The Development of a Research Design to Assess the Effects of Individual Music Therapy with Mentally Ill Children and Adolescents

Abstract

This paper introduces a research design to measure effects of individual music therapy with mentally ill children and adolescents on symptoms, competencies, and quality of life. In a pilot project, seven children (five boys and two girls, 4 to 11 years of age) who suffered from various mental and behavioural problems were assessed. Five children received music therapy, and two did not. The two groups were compared with regard to the kind and severity of their problems. The main therapeutic aspects of music therapy were the children s needs for relationship and presence and opportunities for emotional expression. At post-treatment, the children who received music therapy were improved in all three outcome domains. Through the pilot study, the sensitivity and relevance of the instruments and the feasibility of a parallel no-treatment control group could be confirmed, and further details of the research design could be clarified. The results support the continuation of this research with a larger sample. Keyword: effectiveness -child psychiatry -individual music therapy -pilot study Introductiontraditions). Therefore, there has been a greater development in researching the processes and Music therapy in Europe is usually based on results of music therapy through case studies theoretical models which put the individual client rather than controlled trials (to name only the and his/her unique needs into the centre of their extremes on both ends of the scale). The strength work (e.g., psycliodynamic and humanistic of music therapy in clinical practice is certainly

Music therapy as a caring intervention: Swedish musicians learning a new professional field

“…Interactive music can have immediate and positive effects on the engagement of dementia subjects with apathy and has been demonstrated to improve mood states (Magee & Davidson, 2002). Furthermore, music therapy has been found to reduce symptoms of severe mental illness (Silverman & Marcionetti, 2004) as well as behavioural disorders in children and adolescents (Gold et al, 2004;Gold, Wigram & Berger, 2001).…”

Literature Review of Early Childhood Music Therapy Between 1990-2012

“…Except for preventative interventions the target of music therapy is often to reduce symptoms whatever those symptoms with different client groups are. In this data, this area was clearly taken into account in only one research publication (Gold et al, 2001). Also, very specific areas like emotional synchronicity were rarely mentioned ) and the texts remained commonly on a more general level.…”

“…Aasgaard 2005;Ayson, 2008;Barrera & Rykov, 2002;Bruce & High, 2012;Drake, 2008;Dun, 1999;Dun, 2007;Gfeller, 1990;Hadley, 1996;Hall, 2012;Hendon & Bohon, 2008;Kim et al, 2009;Lecourt, 1991;Lindenfelser et al 2012;Loth, 2008;Oldfield, 1991;Oldfield, 1993;Shoemark & Dearn, 2008;Thompson, 2012 b. Dun, 1999;Dun, 2007;Edwards, 1994;Pasiali, 2012b;Shoemark, 1999;Shoemark, 2004 c. Dun, 2007;Lindenfelser et al, 2008;Nall & Everitt, 2005;O´Callaghan & Jordan, 2011;Rees, 2005;Shoemark, 2004 d. Dun, 1995;Elefant & Wigram 2005;Finnigan & Starr, 2010;Gfeller, 1990;Kim et al, 2009;Oldfield, 1991;Skewes & Thompson, 2009;Tomlinson, 2010 e. Ayson, 2008;Dun, 2007;Gold et al, 2001 Supportive factors (33 different texts) a. emotional support and ...…”

A pilot music group for young people attending a community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

“…A small number of randomised controlled trials have shown positive benefits of combination music and psychotherapy compared to treatment as usual in children, with higher rates of remission of anxiety disorders (Goldbeck & Ellerkamp, 2012) and a reduction in Child Behaviour Checklist scores (Gold et al 2001) From the point of view of a CAMHS, several benefits to the group emerged. It provided a youth friendly, non-clinical and safe environment that represented a space away from intense therapy sessions or medication reviews.…”