preview

Music Therapy: Timeline Of Knowledge And Research

Decent Essays

Music has always been a powerful tool. Originally used for healing, the therapeutic benefits of music became popular during World War II. Since then, the field of music therapy has grown. This article addresses the historical timeline of knowledge and research through literature in the field of music therapy and the significance of continued innovative and research-based data collection.
Music therapy is using music or musical sound to promote communication, relationships, learning, mobilization, expression, organization and other therapeutic objectives. Music therapy is employed to meet the physical, emotional, mental, social and cognitive needs of students. Students can receive music therapy services in a school setting, individually or within a group. The idea is to use music to restore functions and strengthen a child’s non-musical skills by tracking emotional and personal growth rather than a specific cognitive skill set. The relationship between the client and therapist is fundamental in promoting an increase in trust and growth. …show more content…

Following a referral by a teacher or allied health professional, the music therapist then implements procedures similar to the child’s IEP. Music therapists align to the child’s IEP using behavioral analysis and developmental tools. Parallel to the Individual Education Plan, the assessment process is an essential element of music therapy. While countless assessments have been published, none are standardized. The lack of standardized assessments makes it difficult to replicate studies if concrete practices are not implemented. One study shows a considerable number of therapists were not using formal therapy assessments, instead analyzing and recording the change observed over time in therapy

Get Access