This essay presents a brief history of Music Therapy and describes the background, method and thinking behind Functionally-oriented Music Therapy – FMT. The essay includes two case studies describing my work with two clients during the last year of my training to become an FMT therapist. The topics explored are intrinsic (inner) motivation and self-esteem in the context of functional development in school children.  The research question for the essay is to discuss whether Functionally-oriented Music Therapy can assist school children to rediscover their inner motivation and increase their self-esteem.   FMT encourages brain activity through sensory stimulation, movement and play – without verbal instruction, critical evaluation or praise.  The FMT therapist meets the client with knowledge, understanding and unconditional acceptance of his/her present level of physical and mental function and with the intention of creating opportunities for development at every level.  I have found that the work and approach used in FMT can play a vital role in helping school children towards increased inner motivation and self-esteem.

Young children who experience high levels preoperative anxiety often exhibit distress behaviors, experience more surgical complications, and are at a higher risk for developing a variety of negative postoperative consequences. A significant factor in pediatric preoperative anxiety is the level of anxiety present in their caregivers. Music therapy interventions addressing a variety of procedural outcomes have been met with success. The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effectiveness of two music therapy interventions on reducing preoperative anxiety in young pediatric surgical patients and their caregivers. A total of 40 pediatric patient and caregiver dyads were included in this study on various days that they were present for ambulatory surgery. Pediatric preoperative anxiety was measured pre- and post-intervention using the modified Yale Pediatric Anxiety Scale, while caregiver anxiety was measured through self-report using the short form Strait-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y6. Participants received a randomized active or passive preoperative music therapy session. Results indicate a significant reduction in preoperative anxiety for both patients and their caregivers. Neither active, nor passive music therapy interventions were significantly more effective than the other. Future studies should increase sample size and control for various factors such as sedative premedication use.

This thesis aims to uncover music’s important role in shaping and defining the selfidentity of ancient Israel. Functional music was integrated into Israel’s daily life, accompanying activities as diverse as manual labor and royal processionals. At key junctures and in core institutions, musical tones were used to formulate and deliver messages, convey and heighten emotions, assert and strengthen communal bonds, and establish and intensify human-divine contact. The intricate and multi-faceted nature of this music will be demonstrated through a detailed look into four main episodes and genres: the Song of the Sea (Exod. 15), King Saul and David’s harp (1 Sam. 16), the use of music in prophecy, and the Book of Psalms. Specifically, it will be argued that Israel’s birth as a free nation was marked by the Song of the Sea, its monarchic system was defined by the archetypical musician-king David, it depended on God’s word delivered through the often musical messages of prophecy, and its appointed institution for mediating worship was designed and officiated by a class of priestly musicians. Moreover, three of these four areas involve the main leadership categories of Old Testament society—king, prophet and priest—giving added support to the view that music held a prominent place and played a defining role within that civilization. The conception of music as a central element of biblical society will be developed using an interdisciplinary approach, wherein pertinent information from an array of specializations and sources is put into conversation and Old Testament passages are analyzed through a modern-scientific lens. Rather than relying on a single methodology, this study is rooted in the premise that by applying a variety of contemporary theoretical tools to selected Old Testament passages, essential functions of music in biblical life can be illuminated. Such an endeavour requires tools from a number of fields, including but not limited to theology, sociology, anthropology, musicology, cognitive science and music therapy, as well as the classification of musical references into four primary functions: cohesive, therapeutic, emotive/spiritual and didactic. The result is a thesis that identifies reasons for—and not just the existence of—music in biblical life, and, most centrally, shows significant ways music informed Israel’s understanding of itself. / Thesis (PhD (Old Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This thesis aims to uncover music’s important role in shaping and defining the selfidentity of ancient Israel. Functional music was integrated into Israel’s daily life, accompanying activities as diverse as manual labor and royal processionals. At key junctures and in core institutions, musical tones were used to formulate and deliver messages, convey and heighten emotions, assert and strengthen communal bonds, and establish and intensify human-divine contact. The intricate and multi-faceted nature of this music will be demonstrated through a detailed look into four main episodes and genres: the Song of the Sea (Exod. 15), King Saul and David’s harp (1 Sam. 16), the use of music in prophecy, and the Book of Psalms. Specifically, it will be argued that Israel’s birth as a free nation was marked by the Song of the Sea, its monarchic system was defined by the archetypical musician-king David, it depended on God’s word delivered through the often musical messages of prophecy, and its appointed institution for mediating worship was designed and officiated by a class of priestly musicians. Moreover, three of these four areas involve the main leadership categories of Old Testament society—king, prophet and priest—giving added support to the view that music held a prominent place and played a defining role within that civilization. The conception of music as a central element of biblical society will be developed using an interdisciplinary approach, wherein pertinent information from an array of specializations and sources is put into conversation and Old Testament passages are analyzed through a modern-scientific lens. Rather than relying on a single methodology, this study is rooted in the premise that by applying a variety of contemporary theoretical tools to selected Old Testament passages, essential functions of music in biblical life can be illuminated. Such an endeavour requires tools from a number of fields, including but not limited to theology, sociology, anthropology, musicology, cognitive science and music therapy, as well as the classification of musical references into four primary functions: cohesive, therapeutic, emotive/spiritual and didactic. The result is a thesis that identifies reasons for—and not just the existence of—music in biblical life, and, most centrally, shows significant ways music informed Israel’s understanding of itself. / Thesis (PhD (Old Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Neišnešioto naujagimio adaptacija ankstyvuoju naujagimystės laikotarpiu yra ypač svarbi tolesnei jo gyvenimo kokybei. Šiuo jautriu vystymosi laikotarpiu aplinkos sukeliamam stresui mažinti taikoma muzikos terapija. Tačiau jos poveikis raidai nėra iki galo aiškus, be to, naudojami įvairūs muzikos terapijos būdai. Labai mažo gimimo svorio naujagimių stimuliacija muzika turi būti adekvati dėl jų fiziologinio nebrandumo, todėl muziką jiems reikėtų pateikti kuo efektyvesniu būdu. Atliktas darbas siekiant įvertinti trumpalaikį ir ilgalaikį muzikos terapijos poveikį. Buvo palygintas gyvai atliekamų ir įrašytų lopšinių poveikis neišnešiotų naujagimių fiziologiniams rodikliams ir elgsenai bei vertinamas muzikos terapijos poveikis jų sveikimui ir tolesnei psichomotorinei raidai. Nustatyta, kad muzikos terapija ankstyvuoju adaptacijos laikotarpiu efektyviai veikia neišnešiotų naujagimių (iki 32 savaičių pomenstruacinio amžiaus) širdies veiklą ir elgseną, t.y. naujagimių miegas yra gilesnis. Gyvai atliekamos lopšinės neišnešiotus naujagimius ramina geriau nei įrašytos. Muzikos terapijos įtaka kraujo įsotinimui deguonimi yra nereikšminga. Ilgalaikio muzikos terapijos poveikio grupėje nustatyta tendencija, kad neišnešioti naujagimiai išvyksta iš stacionaro turėdami didesnį svorio prieaugį, palyginti su kontroline grupe. Reikšmingo poveikio kūdikio psichomotorinei raidai nenustatyta, tačiau pastebėta, kad muzikos terapija stiprina tėvų bendravimą su vaiku ir gali būti aktyviai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Adaptation of a preterm infant in the early neonatal period plays a relevant role in his/her further life quality. Within this sensitive development period music therapy is used to reduce environmental stress. However, its effect on development is not explicit; moreover, music therapy methods vary. Music stimulation of very low birth weight infants should be adequate due to their physiological immaturity, thus, they should be exposed to music in the most efficient way. The work was performed to evaluate a short-term and long-term effect. It compared the effect of live and recorded lullabies on physiological factors and behaviour of preterm infants and evaluated the effect of music therapy on their recovery and further psychomotor development. Music therapy has been proved as efficiently influencing heart rate and behaviour of preterm infants (under 32 weeks’ postmenstrual age), i.e. their sleep was deeper. Live lullabies sooth preterm infants more efficiently that recorded ones. The effect of music therapy on blood saturation was insignificant. The group of long-term music therapy exposure revealed that preterm infants tend to be discharged from hospital with bigger weight gain, to compare with the control group. Significant effect on the psychomotor development in preterm infants was not established; however, music therapy was observed as strengthening parent-child relation and available for active application from neonatal period.

Syftet Att undersöka vilken effekt reminiscens- och musikterapi har på äldre deprimerade personer på äldreboende. Metod: Litteratursökning utfördes i databaserna CHINAL, Medline, Psycinfo samt Scopus. Till grund för resultatet valdes n=13 artiklar med kvantitativ design. Urvalet av artiklarna till resultatet har utförts med hjälp av inklusionskriterier, relevant abstract och publicerade mellan 2000-2013. Artiklarna skulle motsvara syfte och frågeställningar samt uppfylla hög eller medelpoäng i kvalitetsgranskningen. Resultat: Reminiscensterapi kunde reducera och minska depressiva symtom hos äldre personer på äldreboende. Musikterapi kunde också vara en effektiv åtgärd för att minska depression hos äldre personer på äldreboende. Ett annat resultat som framkom var att sömnen kan förbättras av musikterapi. Slutsats: Reminiscens- och musikterapi kunde minska depression hos äldre personer som bor på äldreboende, genom att musik stimulerar limbiska systemet och reminiscensterapin låter de äldre att återberätta och leva på nytt genom sina minnen. Det kan vara värdefullt för de äldre att vårdgivare på äldreboende lär sig grunder för reminiscens och musikterapi för att kunna använda det i den dagliga vården av de äldre för att minska depression men även som en förebyggande åtgärd.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-45).

Thesis (M.Arts (Hons.)) -- University of Western Sydney, 2008. / A thesis submitted to the University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, School of Communication Arts in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Honours). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-148).

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-172). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.