Improving understanding of music therapy with a non-verbal child: sharing perceptions with other professionals : a research presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Music Therapy at New Zealand School of Music, Wellington, New Zealand
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Date
2008
DOI
Open Access Location
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Publisher
Massey University
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Abstract
This study explored the value of music therapy practice with a non-verbal child
conducted by the author, a Music Therapy Student (MTS), as seen through the eyes of
two music therapists and the child’s mother, as well as the improvement achieved in the
MTS’s understanding of music therapy practice through sharing the three professionals’
insights. The paper addresses two research questions: (1) How is music therapy with a
non-verbal child perceived by music therapy professionals? (2) How does sharing these
professionals’ understanding of music therapy improve the MTS’s understanding of this
therapeutic process? The MTS’s self-reflections were treated as part of the data in this
research, as was the non-verbal communication within the music therapy intervention to
support the findings. The qualitative research, ‘Naturalistic inquiry’ was used for this
research. Data was collected by interviewing these three professionals individually
about their perceptions of music therapy after watching three video extracts of normal
music therapy sessions with the child. The video extracts were selected from the
significant moments of non-verbal communication. Through this process of sharing the
professionals’ perceptions, the MTS gained a deeper understanding of both the child
and the music therapy practice administered, confirming and extending her
understanding of the musical and therapeutic skills and techniques of the three
professionals, which they had gained in their varied experiences and which had been
shaped by their varied backgrounds. The MTS was thus engaged in a learning process
which hoped would enhance the quality of therapy provided by her in the future.
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Keywords
Music therapy professionals, Perception, Music therapy practice