Music Therapy Research and Practice in Medicine: From Out of the Silence

by David Aldridge

Overview

In this interdisciplinary and wide-ranging volume, David Aldridge explores the power of music as a healing treatment for a broad spectrum of physical and mental conditions including AIDS, cancer, coma, senile dementia and autism.

This eye-opening book is valuable reading not only for music therapists but also creative arts therapists, occupational therapists, healthcare professionals, hospice workers and any other professional or student who works with chronically ill patients or the dying.

Interweaving theory and practice, Aldridge demonstrates the many ways in which a culture of research may be developed in a practice setting to the benefit of all. With case studies he illustrates the use of music therapy as an effective treatment in a range of medical settings. By providing an account of the development of a research programme, he also shows how research may be structured to describe and analyse the clinical benefits of music therapy.

Music Therapy Research and Practice in Medicine is a trenchant argument for the linking of music and medicine. Human beings, Aldridge demonstrates, are not mechanical but rather 'symphonic' beings, and for this reason music can be an immensely powerful and effective factor in rehabilitation and palliative care.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781853022968
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	06/01/1996
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.42(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

David Aldridge is Professor for Clinical Research Methods in the Institut für Musiktherapie at the University Witten Herdecke, Germany.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started 2. Health as Performance 3. Communication and the Playing of Improvised Music 4. Music Therapy Research in the Medical Literature 5. Aesthetics and the Individual in the Practice of Research 6. Single Case Designs for the Creative Music Therapist 7. Shared Meanings 8. Music Therapy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease 9. Music Therapy with the Elderly 10. Hope, Meaning and Music Therapy in the Treatment of Life-Threatening Illness 11. Creative Music Therapy in the Treatment of Children with Developmental Delay 12. The Credible Practitioner in the Community of Inquiry. References. Index.

Editorial Reviews

‘...the book is stimulating and relevant to my present music therapy work. I can recommend this as a reference book to anyone who is interested in music therapy, as I think it is both informative and thought-provoking.'

Therapy Weekly

[the] theme of integrating authenticity and communication is the core issue of the book ... The chapter on single-case-study research designs is certainly recommended reading for any art therapist pursuing this style of research. Aldridge provides an exceptional overview of both quantitative and qualitative approaches to case study research, followed by an in-depth example of qualitative case study research. The method he uses exemplifies the goal stated at the beginning of the book - to tie research to clinical practice ... Aldridge has written a very useful book for those in the fields of the arts therapies who are interested in pursuing research to better understand clinical work. His statement "we need an approach to music therapy research that stays close to the practice of the individual clinician" is one that I hope continues to drive future research in the creative arts therapies.

the Journal of the American Art Therapy Associatio ARTherapy

In this impressive book, the author has more than realized the promise of the title, that is, a very thorough consideration of the special challenges that are implicit in music therapy research and practice in medicine - the book is an extremely useful sourcebook of the state-of-the-art of music therapy research in medicine - the complete work provides an encyclopaedic review of music in medicine - a significant and valuable contribution.

The Arts in Psychotherapy

This is a book that will be of use to any professional interested in asking questions about their work, and will be of particular relevance to those undertaking research. This is a thorough but also a personal book that contains much of Aldridge's own philosophy of research in general and music therapy in particular. Most importantly it encourages research at all levels into the challenging complex area of clinical music therapy. By including a mixture of the theoretical and the personal in this way, this book should serve to encourage and support any professional considering research for the first time.

British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation

The book provides detailed documentation of medical and psychological literature relating to music therapy practice which will be a rich resource for the music therapy practitioner and researcher. Hopefully, it will inspire a whole body of carefully constructed research based in practice. It leaves me with the overall feeling of a highly skilled and sensitive observer looking at and working alongside another profession. David Aldridge avoids a polarisation into differing camps and eventual political debate fostering a climate of tolerance that he views as a mark of a mature profession.

British Jouranal Of Music Therapy

I recommend this book as a fascinating insight into another complementary therapy.

Growth Point

Scholarly, but also very human, his regard for human beings as essentially "symphonic" rather than "mechanical", and his view of a person's identity as "a musical form that is continually being composed in the world" make one warm to his approach. Aldridge clarifies the problems realistically, pointing the way forward to possible solutions. There is much here also of interest to professionals other than music therapists. The author's enthusiasm for music therapy, and his commitment to finding research approaches which uphold its central tenets, are always evident. Above all, the message is that music therapy research has to be done, that "rather than sit around for ever discussing what will be the best way", we have to actually try it out. David Aldridge's book is certainly an encouragement and guide to doing just that.

Self and Society

This well researched book describes how quantitative and qualitative research processes applied to interactive music therapy (as distinct from passive music therapy) help communicate the value of this therapy. It also describes, through case studies, the benefits of interactive music therapy across a variety of patient problems/diseases. The author has several purposes: to discuss research methodology applicable to the study of the broad field of music therapy, to present outcomes of interactive music therapy in varying age groups and diagnostic categories, and to help bridge the gap in language and knowledge between medical practitioners and music therapists. These are important objectives and the author meets these difficult goals with a depth of knowledge that is remarkable. Any reader needs at least basic knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Therefore, practitioners or advanced students in music therapy or any of the healing arts, and individuals developing research programs in healing related areas are suitable audiences. The author, a professor of clinical research methods, has great depth of knowledge of research procedures. He is not a music therapist. Figures and tables help explain some of the concepts that otherwise might be difficult to understand. The book is extremely well researched, well referenced, and current. This is a work of impeccable quality on a very difficult subject: how to study something as seemingly intangible as the process of music therapy , how to develop methods to communicate outcomes with others in the healing professions. Although the author is deeply concerned about research methodologies, he is equally concerned thattherapists develop better language to communicate with others about their work and its value. I believe he has made a valuable contribution to these aims. The book is useful for health professionals and library collections.

Patricia Blagman