This thesis reports on a phenomenological inquiry into the experiences of hospice patients and music therapy clinician in end of life care. Three total participants were included in this study, two hospice patients and the music therapy clinician. Interventions included singing familiar songs, music for relaxation and Music and Imagery, an adaptation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music. Each hospice patient participated in two music therapy sessions, plus an interview. Data included audio recorded sessions and interview, a process journal kept by music therapist, clinical observations, and one of the participant's mandala. Data was analyzed according to Moustakas' modification of the Stevick - Colaizzi - Keen method of Transcendental Phenomenology. Experiences for the hospice patients include themes of Positive Experience with Music, Positive Experience with Music and Pain, Negative Experience with Music, Music and Imagery, The Artist, Coping, The Mandala, Processing Music and Imagery and Transcendence. Experiences for the therapist include Feelings, Clinical Awareness, Meeting my Own Needs, Desire to Help, Ebb and Flow, and the Guide Following. Implications for further research are given.

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in four measures of participation for a small sample of children with severe and multiple disabilities when using adapted rhythm instruments. The four measures of participation were: 1) on- task behavior, 2) motivational behavior - smile, 3) motivational behavior - pleasure sounds and 4) performance. Six children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old participated in: eight music therapy sessions over a 14-week period. The sessions consisted of two phases: 1) Baseline Phase (utilizing rhythm instruments), and 2) treatment Phase (utilizing individually adapted rhythm instruments). A Chi-squared test was used to compare on-task behavior between phases. Friedman Two-Way Test of Analysis of Variance tests were used to compare Baseline to Treatment Phases for both motivational behaviors and performance. Results showed one incidence of statistical significance in on-task behaviors. No significance was found for the other three measures. Although no significance was found, the data indicates a pattern between phases. Significant statements taken from the teacher and researcher documents were divided into categories and then condensed into themes by each Phase. Statements showed a reported increase in positive non-typical behaviors, positive emotions, independence, and positive experiences during the Treatment Phases. The teacher reported a decrease in anxious behaviors and off-task behaviors during Treatment. The qualitative data supported and provided context for the patterns found within the quantitative data.

This thesis examined a phenomenological inquiry into the lived experiences of music therapists in a metropolitan city in the United States. During the study, five music therapists were interviewed about their self-care practices and experiences with burnout. Data included a recorded Zoom transcription of the 30–45-minute open-ended interview. The data was analyzed through Moustakas’ (1994) cluster of themes approach. Four themes emerged from the data analyses of the interviews: living/working in a metropolitan city, self-care practices, advice for entry level music therapists, and knowledge of and experience with burnout symptoms. Respondents associated living and working in a metropolitan city with challenges such as complex transportation, high costs of living, lack of recognition of the music therapy profession, and limited networking opportunities. However, they also shared positive aspects such as cultural diversity and having an active lifestyle. The respondents displayed high levels of engagement with their self-care habits across the following five domains: emotional, physical, mental, social and spiritual. Their advice to entry level music therapists emphasized developing work boundaries, finding networking opportunities, and dedicating time for self-care habits. Implications for music therapy clinicians, educators, students, and further research are also given.

Analytical Music Therapy (AMT) is an advanced model of music therapy practice in the United States. Inter Music Therapy (IMT) is one of four required training stages to becoming an analytical music therapist. IMT is an experiential process where two AMT trainees take turns being therapist and client to one another, while under the direct supervision of the AMT trainer. Music is an integral component throughout IMT. All clinical material addressed and processed in IMT is lived experience, rather than role-play. To date, there is limited research documenting the experience of IMT for the AMT trainee. This study describes the IMT experience for AMT trainees, reveals the most significant experiences of IMT, and identifies how IMT shapes the clinical skills of music therapists who experience it. Findings from this study may add value to the training of music therapists in general. This study implemented the qualitative interpretivist research approach of Transcendental Phenomenology to explore the lived experience of IMT from the perspective of persons who have participated in it. Six participants were interviewed, interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the data were analyzed in two phases. Phase one resulted in a synthesis for each participant. Syntheses are rich descriptions of each participant’s IMT experience. The final step in phase one resulted in a global distilled global essence describing what it is like to experience IMT. Phase two was a cross participant analysis resulting in six global themes, and some of these themes were further developed through sub-themes. The self-experience of IMT provided multiple learning opportunities for AMT trainees. IMT shaped AMT trainees’ clinical skills in the following ways: increased capacity for empathy, enhanced therapeutic presence, recognition of how personal material influenced the therapy session, further developed self-awareness, and expanded musical creativity. The supervisory process enhanced AMT trainees’ appreciation for supervision, and the value of trust in the therapy process. Log writing was instrumental to integrating learning. The following recommendations are suggested to strengthen music therapy training and supervision in general: opportunities for music making while in the role of self to increase self-awareness in training and supervision, with an emphasis on creativity; opportunities for live or recorded observation of clinical work in supervision (in academic settings and professional supervision); and training opportunities for music therapy supervisors along with improved clarity in the competency of music therapy supervisors. / Music Therapy

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The purposes of this study are to investigate the effect of the Music Attention Control Training (MACT) on three types of attention (sustained, selective, switching) in pre-adolescents (10-14 years old) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and to identify the impact of the level of severity (mild, moderate, severe) on changes in attention scores. This modified replication study included 23 participants randomly assigned to treatment and control group stratified based on severity of ASD. Significant results via two-tailed paired-sample t-test (p< .10) indicated significant positive trends with the treatment group for the 3 out of 4 subtests of selective attention: Hector Cancellation, Hector-B Cancellation, and Hecuba Visual Search; 1 out of 4 subtests of sustained attention: Sustained Attention Response Test (SART); and the single subtest of switching attention: Red & Blues, Bags & Shoes (RBBS). Results call for modifications to further support the role of MACT on attention skills with pre-adolescents with ASD. Implications for future research and contributions to clinical practices in music therapy are discussed.

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The purpose of the study was to examine factors such as the number of years lived in the U.S., English proficiency, neuroticism, openness, and music therapy student academic stress (MTSAS) that predict acculturative stress among international music therapy students studying in the U.S. An on-line survey was conducted with a U.S. sample of international music therapy students. Among the 134 participants who originally came from 25 countries returned the survey, 97 with complete data (88 women and 9 men; 38 undergraduate and 59 graduate students) were included in the main analyses. Results showed this sample had a substantially higher mean on acculturative stress (M = 83.04) than the normative mean (M = 66.32) reported by Sandhu and Asrabadi (1994). In addition, 13 participants' (12.89%) scores were within the "high risk" category, indicating the need for psychological intervention. Asian students were found to have experienced a higher level of acculturative stress than their European counterparts. There were no significant differences found between undergraduate and graduate students relating to levels of acculturative stress. Correlational analyses indicated that acculturative stress had significant correlations with level of English proficiency, neuroticism, and MTSAS. There were no significant findings regarding years lived in the U.S., openness, and level of acculturative stress. Regression analyses revealed that (a) the entire set of 5 aforementioned predictors accounted for 41% of variance in acculturative stress, which is considered a large effect size, and (b) among these predictors, English proficiency, neuroticism, and MTSAS appeared to be the most powerful predictors of acculturative stress. In addition, making presentations, taking exams, and participating in class discussion were found to be the most stressful classroom activities. Implications for music therapy and future research directions are discussed. / Music Therapy

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