Thesis (M.Mus.Ther.)--New Zealand School of Music, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation (M.Mus. (Music Therapy))-University of Pretoria, 2003. / Abstract in Afrikaans and English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Dissertation (PhD) Florida State University, 2007. / Advisor: Jayne M. Standley, Florida State University, College of Music. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed 5-16-2007). Document formatted into pages; contains 164 pages. Includes biographical sketch. Includes bibliographical references.

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.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders demonstrate deficits in speech and language, with the most outstanding speech impairments being in comprehension, semantics, prosody, and pragmatics. Perception and production of music and speech in children with ASD appear to follow the same principles of Gestalt pattern perceptual organization. In addition, common neuroanatomical structures and similar patterns of cortical activation mediate the perception and production of speech and music. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how the perception of musical stimuli would impact the perception and production of speech and language in children with ASD. The study examined the effect of developmental speech-language training through music on the speech production of children with ASD. The participants were 50 children with ASD, age range 3 to 5 years, who had previously been evaluated on standard tests of language and level of functioning. The children completed the pre-test, six sessions of training, and the post-test. The pre-and post-tests consisted of the Verbal Production Evaluation Scale (VPES) and measured each participant's verbal production including semantics, phonology, pragmatics, and prosody, of 36 target words. Eighteen participants completed music training, in which they watched a music video containing six songs and pictures of the 36 target words. Another group of eighteen participants completed speech training, in which they watched a speech video containing six stories and pictures of target words. Fourteen participants were randomly assigned to a no-training condition. Results of the study showed that participants in both music and speech training significantly increased their scores on the VPES from the pre-test to the post-test. Both music and speech training were effective for enhancing participants' speech production including semantics, phonology, pragmatics, and prosody. Participants who received music training made greater progress on speech production than participants who received the speech training; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Results of the study also indicated that the level of speech production was influenced by the level of functioning in children with ASD. An interaction between level of functioning and training conditions on speech production approached significance. The results indicate that both high and low functioning participants improved their speech production after receiving either music or speech training; however, low functioning participants showed a greater improvement in speech production after the music training than after the speech training. Collectively, music training was more effective for speech production in low functioning children with ASD than was speech training. The study suggests that the superior performance in speech production in children with ASD who received music training might be generated from music stimuli which were organized by the Gestalt laws of pattern perception. In conclusion, children with ASD appear to perceive important linguistic information (i.e., target words) embedded in music stimuli, and can verbally produce the words as functional speech. These results provide evidence for the use of music as an effective way to enhance speech production in children with ASD.

The present research examines the effect of music therapy on the affect of hospitalised children. It took place on a paediatric ward of a New Zealand public hospital. This study aimed to investigate the role of music therapy in addressing patients’ psychosocial needs. Literature on the impact of hospitalisation, and on the use of music therapy in hospitals and paediatrics was reviewed. The research involved an audit of the therapist’s clinical notes from music therapy sessions over the course of seven months. The clinical notes included measurements of children’s mood from the beginning and end of sessions, using McGrath’s (1990) Affective Facial Scale. It was hypothesised that mood measures following music therapy would be higher than pre-music therapy scores. Statistical analysis of the facial scale data did not show a significant difference between ‘before’ and ‘after’ measures. These results were discussed with regard to a ceiling effect (this is, the measurements indicated patients were at the happy end of the scale before the music therapy session, so there was little room on the scale for mood to improve following music therapy). The measurement of emotion did not prove to be straightforward. The hospital environment may have influenced the patients’ responses in a number of ways. These environmental influences are discussed with reference to examples from the clinical notes. The usefulness of facial scales in this context is discussed, as well as other limitations of the research. Suggestions for future research include the use of other mood measures, and the inclusion of measurements of parental mood and how this affects the child.

The present research examines the effect of music therapy on the affect of hospitalised children. It took place on a paediatric ward of a New Zealand public hospital. This study aimed to investigate the role of music therapy in addressing patients’ psychosocial needs. Literature on the impact of hospitalisation, and on the use of music therapy in hospitals and paediatrics was reviewed. The research involved an audit of the therapist’s clinical notes from music therapy sessions over the course of seven months. The clinical notes included measurements of children’s mood from the beginning and end of sessions, using McGrath’s (1990) Affective Facial Scale. It was hypothesised that mood measures following music therapy would be higher than pre-music therapy scores. Statistical analysis of the facial scale data did not show a significant difference between ‘before’ and ‘after’ measures. These results were discussed with regard to a ceiling effect (this is, the measurements indicated patients were at the happy end of the scale before the music therapy session, so there was little room on the scale for mood to improve following music therapy). The measurement of emotion did not prove to be straightforward. The hospital environment may have influenced the patients’ responses in a number of ways. These environmental influences are discussed with reference to examples from the clinical notes. The usefulness of facial scales in this context is discussed, as well as other limitations of the research. Suggestions for future research include the use of other mood measures, and the inclusion of measurements of parental mood and how this affects the child.

The present research examines the effect of music therapy on the affect of hospitalised children. It took place on a paediatric ward of a New Zealand public hospital. This study aimed to investigate the role of music therapy in addressing patients’ psychosocial needs. Literature on the impact of hospitalisation, and on the use of music therapy in hospitals and paediatrics was reviewed. The research involved an audit of the therapist’s clinical notes from music therapy sessions over the course of seven months. The clinical notes included measurements of children’s mood from the beginning and end of sessions, using McGrath’s (1990) Affective Facial Scale. It was hypothesised that mood measures following music therapy would be higher than pre-music therapy scores. Statistical analysis of the facial scale data did not show a significant difference between ‘before’ and ‘after’ measures. These results were discussed with regard to a ceiling effect (this is, the measurements indicated patients were at the happy end of the scale before the music therapy session, so there was little room on the scale for mood to improve following music therapy). The measurement of emotion did not prove to be straightforward. The hospital environment may have influenced the patients’ responses in a number of ways. These environmental influences are discussed with reference to examples from the clinical notes. The usefulness of facial scales in this context is discussed, as well as other limitations of the research. Suggestions for future research include the use of other mood measures, and the inclusion of measurements of parental mood and how this affects the child.

Although drug therapy is the more common treatment of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and has been shown to reduce symptoms, the benefits of the theraputic drugs are temporary, and the therapy can have adverse side effects. For these reasons, many prefer not to use drug therapy for ADHD. Alternative treatments have been shown to have some efficacy, especially when used in conjunction with drug therapy. Dynamic Systems theory suggests that an intervention which combines graphomotor exercises with music may have a positive effect on a child's behavior and attention. A 2 x 2 pretest-posttest design tested the hypothesis that both children diagnosed with ADHD as well as children without ADHD would significantly improve on measures of attention, behavior inhibition and handwriting when those children received the graphomotor and music intervention. The intervention was designed according to the instructions in the handbook "Training the Brain to Pay Attention the Write Way" authored by Farmer and published by Writebrain Press in Denver, Colorado in 1993.

This study was aimed at exploring and describing the role of music as a medium in the Gestalt play therapy process with children who experience emotional distress and therefore suffer loss of healthy contact. The case study method was used as research strategy. A literature study of the Gestalt approach and Gestalt play therapy was carried out as well as a study of the child in middle childhood, the child experiencing emotional distress in the form of loss, and music as a medium. In implementing of this research study three case studies were described. The sampling method was based on a non-probability purposive sampling technique. The criteria for inclusion in this study were children who experience emotional distress in the form of loss and who, subsequently, do not make effective contact. Between seven and eight therapeutic sessions per child were conducted. The role of music was evident in all three cases. / SOCIAL WORK / MDIAC (PLAY THERAPY)