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Title
"Music Therapy Helped Me Get Back Doing": Perspectives of Music Therapy Participants in Mental Health Services
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008:
Author(s)
McCaffrey, Triona
Publication Date
2016
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008
Early Online Version
Open Access
Yes
Abstract
Background: Mental health service development internationally is increasingly informed by the collaborative ethos of recovery. Service user evaluation of experiences within music therapy programs allows new phenomena about participation in services to be revealed that might otherwise remain unnoticed. Objective: The aim of this study was to demonstrate how asking service users about their experience of music therapy can generate useful information, and to reflect upon the feedback elicited from such processes in order to gain a deeper understanding of how music therapy is received among service users in mental health. Methods: Six mental health service users described their experiences of music therapy in one or two individual interviews. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed using the procedures and techniques of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Interviews with mental health service users provided rich, in-depth accounts reflecting the complex nature of music therapy participation. Superordinate themes refer to the context in which music therapy was offered, the rich sound world of music in music therapy, the humanity of music therapy, and the strengths enhancing opportunities experienced by service users. Conclusions: Participants indicated that they each experienced music therapy in unique ways. Opinions about the value of music therapy were revealed through an interview process in which the researcher holds an open attitude, welcoming all narrative contributions respectfully. These findings can remind practitioners of the importance of closely tuning into the perspectives and understandings of those who have valuable expertise to share about their experience of music therapy services in mental health.
Publication Type
Journal Article
Source of Publication
Journal of Music Therapy, 53(2), p. 121-148
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020
2016-02-24
Place of Publication
United States of America
ISSN
2053-7395
0022-2917
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020
Peer Reviewed
Yes
HERDC Category Description
Peer Reviewed
Yes
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