<p> The purpose of the current study was to test the effects of participation in a <i>treatment grief choir</i> vs. <i> standard care grief group</i> (verbal) on bereaved persons&rsquo; perceived grief, coping, energy, social support and health and to examine the experiences of those participating in both groups. In this mixed-methods study, the results from the qualitative phenomenological focus groups were used for explaining and interpreting the findings of the Randomized Control Trial (RCT). Within the RCT, five people completed the <i>treatment grief choir</i> and four completed the <i>standard care grief group</i> (<i> N=9</i>). A repeated-measures ANOVA was employed to detect any statistical significance among the adult grievers. A significant within-subjects effect was found in both groups for the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) start-of-session grief, NRS end-of- session grief, Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist (HGRC), and NRS end-of-session coping measures. These results indicate that both groups showed significant improvement over time in these areas. A between-subjects effect was found for the NRS end-of-session grief and for the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) with the <i>standard care grief group</i> scoring significantly better over time than the <i>treatment grief choir</i>. Finally, one interaction effect was found for the NRS end-of-session health scores at week sixteen, with a significant gain for the <i>standard care grief group</i>. </p><p> For the qualitative portion of this study, five members of the <i> treatment grief choir</i> and three of the four members from the <i> standard care grief group</i> participated in separate focus group interviews. A seventeen-step analysis of the interview data was employed to discover meaningful descriptions and experiences while maintaining validity and integrity of the process. The following categories emerged from the analysis of the <i> treatment grief choir</i> interview: The Grief Choir Did Help; Songs were Important in Grief; Making Musical Connections Helped; Interactions with Grievers were Valued; The Music Therapists Influenced the Experience; and Gained Insights about Grief. The following categories emerged from the <i> standard care grief group</i>: Standard Care Did Help; Timing and Composition of Group Mattered; Standard Care was a Complex Experience; and The Experience of Being in Research. Recommendations for future grief choirs and standard care grief groups are discussed.</p>

<p>In Aotearoa New Zealand, M?ori are overrepresented in criminal and mental health contexts, comprising only 14.9% of the nation, yet over 50% of institutional populations. These figures are not unique, but represent a broader struggle to overcome the legacy of colonization affecting indigenous communities worldwide. In response to these issues, I examine the impacts of M?ori cultural expression in forensic mental health through an ethnography of the kapa haka r?p? (group) in the Kaupapa M?ori forensic psychaitric unit, Te Papak?inga O T?ne Whakapiripiri. This unit reconceptualizes Western frameworks for mental health service provision, incorporating cultural education as an integral aspect of treatment, such as M?ori performing arts (i.e., kapa haka). The unit also imbues M?ori cultural values, practices, and forms of expression into daily life, an act that transforms the experience of institutionalization for t?ngata whai i te ora (patients) and the practice of forensic mental health more broadly. In this dissertation, I first unpack the collaborative methodology developed in this research, providing a set of recommendations for a more ?codetermined? research process. I then explain the research?s broader academic and social contexts, tracing the history of M?ori music scholarship, and then the history of New Zealand?s cultural and political transformation from 1840 to the present. This culminates in an ethnography of T?ne Whakapiripiri, where I examine the impacts of the kapa haka program and the unit?s broader musical activities on t?ngata whai i te ora and the clinical environment in four domains: te taha wairua (the spirit), te taha hinengaro (the mind), te taha tinana (the body), and te taha wh?nau (the community). Overall, this research illustrates that embedding forms of cultural expression such as kapa haka into the clinical model positively impacts t?ngata whai i te ora, improving their understanding and experiences of themselves, their illnesses, and their environment. Such cultural expression also shows how a Kaupapa M?ori framework transforms the institutional environment from a Western model emphasizing individualism, hierarchy, and isolation toward a more holistic, collective, and wh?nau-centered model that holds the potential to shift our understanding of what forensic mental health is and can be.

<p> The expansion of the parity law for mental health benefits under the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) along with the increased mental and/or behavioral health issue among American youth has established a need for various health services to mitigate the mental and/or behavioral health problem. The L.A. Children&rsquo;s Music Therapy Center, LLC, will be established to provide music therapy as an alternative or complementary form of medicine for individuals that are under 17 years of age with mental and/or behavioral health disorders. Additional regulations under the PPACA may potentially increase the use of mental health services and clinical evidence has shown that music therapy has resulted in improved health outcomes for various disorders. L.A. Children&rsquo;s Music Therapy Center, LLC, will focus on providing music therapy services within Los Angeles County for private clients in the community as well as contracting services for private and group organizations.</p>

<p> Musicians often feel the extremes of highs and lows based on the nature of their work. In order to effectively communicate with an audience, the performer needs to express his or her musical ideas. This form of expression leaves the performer vulnerable, since the audience may either enjoy or disapprove of the performer&rsquo;s interpretation. With each performance, musicians are evaluated or judged by their peers and audiences as to whether or not they have performed at a level expected. Additionally, to have a successful performance, a musician must put on a good show in order to communicate to the audience. If the performance is not positively received by the audience, the performer may feel ashamed or embarrassed, and may even think that the severe reception reflects the performer&rsquo;s lack of aptitude as a musician. Furthermore, since musicians dedicate so much of their lives and time to practicing, preparing, and performing, oftentimes their identity revolves around being a successful musician. To speak to the audience successfully, a musician must be vulnerable with his or her performance. However, vulnerability can lead to degradation, and thus, a breakdown of mental health. An unfavorable critique of their performance may also make them feel inadequate as a human and professional. Therefore, musicians often suffer different types of anxiety connected with their performances. Depression is one dominant mental health issue prevalent in many musicians. </p><p> Not only is it the professional nature of the musicians&rsquo; work that highlights their depression, it is also the creative component of their work that intensifies their depression. Such was the case with Christian Ferras, a French violinist born in 1933. Ferras was considered a prodigy as a violinist and performed with many well known conductors, orchestras, and accompanists. Unfortunately, he battled with his depression throughout his career. Ferras took some time off from performing and teaching from 1967&ndash;1975, but ultimately was not able to regain the career that he wanted. In 1982 at the age of forty-nine, Ferras committed suicide by jumping out of his Paris apartment window.</p><p>

<p> This paper examines representations of supposed mentally "ill" and mad characters from Claudio Monteverdi's <i>Lamento della ninfa</i>, Gaetano Donizetti's <i>Lucia di Lammermoor</i>, Arnold Schoenberg's <i> Erwartung</i>, Peter Maxwell Davies's <i>Eight Songs for a Mad King </i>, and my own work <i>Christopher</i>. It argues that none of these characters are mentally "ill" and criticizes their being labeled as mad. Furthermore, this writing submits that treatment of the mentally "ill" is strongly correlated with their specific representation in western art music.</p>

<p> Traditionally, Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) has been used as means of increasing verbal output (expressive language) in individuals with Broca&rsquo;s aphasia; however, recently MIT has been studied for its potential impacts on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) population, as well. The purpose of this study was to examine the features of music (i.e., exaggerated pitch and/or rhythm) found in traditional MIT against traditional speech to determine the impact of these musical features on receptive language abilities in individuals with ASD. This study involved an ASD group and a typically developing (TD) group, both with school-age children. Each group was presented with an experimental protocol, which included prompting each subject with a simple verbal command to manipulate one of four objects that had been placed in front of them. These commands were presented in a traditional speech condition, an exaggerated intonation condition, or a rhythmically controlled condition. We hypothesized that the rhythmic condition would be the most successful for promoting auditory comprehension of verbal commands in the subjects with ASD. Our hypothesis was partially supported, as one of the ASD subjects found the most success with the rhythmically controlled commands; but the other ASD subject found intonation to be the most helpful condition. Both ASD subjects indicated that music was more successful than traditional speech for comprehending simple auditory commands. Future studies should extend to other age groups, and should also examine why these musical components are more successful than speech within the ASD population.</p>