Stress is increasingly being recognized as one of the main factors that is negatively affecting our health, and therefore there is a need to regulate daily stress and prevent long-term stress. This need seems particularly important for adults with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) who have been shown to have more difficulties coping with stress than adults without intellectual disabilities. Hence, the development of music therapy interventions for stress reduction, particularly within populations where needs may be greater, is becoming increasingly important. In order to gain more insight into the practice-based knowledge on how music therapists lower stress levels of their patients with MID during music therapy sessions, we conducted focus group interviews with music therapists working with adults with MID (N = 13) from different countries and clinical institutions in Europe. Results provide an overview of the most-used interventions for stress reduction within and outside of music. Data-analysis resulted in the further specification of therapeutic goals, intervention techniques, the use of musical instruments, and related therapeutic change factors. The main findings indicate that music therapists used little to no receptive (e.g., music listening) interventions for stress reduction, but preferred to use active interventions, which were mainly based on musical improvisation. Results show that three therapy goals for stress relief could be distinguished. The goal of “synchronizing” can be seen as a sub goal because it often precedes working on the other two goals of “tension release” or “direct relaxation,” which can also be seen as two ways of reaching stress reduction in adults with MID through music therapy interventions. Furthermore, the tempo and the dynamics of the music are considered as the most important musical components to reduce stress in adults with MID. Practical implications for stress-reducing music therapy interventions for adults with MID are discussed as well as recommendations for future research.
Depression is a highly prevalent and seriously impairing disorder. Evidence suggests that music therapy can decrease depression, though the music therapy that is offered is often not clearly described in studies. The purpose of this study was to develop an improvisational music therapy intervention based on insights from theory, evidence and clinical practice for young adults with depressive symptoms. The Intervention Mapping method was used and resulted in (1) a model to explain how emotion dysregulation may affect depressive symptoms using the Component Process Model (CPM) as a theoretical framework; (2) a model to clarify as to how improvisational music therapy may change depressive symptoms using synchronisation and emotional resonance; (3) a prototype Emotion-regulating Improvisational Music Therapy for Preventing Depressive symptoms (EIMT-PD); (4) a ten-session improvisational music therapy manual aimed at improving emotion regulation and reducing depressive symptoms; (5) a program implementation plan; and (6) a summary of a multiple baseline study protocol to evaluate the effectiveness and principles of EIMT-PD. EIMT-PD, using synchronisation and emotional resonance may be a promising music therapy to improve emotion regulation and, in line with our expectations, reduce depressive symptoms. More research is needed to assess its effectiveness and principles.
Introduction: Depression can be a serious problem in young adult students. There is a need to implement and monitor prevention interventions for these students. Emotion-regulating improvisational music therapy (EIMT) was developed to prevent depression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of EIMT for use in practice for young adult students with depressive symptoms in a university context. Method: A process evaluation was conducted embedded in a larger research project. Eleven students, three music therapists and five referrers were interviewed. The music therapists also completed evaluation forms. Data were collected concerning client attendance, treatment integrity, musical components used to synchronise, and experiences with EIMT and referral. Results: Client attendance (90%) and treatment integrity were evaluated to be sufficient (therapist adherence 83%; competence 84%). The music therapists used mostly rhythm to synchronise (38 of 99 times). The students and music therapists reported that EIMT and its elements evoked changes in all emotion regulation components. The students reported that synchronisation elicited meaningful experiences of expressing joy, feeling heard, feeling joy and bodily responses of relaxation. The music therapists found the manual useful for applying EIMT. The student counsellors experienced EIMT as an appropriate way to support students due to its preventive character. Discussion: EIMT appears to be a feasible means of evoking changes in emotion regulation components in young adult students with depressive symptoms in a university context. More studies are needed to create a more nuanced and evidence-based understanding of the feasibility of EIMT, processes of change and treatment integrity.
Doel van dit onderzoek is om te komen tot een methodologie maakonderzoek, die zowel bruikbaar is voor de creatieve praktijken als voor het maakonderwijs. Op HKU wordt vanuit vier onderzoeksgebieden gewerkt aan onderzoek voor, door of naar creatieve maakprocessen in combinatie met de rol van technologie, interdisciplinariteit, ondernemerschap en overdracht. De artistieke praktijk, het creatieve proces, het maken, werkt daarbij door op alle aspecten van het maakonderzoek. Om te komen tot een methodologie maakonderzoek is het nodig om samen te werken met de maakonderzoekers van de onderzoeksgebieden en met de makers uit de creatieve praktijk. Veel van de kennis die makers gebruiken is aan den lijve verbonden, en impliciet. Als we dit soort kennis effectief willen ontsluiten en gebruiken, hebben we een methodologie nodig die hierop inspeelt. Om op een natuurlijk wijze de slag te kunnen slaan tussen de maakpraktijken en het maakonderwijs is het wenselijk dat deze makers ook docent zijn, of tenminste werkzaam zijn voor de educatieve praktijk. In dit onderzoek wordt samengewerkt met makers-docenten van vier verschillende HKU Schools: HKU College, HKU Design, HKU Music & Technology en HKU Fine Art. De vraag die in dit onderzoek centraal staat, is: Welke methodologie maakonderzoek kan worden afgeleid uit de staande praktijken van maakonderzoek, waarin onderzoek voor, door en naar maakprocessen wordt gedaan? De aanpak van dit onderzoek is ontwerpend van aard. Het onderzoek volgt een cyclisch proces, waarbij de ontwikkeling van een methodologie maakonderzoek de focus is. Er wordt gewerkt van klein naar groot, van lokaal naar interlokaal. Vanuit de onderzoeksgebieden en het onderwijs van HKU naar het landelijke kunstonderwijs en mogelijk daarbuiten. Met verwevenheid van onderzoek en onderwijs. Als opbrengst wordt naast het bijdragen aan een methodologie maakonderzoek, een bundeling van werkvormen, casuistiek en tools opgeleverd voor gebruik in het onderwijs.
