Parents, Children and Their Therapists. A Collaborative Research Project Examining Therapist-Parent Interactions in a Music Therapy Clinic

Abstract

Particular thanks are due to Nicky O'Neill, who as Manager of the Saturday Clinic was instrumental in bringing this project to fruition and has also worked closely with me in the presenting of this project at music therapy events. AbstractThis 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.

“We’ve got a special connection”: qualitative analysis of descriptions of change in the parent–child relationship by mothers of young children with autism spectrum disorder

“…First, practical benefits have been described including better consistency of therapeutic approaches between home and educational settings (Thaut, 1984), improved relevance of goals for the child (Pasiali, 2004), improved communication between therapists and parents (Procter, 2005), increased opportunities for parents to experience first-hand what motivates their child (Thompson, 2012a) and opportunities for parents to develop skills to enhance their child's development (Chiang, 2008;Warren & Nugent, 2010).…”

“…However, while a respectful relationship between the parent and music therapist is essential in collaborative practices (Jonsdottir, 2002;Oldfield, 2008), it is important to also recognise that there are challenges. At times, parents may feel their parenting skills are undermined by therapists who are more successful than they are at interacting with their child (Woodward, 2004), or feel disempowered by poor therapist communication (Procter, 2005). Reflecting on her substantial experience in collaborating with families, Oldfield (2011) recently described the relationship between the therapist and parent as follows:…”

Parents’ perspectives on their children’s music therapy: A synthesis of qualitative literature

“…The strong prevalence of qualitative studies of parents' perspectives on music therapy where they are present during sessions, combined with the anomalous findings from Procter's (2005) study, indicate a need for further studies of parents' perspectives on their child's music therapy where they are not present during sessions. This model of working, where parents are not in the therapy room during sessions, is better represented in the case study literature than in qualitative research.…”

“…However, some parents also described difficulties with their engagement with music therapy. In one study, specific issues were explored in relation to the issue of confidentiality (Procter, 2005). The three analytic themes identified through the thematic synthesis are as follows: The analytic themes (italics) and descriptive themes (in single quotes) will now be explored (see Supplemental Appendix 5 for the full list of analytic themes, descriptive themes and codes).…”

“…'Disempowerment of parents'. Parents in one study (Procter, 2005) experienced feelings of disempowerment. This was linked to not being present during the child's sessions, and highlights a perception of a power imbalance, with the therapist perceived to have more power than the parent.…”