanding the children came through firstly listening to and extracting meaningful musical data from recordings of their sessions. This data included both actual excerpts of the musical interplays between the child and music therapist (myself), and more broadly, underlying themes drawn from the recorded session material. The data was then creatively 'melded', resulting in two original instrumental works, herein referred to as 'songs'. Before, during and after writing the songs, rigorous analyses were undertaken utilising both a formal approach, via the use of a contextual question framework, and two creative approaches: free-form narration and data-led imagery. The contextual question framework, involving the repetitive use of two key questions - where? and why? - sought to understand the data's context, its purpose for inclusion, and its influence on the respective song. One of the creative approaches, that of free-form narration, sought to, rather than analysing the song through formal structures, instead 'tell the song's story', narratively conveying the experience of being with the child in his music. The other creative approach, that of data-led imagery, involved creating images during and after being 'immersed' in the musical data, employing instinctive or subconscious means to further develop the therapist's understanding of the child's musical offerings, and moreover, the child himself. Upon completion of the two songs, it was discovered that clinical themes present from the sessions strongly influenced the song creation process. Results also strongly supported the validity of arts-based research as a viable means of analysing music created with children with special needs.</p>

scholarly journals The great reveal: The experiences of a Registered Music Therapist with a disability: an arts-based research project

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe Kalenderidis
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
Arts Based Research ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Intersecting Identities ◽  
Global Population ◽  
Accessible Format

Disability is a human phenomenon experienced not by a small minority but a large percentage of our global population.  Disability is encountered by people of all ethnicities, religions, genders (and non-conforming), sexualities, socio-economic backgrounds, and ages.  Recent music therapy literature has advocated for a diverse workforce and others describe the value in music therapists adopting an intersectional lens, which considers the interconnectedness of social and political identities. However, there is limited dialogue featuring lived experiences of music therapists of underrepresented identities, such as disability.  This research sought to canvass the experiences of Australian Registered Music Therapists who identify as having a disability and to explore how their disability may impact or inform their practice.  One Australian Registered Music Therapist (RMT) who identified as disabled was interviewed.  The student-researcher engaged with arts-based research through music composition to allow an embodied analysis and to present results in an accessible format.  Several themes were revealed, including; hidden disability, disclosure of disability, alliance, positive transference, visibility, and identity.  These findings demonstrate the importance of lived experiences in the music therapy community and calls to amplify diverse voices of those with disabilities and other intersecting identities within our profession. Acknowledging the work of disabled music therapists may further challenge ableist attitudes in our society and provide options to participants who might prefer to work with therapists who have relevant lived experience.

scholarly journals Identification of Challenges and Strengths of Children with Special Educational Needs in Their Musical Improvisations

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-136
Author(s):  
M. Lipsky ◽  
J. Kantor
Keyword(s):  
Music Therapy ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Children With Special Needs ◽  
Expression Data ◽  
Special Educational Needs ◽  
Therapy Assessment ◽  
Therapeutic Uses ◽  
Musical Improvisation ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Therapy Intervention

The study of therapeutic uses of musical improvisation can help to improve music therapy assessment which is the aim of this paper. This paper identifies 1. the individual challenges and strengths that may help to deal with problems reflected in musical improvisations of children with special needs and, 2. ways of their identification while listening to the children’s musical expression. Data collected from 180 verbal descriptions of musical improvisations of four children with special needs and then analysed using grounded theory as well as content analysis of documents. It was found that music reflects children’s problems (with mainly bio-behavioural character) as well as their strengths that may be helpful in coping with those problems. Some theoretical guidelines for analysis of musical improvisation and the planning of music therapy intervention were suggested based on these findings.

scholarly journals Clinical observations of live improvisational harp music in neonatal intensive care

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Roxanne McLeod ◽  
Kaye Spence
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Units ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Therapy Program ◽  
Clinical Observations ◽  
Live Music ◽  
Experienced Nurse ◽  
Therapy Sessions

The use of Music Therapy (MT) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) has received growing attention through an increasing body of research.  MT research in NICUs have shown benefits in the use of both recorded and live music, a recent study has indicated that live music produces more beneficial outcomes in some domains, and is often perceived as more beneficial by parents. As part of the developmental program in a NICU, music therapy by a Registered Music Therapist was implemented for long-stay infants and their families. The live music therapy sessions using a Reverie Harp were simultaneously observed by a health professional who was a certified NIDCAP Professional. A series of infants were observed with music played to their individual responses. The behavioral observations and the responses to the music were consistent with supportive regulation by the infants. Music therapy specifically targeted at longer stay infants was shown to be calming and enabled the infants to regulate their behavior. A planned music therapy program for neonates and their parents in collaboration with an experienced nurse enables the identification of infants and their families who may benefit from the program.  Key Words NICU, music therapy, live music, NIDCAP, Neonate

scholarly journals The Significance of Qualitative Research – Arts-based Research in Special Needs Education and Music Therapy

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Knapik-Szweda
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Special Education ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Therapy Process ◽  
Arts Based Research ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Special Needs Education

One of the functions of art is understanding an individual and his or her potential. Art provides an individual with proper conditions and gives new opportunities to function regardless of one’s age and disability. The purpose of this article is to get the reader acquainted with the significance of qualitative research especially in the context of arts-based research in special needs education and music therapy. In theoretical part, the authoress will attempt to answer the question of what benefits this research method brings and why it is useful. What is to be described at the beginning quite extensively is the situation of research in special education and music therapy as a scientific discipline. This presentation will smoothly lead the reader to the essence of article, i.e. the arts-based research method. The definitions of arts-based research will be presented together with differences resulting from defining the notions connected with art. Examples will also be provided of research based on art resulting from the combination of two disciplines such as special needs education and music therapy. Moreover, the authoress will demonstrate her own research based on art with the application of music which emphasizes the significance of changes that occur within the music therapy process. Finally, the arguments which emphasize the significance of artsbased research will be mentioned.

scholarly journals Coming up trumps: A student music therapist supports young people with high or very high complex special needs to develop the key competencies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sarah Hall
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Educational Benefits ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
School Music ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Key Competencies ◽  
Very High

<p>This exploratory study aimed to discover and highlight the techniques and strategies that supported young people with high or very high complex special needs to develop the key competencies during music therapy sessions at a special school. Music therapy was carried out on an individual basis in a naturalistic manner and clinical notes were produced to record details that seemed important in each session. This data was then reviewed retrospectively in a process known as secondary analysis, employing both deductive and inductive modalities to search for and draw out links to the key competencies. A process of coding data within each key competency category revealed emerging themes and found that a number of musical, verbal and/or physical techniques and strategies supported the five key competencies during therapy. The categories, themes and codes have been defined and described with examples from the data, and a clinical vignette is included for further explanation. The data demonstrated the holistic nature of music therapy in that many techniques and strategies worked to support all five key competencies, even when the focus was a single competency. The findings are discussed with reference to, and in light of, current literature and suggested that the techniques and strategies used within my music therapy practice strongly relate to the key competencies and provide a unique context for their development. It is noted that the findings cannot be generalised to other settings and populations. However, this in-depth study may provide insight into the potential educational benefits and links between music therapy practice and the key competencies for those working with young people who have high or very high complex special needs.</p>

scholarly journals How did I as a student music therapist, use songwriting techniques to facilitate self-expression with adolescents in a mental health school setting?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Emma Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Music Therapist ◽  
Clinical Notes ◽  
Therapy Sessions

<p>The purpose of this research was to understand how a student music therapist was able to facilitate self-expression using specific songwriting techniques, during long term and short term, group and individual music therapy sessions. Long term is considered a four-month period of weekly sessions, and short term is considered a single session. This research took place at an educational facility where I was working with adolescents with various mental health issues. In this exegesis, I discuss the various definitions of self-expressions as defined in literature, and consider the ways this relates to songwriting methods chosen and applied during therapy. A qualitative method of research was used, using secondary analysis of data collected from five months of Music Therapy practice. Thematic analysis was applied to clinical notes from sessions, student review statements and personal reflective practitioner journal. I was guided by music therapy literature discussing songwriting that I had been drawing on for the benefit of my practice. My analysis revealed that I developed specifically tailored methods and techniques for individuals and groups, which would begin with how they would like to approach their songwriting. I also found, that alongside more well documented techniques such as lyric writing and composition, improvisation and song planning were of high value to my practice and therefore were included as therapeutic songwriting techniques in my findings.</p>

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