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Drumming through trauma: Music therapy with post-traumatic soldiers
Abstract
Combat stress reaction is common among soldiers and can develop to a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This distressing condition embraces symptoms such as feelings of loneliness and isolation from society, intrusive memories, outbursts of anger and generalized feelings of helplessness. Drumming has been receiving considerable attention in music therapy. Only few references relate to such activity among those who suffer from PTSD, and even fewer relate to combat induced post-traumatic syndrome, none of them empirical. The current study presents music therapy group work with six soldiers diagnosed as suffering from combat or terror related PTSD. Data were collected from digital cameras which filmed the sessions, open-ended in-depth interviews, and a self-report of the therapist. Some reduction in PTSD symptoms was observed following drumming, especially increased sense of openness, togetherness, belonging, sharing, closeness, connectedness and intimacy, as well as achieving a non-intimidating access to traumatic memories, facilitating an outlet for rage and regaining a sense of self-control.
... Guided imagery and music (GIM) significantly decreases the symptoms of dissociation (Maack, 2012;Story and Beck, 2017); GIM in the trauma-focused group of patients enhanced PTSD patients' quality of life and wellbeing (Rudstam et al., 2017; Although the results reported the positive effects of music therapy on PTSD, there are several drawbacks in the studies, such as their small sample sizes, lack of rigorous controls, and the lack of details of the music therapy. , 2021); songwriting treatment reduced the numbing and depressive symptoms of PTSD patients (Coulter, 2000;Precin, 2011;Hirschberg et al., 2020), and playing musical instruments, such as drums or guitars, increased the sense of openness and togetherness, and facilitated non-intimidating access to traumatic memories in PTSD patients (Bensimon et al., 2008;Pezzin et al., 2018). Collectively, music therapy has idiosyncratic merit and benefits for PTSD intervention. ...
... Carr et al. (2012) found that music therapy eliminated dissociative flashbacks in PTSD patients. Music may establish "a safe space" in the brain that strengthens the tolerance for traumatic experiences (Bensimon et al., 2008), helps PTSD patients remain grounded, and helps them distinguish the present moment from the past traumatic events (Volkman, 1993;Orth, 2001;Bensimon et al., 2008). ...
... Carr et al. (2012) found that music therapy eliminated dissociative flashbacks in PTSD patients. Music may establish "a safe space" in the brain that strengthens the tolerance for traumatic experiences (Bensimon et al., 2008), helps PTSD patients remain grounded, and helps them distinguish the present moment from the past traumatic events (Volkman, 1993;Orth, 2001;Bensimon et al., 2008). ...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating sequela of extraordinary traumatic sufferings that threaten personal health and dramatically attenuate the patient's quality of life. Accumulating lines of evidence suggest that functional disorders in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic system contribute substantially to PTSD symptomatology. Notably, music therapy has been shown to greatly ameliorate PTSD symptoms. In this literature review, we focused on whether music improved PTSD symptoms, based on VTA dopaminergic action, including the effects of music on dopamine (DA)-related gene expression, the promotion of DA release and metabolism, and the activation of VTA functional activities. In addition, the strengths and limitations of the studies concerning the results of music therapy on PTSD are discussed. Collectively, music therapy is an effective approach for PTSD intervention, in which the VTA dopaminergic system may hold an important position.
... The age of veterans differed between the studies, most being non-specific with regards to age. Seventeen studies included veterans of all ages (Jones et al., 2000;Bensimon et al., 2008Bensimon et al., , 2012Holliday et al., 2015;Azevedo et al., 2016;Beidel et al., 2017;Bergen-Cico et al., 2018;Crowe et al., 2018;Johnson et al., 2018;Murphy, 2018, 2020;Pezzin et al., 2018;Weiss et al., 2018;Bolman, 2019;McLaughlin and Hamilton, 2019;Galsgaard and Eskelund, 2020;Bauer et al., 2021), whereas four studies were age-specific by virtue of the criteria that they sought veterans from the Vietnam War (1961-75) (Obenchain and Silver, 1991;Ragsdale et al., 1996;Johnson et al., 2004;Otter and Currie, 2004) or Post-9/11/Iraq and Afghanistan veterans (Beidel et al., 2016;Lawrence et al., 2017Lawrence et al., , 2019Matthieu et al., 2017;Cushing et al., 2018). Three studies focused solely on female veterans, with two of these relating to rural female veterans who had suffered military sexual trauma (Azevedo et al., 2016;Weiss et al., 2018), and the other relating to a single case study (Trahan et al., 2016). ...
... Eight studies utilized animal-focused interventions (Nevins et al., 2013;Trahan et al., 2016;Bergen-Cico et al., 2018;Crowe et al., 2018;Johnson et al., 2018;Bolman, 2019;McLaughlin and Hamilton, 2019;Galsgaard and Eskelund, 2020). Three studies investigated the efficacy of music related interventions (Bensimon et al., 2008(Bensimon et al., , 2012Pezzin et al., 2018). One study focused upon yoga as an intervention (Cushing et al., 2018), one upon an adventure-activity intervention (Ragsdale et al., 1996), whilst three studies examined the power of civic service to ameliorate PTSD symptomology (Lawrence et al., , 2019Matthieu et al., 2017). ...
... Studies within this review identify the use of animals Bergen-Cico et al., 2018;Crowe et al., 2018;Johnson et al., 2018;Bolman, 2019;McLaughlin and Hamilton, 2019;Galsgaard and Eskelund, 2020), music (Bensimon et al., 2008(Bensimon et al., , 2012Pezzin et al., 2018), art and museums Murphy, 2018, 2020) and adventure training (Ragsdale et al., 1996) as holistic interventions, which seek to offer the PTSD diagnosed veteran meaningful engagement, social connections, and a sense of purpose, thus ameliorating the negative mindset maintained by loneliness and social isolation; holistic in as much as they offer a treatment of mind and body as a whole, via the conduit of addressing the often ignored social, emotional and personal catalysts. Four studies found that dogs offered a non-judgmental, unconditional, support and buffer, facilitating responsibility and a sense of purpose (Bergen-Cico et al., 2018;Crowe et al., 2018;McLaughlin and Hamilton, 2019;Galsgaard and Eskelund, 2020). ...
Background
It has been identified that military veterans have distinct experiences of loneliness and social isolation and, when comparing this community to other client groups with a PTSD diagnosis, veterans respond less favorably to treatment. However, the link between PTSD and loneliness for veterans remains insufficiently researched and it is unclear if there are effective interventions tackling this distinct experience of loneliness.
Aims
This systematic narrative review aimed to synthesize existing evidence incorporating elements of social connection, social isolation, and loneliness within interventions for military veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD, consequently aiming to examine the impact of such interventions upon this community.
Methods
Six databases were searched, utilizing relevant search criteria, with no date restrictions. Articles were included if they involved intervention or treatment for military veterans with PTSD and considered elements of social connection, social isolation, and/or loneliness. The initial search returned 202 papers. After exclusions, removal of duplications, and a reference/citation search, 28 papers remained and were included in this review.
Results
From the 28 studies, 11 directly addressed social isolation and two studies directly addressed loneliness. Six themes were generated: (i) rethinking the diagnosis of PTSD, (ii) holistic interventions, (iii) peer support, (iv) social reintegration, (v) empowerment through purpose and community, and (vi) building trust.
Conclusions
A direct focus upon social reintegration and engagement, psychosocial functioning, building trust, peer support, group cohesiveness and empowerment through a sense of purpose and learning new skills may mitigate experiential loneliness and social isolation for veterans with PTSD. Future research and practice should further explore the needs of the PTSD-diagnosed veteran community, seek to explore and identify potential common routes toward the development of PTSD within this community and consider bespoke interventions for tackling loneliness.
... Here, the goal for the therapy was to help the women to cope with feelings of guilt, loss, loneliness and fear. In a study of group music therapy with six war veterans who all had a PTSD diagnosis, Bensimon et al. (2008) describes how playing the drum in a group increased the group members' sense of togetherness, belonging, connection and closeness. They also describe how music could help to express and regulate negative emotions such as anger. ...
... Control and loss of control are the topic of several articles on music trauma therapy. Bensimon et al. (2008Bensimon et al. ( , 2012 describe how regaining control is important for the group participants in their study. Here, regaining a degree of control in music therapy is linked to being able to gradually take more control in one's own life. ...
This article explores how music therapy can contribute to the treatment of individuals with affect regulation challenges related to relational traumatic experiences. Affect regulation was investigated through a case study of music therapy with a man with complex post-traumatic stress disorder. The case represents clinical work in a psychiatric hospital, on a ward for ambulatory treatment of people with severe mental illness and substance abuse challenges. Based on theories of communicative musicality, intersubjectivity and traumatology, an analysis of transcripts of music therapy improvisations and verbal interaction is presented and discussed. The method used in the study is an abductive explanatory thematic analysis grounded in hermeneutic interpretation of data. The two main themes emerging from the analysis are “Musical interaction as co-regulation” and “Music as a creative (re)source” with the subthemes “Musical interventions serves as a regulation tool”, “A process from regulation to relationship, “Musical self-agency” and “Music therapy as an experimental playground”. Further studies on affect regulation in clinical music therapy are warranted.
... increased group cohesion, belonging and "connectedness" (Ascenso et al., 2018;Bensimon et al., 2008;Davis-Craig, 2009;Hannigan & McBride, 2011;Kaplan, 2000;Longhofer & Floersch, 1993;Mackinlay, 2014; Newman et al., 2015;Stone, 2005;Venkit et al., 2013;Watson et al., 2015;Winkelman, 2003); improved mood (Ascenso et al., 2018;Bittman et al., 2003Bittman et al., , 2004Bittman et al., , 2009Davis-Craig, 2009;Fancourt, Perkins, Ascenso, Atkins, et al., 2016;Flores, 2011;Ho et al., 2011;Kaplan, 2000;Mackinlay, 2014;Newman et al., 2015;Silverman & Marcionetti, 2004;Watson et al., 2015;Winkelman, 2003); decreased anxiety (Bensimon et al., 2008;Blackett & Payne, 2005;Hannigan & McBride, 2011;Ho et al., 2011;Newman et al., 2015;Smith et al., 2014;Snow & D'Amico, 2010;Venkit et al., 2013); and improved self-esteem (Bittman et al., 2009;Flores, 2011;Longhofer & Floersch, 1993;Mackinlay, 2014;Silverman & Marcionetti, 2004;Snow & D'Amico, 2010;Wood et al., 2013). Group drumming may also increase oxytocin (related to social bonding) (Yuhi et al., 2017), and decrease salivary cortisol and certain pro-inflammatory cytokines (Fancourt, Perkins, Ascenso, Atkins, et al., 2016). ...
... increased group cohesion, belonging and "connectedness" (Ascenso et al., 2018;Bensimon et al., 2008;Davis-Craig, 2009;Hannigan & McBride, 2011;Kaplan, 2000;Longhofer & Floersch, 1993;Mackinlay, 2014; Newman et al., 2015;Stone, 2005;Venkit et al., 2013;Watson et al., 2015;Winkelman, 2003); improved mood (Ascenso et al., 2018;Bittman et al., 2003Bittman et al., , 2004Bittman et al., , 2009Davis-Craig, 2009;Fancourt, Perkins, Ascenso, Atkins, et al., 2016;Flores, 2011;Ho et al., 2011;Kaplan, 2000;Mackinlay, 2014;Newman et al., 2015;Silverman & Marcionetti, 2004;Watson et al., 2015;Winkelman, 2003); decreased anxiety (Bensimon et al., 2008;Blackett & Payne, 2005;Hannigan & McBride, 2011;Ho et al., 2011;Newman et al., 2015;Smith et al., 2014;Snow & D'Amico, 2010;Venkit et al., 2013); and improved self-esteem (Bittman et al., 2009;Flores, 2011;Longhofer & Floersch, 1993;Mackinlay, 2014;Silverman & Marcionetti, 2004;Snow & D'Amico, 2010;Wood et al., 2013). Group drumming may also increase oxytocin (related to social bonding) (Yuhi et al., 2017), and decrease salivary cortisol and certain pro-inflammatory cytokines (Fancourt, Perkins, Ascenso, Atkins, et al., 2016). ...
AHEAD feasibility trial assessed the feasibility and acceptability of an 8-session group drumming programme aiming to improve executive function, depression and anxiety symptoms, and perceived social support in adolescents living with HIV in a rural low-income South African setting. Sixty-eight 12- to 19-year-old adolescents participated. They were individually randomised. The intervention arm (n = 34) received weekly hour-long group drumming sessions. Controls (n = 34) received no intervention. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed using rates of: enrolment; retention; attendance; logistical problems; adolescent-reported acceptability. Secondary measures included: five Oxford Cognitive Screen-Executive Function (OCS-EF) tasks; two Rapid Assessment of Cognitive and Emotional Regulation (RACER) tasks; the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) measuring depression and anxiety symptoms; the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). All feasibility criteria were within green progression limits. Enrolment, retention, and acceptability were high. There was a positive effect on adolescent depressed mood with signal for a working memory effect. There were no significant effects on executive function or socio-emotional scales. Qualitative findings suggested socio-emotional benefits including: group belonging; decreased internalised stigma; improved mood; decreased anxiety. Group drumming is a feasible and acceptable intervention amongst adolescents living with HIV in rural South Africa. A full-scale trial is recommended.
... Another randomized controlled trial that examined the effects of music therapy on symptoms of PTSD among prison inmates demonstrated a significant decrease in PTSD-symptoms [94]. A mixed method study examining the efficacy of group drumming therapy in military veterans with PTSD indicated a significant reduction of specific symptoms such as isolation, lack of connectedness, avoidance of traumatic memories, rage, and anxiety [95]. A mixed method study on the feasibility of group music therapy for women with PTSD and complex PTSD found significant changes in the PTSD, dissociation, anxiety, and depression scales, indicating symptom reduction [96]. ...
... Active music therapy participants, on the other hand, described interactive session elements as stimulating, alleviating anxiety through pleasant social interaction. Music improvisation (drum based) has been found to be effective in expressing and managing emotions among veterans with PTSD [95]. Moreover, a systematic review showed that passive listening to relaxing music didn't seem to have any significant effects on PTSD symptoms, suggesting the importance of active music therapy to evoke change in PTSD patients [89]. ...
Overview:
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has emerged as a severely debilitating psychiatric disorder associated with critical illness. Little progress has been made in the treatment of post-intensive care unit (ICU) PTSD.
Aim:
To synthesize neurobiological evidence on the pathophysiology of PTSD and the brain areas involved, and to highlight the potential of music to treat post-ICU PTSD.
Methods:
Critical narrative review to elucidate an evidence-based neurobiological framework to inform the study of music interventions for PTSD post-ICU. Literature searches were performed in PubMed and CINAHL. The Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guided reporting.
Results:
A dysfunctional HPA axis feedback loop, an increased amygdalic response, hippocampal atrophy, and a hypoactive prefrontal cortex contribute to PTSD symptoms. Playing or listening to music can stimulate neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, enhance brain recovery, and normalize stress response. Additionally, evidence supports effectiveness of music to improve coping and emotional regulation, decrease dissociation symptoms, reduce depression and anxiety levels, and overall reduce severity of PTSD symptoms.
Conclusions:
Despite the lack of music interventions for ICU survivors, music has the potential to help people suffering from PTSD by decreasing amygdala activity, improving hippocampal and prefrontal brain function, and balancing the HPA-axis.
... Kok et al. (2013) and Dana (2018), extending the work of Porges (2007), have theorized that the human nervous system is best regulated by social connection and social engagement. Synchronized movements (during dance or drumming) and vocalization have been shown to support experiences of connection and belonging (Bensimon et al., 2008). Empirical research has also revealed considerable health benefits of arts-based therapies, such as improved interoception and body awareness, concentration and focus, stress reduction, and the ability to relate to self and others with kindness, compassion and acceptance (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). ...
Exploring Southern African contemplative traditions addresses an important gap in the fields of contemplative science and healing modalities. In contrast to meditation practices drawn from Eastern wisdom traditions, practices embedded in African spirituality are sound- and movement-based and conducted in community settings. During a research retreat in South Africa, attended by traditional healers, creative arts therapists and performers, mindfulness and neuroscience researchers, and a Buddhist monk, indigenous rituals were performed by experienced facilitators and analyzed through group reflection sessions. Phenomenological data were recorded and coded. Participants identified how the synchronized movements, vocalization, and multisensory listening enabled experiences of self-transcendence, connection, and social cohesion, eliciting emotions of peacefulness, harmony, and joy. Using thematic analysis, four recurring threads emerged: sacred sense of purpose, nervous system self-regulation and co-regulation, enhancement of pro-social qualities, and community cohesion. These findings are presented to support international dialog and illuminate relationships among Eastern, Western, and African wisdom traditions. The global decline in mental health provides increased relevance, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of perpetuated historical injustices that have rendered individuals and communities isolated and disconnected. This article proposes that embodied rituals and arts-based therapies, alongside mindfulness practices, could provide effective ways to enhance personal well-being and build community cohesion.
... However, there has been little research on music and political conflict in South Asia. Similarly, research on music, trauma, and music therapy has primarily focused on Western countries, the Middle East, and South Africa (Sutton 2002), examining how music can aid in processing traumas caused by military conflict (Bensimon, Amir, and Wolf 2008), xenophobic violence (Sweers 2010), sexual abuse (Amir 2004), and in alleviating posttraumatic stress (Landis-Shack, Heinz, and Bonn-Miller 2017). More recently, ethnomusicologists reflected more broadly upon the ubiquity of human experiences of mourning and trauma (Bohlman 2024). ...
... However, there has been little research on music and political conflict in South Asia. Similarly, research on music, trauma, and music therapy has primarily focused on Western countries, the Middle East, and South Africa (Sutton 2002), examining how music can aid in processing traumas caused by military conflict (Bensimon, Amir, and Wolf 2008), xenophobic violence (Sweers 2010), sexual abuse (Amir 2004), and in alleviating posttraumatic stress (Landis-Shack, Heinz, and Bonn-Miller 2017). More recently, ethnomusicologists reflected more broadly upon the ubiquity of human experiences of mourning and trauma (Bohlman 2024). ...
Drawing on theories of historical trauma and colonial trauma, this article discusses the cumulative impact of colonial and postcolonial conflict, Christian proselytization, and Westernization on the societies, cultures, and songs of the Nagas, a South Asian ethnic minority inhabiting parts of northeast India and northern Myanmar.
... For example, Rabinowitch et al. (2012) observed that regularly engaging in music-making within a group increased emotional empathy in children (see also Croom, 2014;Tzanaki, 2022). Further studies showed improvements in symptom severity and emotional and social wellbeing in patients who received music group therapy (Bensimon et al., 2008;Carr et al., 2012;Eren, 2015). Such effects correspond with neurophysiological changes due to synchronized musical play, for example, in terms of higher activity in the nucleus caudate and nucleus accumbens. ...
Beneficial effects of music on wellbeing and group cohesion are well established. Furthermore, participation in music groups has been shown to be associated with increased orientation to the host culture, while orientation to culture of origin appears to remain unaffected. In order to gain insight into the effects of music activities on acculturative stress in adult migrants, a group of musically active migrants to Germany ( n = 80) was compared with migrants who had never played a musical instrument ( n = 86). We saw that music group members ( n = 42) reported lower levels of acculturative stress and a stronger orientation to mainstream culture compared to participants who are not actively making music. The association between music group membership and acculturative stress was mediated by orientation to host culture. Solo-musicians ( n = 38) did not differ from group-musicians and musically non-active subjects. We found no differences in orientation to the culture of origin between the study groups. The findings suggest that (group) music making can support acculturation processes in migrants.
... There are also several approaches for using music therapy specifically to help clients with post-traumatic symptoms using non-structured sessions and interventions. Bensimon used an unstructured approach when working with a group of combat soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and found that it helped the soldiers open up to express their feelings (Bensimon et al., 2008). Hunt (2005) also used an unstructured approach with teenagers. ...
Throughout my 32 years of work as a music therapist, I have wondered whether music therapy sessions should be structured and, if so, how and when to structure them. I was taught to work with clients dynamically, that is, using musical and verbal responses and interventions as the session unfolded, without prior planning. Would structuring sessions stall the therapeutic process? Might it cause clients to avoid expressing themselves? Or would structuring the sessions benefit clients by reducing their anxiety, creating a holding space and increasing their sense of calm, and thus advance the therapeutic process? In the earlier years of my work with clients. I had to rely on my intuition and my supervisor, who tried to help me identify the best approach of working with my clients. In the process, I made mistakes while focusing on the dilemma of whether or not to structure therapy sessions and interventions. In this article I will share some clinical vignettes of mistakes I made myself in my therapy practice, as well as of mistakes made by a student I supervised in her work with a young girl as part of her practicum, and by a music therapist I supervised in his work with elementary-school children. As a result of grappling with this dilemma and through reflection on past errors of this kind, my theoretical orientation has shifted and solidified. I have come to the conclusion that there is a lot to be learnt from making mistakes, and that those mistakes have shaped my therapeutic path.
... Several research studies have been conducted on music therapy and trauma for children (Bensimon et al., 2008;Carr et al., 2012;Felsenstein, 2013;Heiderscheit & Murphy, 2021;Kruger et al., 2018;McFerran et al., 2022). Music therapy provides a safe environment and is an enjoyable activity for those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). ...
This article describes the development of an evidence-based music therapy program for children with autism affected by war. The program aimed to decrease war-related traumatic experiences and teach adaptation skills. The most common treatments and frameworks for trauma and autism were reviewed. The main domains and needs of the population were identified. The interventions and dosage for interventions, including frequency, group size, and duration of the session were created. The program included listed assessment measures, interventions, a therapeutic function of music, and a materials list. The recommendations for the program implementation are given.
... As a non-invasive form of fatigue intervention, sound interventions include music interventions and binaural beats interventions. Sound is a regular vibration with an emotional arousal effect [27,28], which has been shown to enhance alertness [29,30], reduce stress [31], treat post-traumatic stress disorder [32,33], reduce mental fatigue [34], and is an effective method used against driving drowsiness and fatigue [35,36]. Music affects the arousal level and emotional state of listeners. ...
Abstract: Introduction: It is clear that mental fatigue can have many negative impacts on individuals, such as impairing cognitive function or affecting performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of sound interventions in combating mental fatigue. Method: The subjects were assessed on various scales, a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) task, and a 3 min resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG), followed by a 20 min mental fatigue–inducing task (Time Load Dual Back, TloadDback), during which subjects in different condition groups listened to either 15 Hz binaural beats, 40 Hz binaural beats, relaxing music, or a 240 Hz pure tone. After the mental fatigue–inducing task, subjects were again assessed on various scales, a PVT task, and a 3 min resting-state EEG. Results: After the fatigue-inducing task, there was no significant difference between the four groups on the scales or the PVT task performance. In TloadDback, the accuracy rate of the 40 Hz binaural beats group and the relaxing music group decreased in the middle stage of the task, while the 15 Hz binaural beats group and the 240 Hz pure tone group remained unchanged in all stages of the task. The EEG results showed that after fatigue inducement, the average path length of the 15 Hz binaural beats group decreased, and local efficiency showed an increasing tendency, indicating enhanced brain network connectivity. Meanwhile, the 240 Hz pure tone group showed enhanced functional connectivity, suggesting a state of mental fatigue in the group. Conclusions: The results of this study show that listening to 15 Hz binaural beats is a proven intervention for mental fatigue that can contribute to maintaining working memory function, enhancing brain topological structure, and alleviating the decline in brain function that occurs in a mentally fatigued state. As such, these results are of great scientific and practical value.
... A previous study that focussed on drumming with clinical populations reported improvements in depression, anxiety, and social resilience, as well as in immune system responses (Fancourt et al., 2016). Other studies, e.g., in trauma-and addiction-related work, highlighted aspects such as an increased sense of togetherness, connectedness, and sense of self-control after group drumming (Winkelman, 2003;Bensimon et al., 2008;Faulkner, 2017). In non-clinical populations, there is additionally a considerable interest in interactional or interpersonal synchrony and synchronized movements (including drumming and tapping) and their underlying neural mechanisms (e.g., Kokal et al., 2011; for reviews, see Trost et al., 2017;Hoehl et al., 2020;Schirmer et al., 2021). ...
Objective
Real-life research into the underlying neural dynamics of improvisational music therapy, used with various clinical populations, is largely lacking. This single case study explored within-session differences in musical features and in within- and between-brain coupling between a Person with Dementia (PwD) and a music therapist during a music therapy session.
Methods
Dual-EEG from a music therapist and a PwD (male, 31 years) was recorded. Note density, pulse clarity and synchronicity were extracted from audio-visual data. Three music therapists identified moments of interest and no interest (MOI/MONI) in two drum improvisations. The Integrative Coupling Index, reflecting time-lagged neural synchronization, and musical features were compared between the MOI and MONI.
Results
Between-brain coupling of 2 Hz activity was increased during the MOI, showing anteriority of the therapist’s neural activity. Within-brain coupling for the PwD was stronger from frontal and central areas during the MOI, but within-brain coupling for the therapist was stronger during MONI. Differences in musical features indicated that both acted musically more similar to one another during the MOI.
Conclusion
Within-session differences in neural synchronization and musical features highlight the dynamic nature of music therapy.
Significance
The findings contribute to a better understanding of social and affective processes in the brain and (interactive) musical behaviors during specific moments in a real-life music therapy session. This may provide insights into the role of such moments for relational-therapeutic processes.
... Hope is a cognitive process in which individuals generate beliefs regarding their ability to achieve desired goals and then find pathways to realize them (Snyder et al., 1991). Trauma-informed MT, including the use of therapeutic songs and singing, instills feelings of hope in uprooted teenagers (Wiess & Bensimon, 2020), adults in short-term inpatient psychiatry treatment (Cadesky, 2023), and soldiers coping with PTSD (Bensimon et al., 2008). This effect can be explained by Frankl's (1985) theory of searching for meaning. ...
Objective: Literature on music therapy with incest survivors is scant, and to the best of our knowledge, voicework as a main technique in group settings has not been explored. The current study aimed to examine a voicework intervention with women coping with the effects of incest, understand its meaning for the participants, and examine its potential to promote well-being. Method: Seventeen women coping with complex posttraumatic stress disorder due to incest participated in a voicework group intervention of eight weekly sessions. Therapy included techniques such as breathing, voice improvisation, songwriting, and performance of existing songs. Data were collected via focus groups before and after the intervention and documentation of songs sung during sessions. Data were analyzed according to the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. Results: Analysis yielded four themes. Personal empowerment relates to participants’ enhanced connection with their body and utilization of creativity as an inner resource. Strengthened social ties relates to the group’s ability to create a sense of belonging, togetherness, and an infrastructure for improving relationships outside the group. Enhanced belief in God describes renewed willingness to believe in God, and positive perception of the future reflects change from hopelessness toward belief in a better future. Conclusions: Overall, the findings indicate that the intervention enabled the development of personal, social, and spiritual growth and a positive outlook for the future. Findings are interpreted using the domains of the posttraumatic growth theory.
... Pascual Leone's work highlights the dynamic aspect of resilience, which depends on pre-and post-traumatic factors (Pascual-Leone and Bartres-Faz, 2021). Among these factors, musical practice and listening have often been studied as therapeutic tools (Bensimon et al., 2008;Carr et al., 2012;Ophir and Jacoby, 2020;Beck et al., 2021), but the interactions between musical experience and resilience remain complex. Indeed, professional musicians appear to be more exposed to mental health problems (Kenny et al., 2014;Niarchou et al., 2021) but as Gustavson et al. (2021) recently pointed out, it's quite possible that musicians use music as a means of managing these problems (the analogy is made with anti-depression medication, which is more widely used by depressed people precisely because it's a treatment). ...
Resilience mechanisms can be dynamically triggered throughout the lifecourse by resilience factors in order to prevent individuals from developing stress-related pathologies such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some interventional studies have suggested that listening to music and musical practice after experiencing a traumatic event decrease the intensity of PTSD, but surprisingly, no study to our knowledge has explored musical experience as a potential resilience factor before the potential occurrence of a traumatic event. In the present conceptual analysis, we sought to summarize what is known about the concept of resilience and how musical experience could trigger two key mechanisms altered in PTSD: emotion regulation and cognitive control. Our hypothesis is that the stimulation of these two mechanisms by musical experience during the pre-traumatic period could help protect against the symptoms of emotional dysregulation and intrusions present in PTSD. We then developed a new framework to guide future research aimed at isolating and investigating the protective role of musical experience regarding the development of PTSD in response to trauma. The clinical application of this type of research could be to develop pre-trauma training that promotes emotional regulation and cognitive control, aimed at populations at risk of developing PTSD such as healthcare workers, police officers, and military staffs.
... Quanto ao tipo de instrumento musical, o membranofone predominante nos estudos foi o djembê, um instrumento de percussão que não possui grandes dimensões, sendo possível encontrá-lo em vários tamanhos, de fácil transporte e aquisição considerando a variabilidade de preço e o acesso ao mesmo. Diferente de outros tambores comuns em um determinada localidade ou região, o djembê está presente em vários países (32,(49)(50)(51) . ...
Objective
To map scientific knowledge about the use of percussion instruments in music therapy in individuals over 18 years of age in the health context.
Method
Scope review with search strategy implemented in September 2021, in 13 databases, using indexed descriptors and keywords. Studies on the use of membranophones for care of people over 18 years of age were included. Studies with the participation of pregnant women, psychiatric patients (schizophrenia, psychosis, addiction), or people with hearing impairment, and journal editorials were excluded. The selection process was carried out by two independent researchers.
Results
Thirteen studies were included and the results showed that the membranophones have a positive impact on the physical, psychological, and social health of people in different care environments, and allow them to repeat rhythmic patterns and play music. Active music therapy was the strategy predominantly used in interventions, and the most used membranophone was the djembe.
Conclusion
The results suggest that music therapy with membranophones proved to be a viable intervention with beneficial results in improving physical, psychological, and social health of people over 18 years of age.
DESCRIPTORS
Complementary Therapies; Acoustic Stimulation; Music Therapy; Nursing; Review Literature as Topic
... As for the type of musical instrument, the predominant membranophone in the studies was the djembe, a percussion instrument that does not have large dimensions, being found in several sizes, easy to transport and acquire considering the variability of price and access to it. Unlike other drums common in a given locality or region, the djembe is present in several countries (32,(49)(50)(51) . ...
Objective:
To map scientific knowledge about the use of percussion instruments in music therapy in individuals over 18 years of age in the health context.
Method:
Scope review with search strategy implemented in September 2021, in 13 databases, using indexed descriptors and keywords. Studies on the use of membranophones for care of people over 18 years of age were included. Studies with the participation of pregnant women, psychiatric patients (schizophrenia, psychosis, addiction), or people with hearing impairment, and journal editorials were excluded. The selection process was carried out by two independent researchers.
Results:
Thirteen studies were included and the results showed that the membranophones have a positive impact on the physical, psychological, and social health of people in different care environments, and allow them to repeat rhythmic patterns and play music. Active music therapy was the strategy predominantly used in interventions, and the most used membranophone was the djembe.
Conclusion:
The results suggest that music therapy with membranophones proved to be a viable intervention with beneficial results in improving physical, psychological, and social health of people over 18 years of age.
... Kok et al. [27] and Dana [28], extending the work of Porges [29], have theorized that the human nervous system is best regulated by social connection and social engagement. Synchronized movements (during dance or drumming) and vocalization have been shown to support experiences of connection and belonging [30]. Empirical research has also revealed considerable health bene ts of arts-based therapies, such as improved interoception and body awareness, concentration and focus, stress reduction and the ability to relate to self and others with kindness, compassion and acceptance [31]. ...
Exploring Southern African contemplative traditions addresses an important gap in the fields of mindfulness and contemplative science. In contrast to meditation practices drawn from Eastern wisdom traditions, practices embedded in African spirituality are sound- and movement-based and conducted in community settings. During a research retreat in South Africa, attended by traditional healers, creative arts therapists and performers, mindfulness and neuroscience researchers and a Buddhist monk, indigenous rituals were performed by experienced facilitators and analyzed through group reflection sessions. Phenomenological data were recorded and coded. Participants identified how the synchronized movements, vocalization, and multisensory listening enabled experiences of self-transcendence, connection, and social cohesion, eliciting emotions of peacefulness, harmony, and joy. Using thematic analysis, four recurring threads emerged: sacred sense of purpose, nervous system self- and coregulation, enhancement of pro-social qualities, and community cohesion. These findings are presented to support international dialog and illuminate relationships between Eastern, Western and African wisdom traditions. The global decline in mental health provides increased relevance, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of perpetuated historical injustices that have rendered individuals and communities isolated and disconnected. This paper proposes that embodied rituals and arts-based therapies, alongside mindfulness practices, could provide effective ways to enhance personal well-being and build community cohesion.
... Given that rhythm across domains has a vital affective component that contributes to social functioning, we speculate that the greater prominence of isochronicity in music may ultimately contribute to greater herding-more coordinated behavior, higher physiological synchronization, and ultimately, greater social functioning and a sense of group efficacy compared to other activities such as speech. This suggests that an influence of isochronicity on social grouping may also be one of the reasons why rhythmic drumming has been suggested to be an effective intervention (Bensimon et al., 2008) for populations that have social difficulties and tend not to respond as strongly to non-musical "treatment as usual", including individuals with autism (Yoo & Kim, 2018), who have been shown to respond well to improvisation-based musical interventions (Kim et al., 2008;Whipple, 2004). It is important to note that we found no correlation between EDA synchrony and drumming coordination. ...
Improvisation is a natural occurring phenomenon that is central to social interaction. Yet, improvisation is an understudied area in group processes and intergroup relations. Here we build on theory and research about human herding to study the contributions of improvisation on group efficacy and its biobehavioral underpinnings. We employed a novel multimodal approach and integrative method when observing face-to-face interactions-51 triads (total N = 153) drummed together in spontaneous-free improvisations as a group, while their electrodermal activity was monitored simultaneously with their second-by-second rhythmic coordination on a shared electronic drum machine. Our results show that three hypothesized factors of human herding-physiological synchrony, behavioral coordination, and emotional contagion-predict a sense of group efficacy in its group members. These findings are some of the first to show herding at three levels (physiological, behavioral, and mental) in a single study and lay a basis for understanding the role of improvisation in social interaction.
... However, in group music playing, it is possible to achieve a sense of group bonding because simultaneous playing of pitch intervals produces a harmonious blending of sounds and tempo regularity leads to motor synchronicity (Brown, 2000). The connection found in this study between group music activities and quick bonding is in line with studies showing that rhythm, volume, tempo, timbre, structured songs and song writing in group music activities may foster belonging and quick bonding (Bensimon et al., 2008;Felsenstein, 2013). ...
Whereas many research studies have discussed the impact of music programmes in a prison setting, few studies have investigated the impact of music programmes that take place outside the prison and are intended for formerly incarcerated individuals. The current study aims to fill this void by examining the experience of formerly incarcerated individuals who participated in a group music programme intended to assist them on their journey towards rehabilitation. Five formerly incarcerated individuals who participated in the Sounding Out Programme (SOP), a group music programme funded by the Irene Taylor Trust in London, were interviewed for this research. In addition, three programme staff members were interviewed in order to gain further perspective on the process. Content analysis of the interviews indicated the emergence of four central themes: improved social bonding, a sense of hope and life purpose, a sense of achievement, and transformation. These findings are discussed in light of the Good Lives Model (GLM). Accordingly, the SOP assisted both formerly incarcerated individuals and programme staff members in attaining the following GLM primary goods in life: community, relatedness, knowledge, spirituality, excellence in work and play, excellence in agency, and creativity.
... This left 31 articles . Careful reading of the retrieved articles also revealed citations to an additional 8 relevant articles that had not been identified through the search [63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70], bringing the total to 39 articles. ...
Prior research suggests that people with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may experience a form of accelerated biological aging. In other populations, loneliness has been shown to elevate risk for many of the same components of accelerated biological aging, and other deleterious outcomes, as seen in people with PTSD. Although standard diagnostic criteria for PTSD include “feelings of detachment or estrangement from others”, the relationship of such feelings to the concept of loneliness remains uncertain, in par potentially due to a failure to distinguish between loneliness versus objective social isolation. In order to catalyze wider research attention to loneliness in PTSD, and the potential contribution to accelerated biological aging, the present paper provides three components: (1) a conceptual overview of the relevant constructs and potential interrelationships, (2) a review of the limited extant empirical literature, and (3) suggested directions for future research. The existing empirical literature is too small to support many definitive conclusions, but there is evidence of an association between loneliness and symptoms of PTSD. The nature of this association may be complex, and the causal direction(s) uncertain. Guided by the conceptual overview and review of existing literature, we also highlight key areas for further research. The ultimate goal of this line of work is to elucidate mechanisms underlying any link between loneliness and accelerated aging in PTSD, and to develop, validate, and refine prevention and treatment efforts.
... La psicología evolutiva de la música extiende lazos interdisciplinarios con la antropología física y la etnomusicología. De manera similar, las aproximaciones experimentales al significado emocional de la música (Cespedes- Guevara & Eerola, 2018;Juslin et al., 2016;North & Hargreaves, 1995) se vinculan con la psicología social de la música (DeNora, 2000;Grant, 2003), y la música como terapia (Baker, 2001;Baker et al., 2007;Bensimon et al., 2008;Gerdner, 2000;McKinney et al., 1997) y herramienta de salud y bienestar (MacDonald, 2013;MacDonald et al., 2012). ...
Este trabajo colectivo, titulado La musicología en la formación
universitaria: Investigar para comprender contribuye a la labor
de divulgación del conocimiento y experiencias pedagógicas de una comunidad académica dedicada a la investigación de la educación musical, la cual se ha ido fortaleciendo y enriqueciendo a través del diálogo en los distintos encuentros propiciados por los integrantes del Cuerpo Académico (CA) consolidado UAACA-117, Educación y Conocimiento de la Música, quienes desde 2016, desarrollan dos líneas de investigación orientadas a la comprensión de los procesos de conocimiento y producción musicales y de los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje.
... Over ten weeks, improvisation sessions led by the Music Therapy Department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama-accompanied by optional verbal reflection-led to a significant reduction in the symptoms of PTSD (Carr et al., 2012). In military veterans suffering from PTSD, group drumming has been found to provide an outlet for rage and a way of engendering positive emotions such as openness and connectedness (Bensimon, Amir, & Wolf, 2008, 2012. ...
Between 2015 and 2017 in the United Kingdom, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing explored the health and well-being impact of participating in creative activity and attending cultural events. This yielded a substantial report, Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing, which was launched in the UK Parliament in July 2017. Acknowledging a reciprocal relationship between health and well-being, Creative Health makes the case that engagement with the arts aids human flourishing and relieves pressure on health services. This chapter revisits some of the evidence referenced in Creative Health to consider more closely the relationship between arts engagement, flourishing, and health. It takes as its starting point a conceptual model of the role of the arts in flourishing, proposed by the editors of this volume, which prompts consideration of immersion, embeddedness, socialization, and reflectiveness. This enables the relationship between arts engagement, flourishing, and health to be better elucidated.
... There is almost always an opportunity to celebrate creativity and student engagement every time a student enters a general music classroom. It is important to remember that many of our students live with trauma that negatively impacts their ability to learn or behave in the classroom (Bensimon et al., 2008). They, like most of us, could use a little fun in their lives. ...
General music education, if practiced with intentionality, has the potential to be a passionate act of hope with tremendous implications for the academic, social, and emotional needs of students. General music specialists have the capacity to expose students to the very best parts of life itself: joy, playfulness, respect, gratitude, creativity, persistence, resilience, curiosity, and so much more. The general music teacher is well positioned to help students develop relationships with long-held human insights and best practices in living an art filled, meaningful life. A few key skills students can learn in the general music classroom include cooperation, communication, positive peer interactions, recognition and support of the rights of others, dependability, responsibility, focus of personal attention, impulse control, delayed gratification, and acceptance of consequences. All 21st-century life skills that are integral to education and human development.
... As a non-invasive form of fatigue intervention, sound interventions include music interventions and binaural beats interventions. Sound is a regular vibration with an emotional arousal effect [27,28], which has been shown to enhance alertness [29,30], reduce stress [31], treat post-traumatic stress disorder [32,33], reduce mental fatigue [34], and is an effective method used against driving drowsiness and fatigue [35,36]. Music affects the arousal level and emotional state of listeners. ...
Introduction:
It is clear that mental fatigue can have many negative impacts on individuals, such as impairing cognitive function or affecting performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of sound interventions in combating mental fatigue.
Method:
The subjects were assessed on various scales, a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) task, and a 3 min resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG), followed by a 20 min mental fatigue-inducing task (Time Load Dual Back, TloadDback), during which subjects in different condition groups listened to either 15 Hz binaural beats, 40 Hz binaural beats, relaxing music, or a 240 Hz pure tone. After the mental fatigue-inducing task, subjects were again assessed on various scales, a PVT task, and a 3 min resting-state EEG.
Results:
After the fatigue-inducing task, there was no significant difference between the four groups on the scales or the PVT task performance. In TloadDback, the accuracy rate of the 40 Hz binaural beats group and the relaxing music group decreased in the middle stage of the task, while the 15 Hz binaural beats group and the 240 Hz pure tone group remained unchanged in all stages of the task. The EEG results showed that after fatigue inducement, the average path length of the 15 Hz binaural beats group decreased, and local efficiency showed an increasing tendency, indicating enhanced brain network connectivity. Meanwhile, the 240 Hz pure tone group showed enhanced functional connectivity, suggesting a state of mental fatigue in the group.
Conclusions:
The results of this study show that listening to 15 Hz binaural beats is a proven intervention for mental fatigue that can contribute to maintaining working memory function, enhancing brain topological structure, and alleviating the decline in brain function that occurs in a mentally fatigued state. As such, these results are of great scientific and practical value.
... It happens with people, too. Drumming has been shown to reduce stress and increase feelings of connectedness among participants and has been effectively used for years in therapeutic settings (Bensimon et al., 2008). Group drumming, in particular, can use culturally diverse traditions to draw students into an educational experience where rhythm, collaboration, and discussion can enhance their understanding of both intra-and interpersonal processes (St George & Freeman, 2020). ...
The purpose of this column is to promote the use of group drumming as an important access point to improved self and community relationships that naturally develops the competencies of student self-awareness and social awareness in the general music classroom. Group drumming is a far-reaching activity with the capacity to improve and transform many of the traumatic life experiences endured by our students. The promise of group drumming to enhance individual well-being while simultaneously developing an inclusive community environment is a readily available tool within reach of almost every general music teacher. The approach can be used to enhance self-awareness in the moment, reduce anxiety, and provide access to successful experiences for students. Group drumming exposes participants to new ways of understanding themselves and others around them while creating important entry points to the SEL (social and emotional learning) competencies of both social awareness and self-awareness.
... Thus, the findings of this study are applicable for use within music therapy by relevant practitioners. Furthermore, these results could also provide a solution for generating a greater sense of unity between participants, which is essential for group music therapy (Bensimon, Amir, & Wolf, 2008). ...
Group singing sessions have been observed to result in positive mood changes.
One reason for this mood enhancement property is the sense of unity generated by the resulting group cohesion. Based on this sense of unity, the concept of group flow is then likely related the overall group’s cohesion to a certain degree. However, a question remains surrounding the time changes in the factors of group cohesion and flow during sessions in accordance with the therapist’s expectations.
To investigate this, quasi-therapeutic group singing sessions were employed. The
present study conducted a time series analysis to examine changes in group cohesion, group flow, and participants’ moods by examining the influence of the song orders that a therapist used for effective mood enhancement.
The main findings were that (1) group singing sessions enhanced group cohesion and
flow between members; (2) group cohesion and group flow of participants was altered in
accordance with the order of the presentation of songs, as per our original expectation.
We found that group singing sessions enhance participants’ positive mood through the resulting changes to the group cohesion and flow.
These results are applicable for those involved in the organizing of the structures
of music therapy sessions, as well as future research into this therapeutic mode.
... For example, Rabinowitch et al. (2012) observed that regularly engaging in music-making within a group increased emotional empathy in children (see also Croom, 2014;Tzanaki, 2022). Further studies showed improvements in symptom severity and emotional and social wellbeing in patients who received music group therapy (Bensimon et al., 2008;Carr et al., 2012;Eren, 2015). Such effects correspond with neurophysiological changes due to synchronized musical play, for example, in terms of higher activity in the nucleus caudate and nucleus accumbens. ...
... When the arts are included in psychosocial interventions after a community trauma, creative work can enable individuals to express and reprocess traumatic memories in non-verbal, sensory-based, experiential ways (Bensimon et al., 2008;Malchiodi, 2008bMalchiodi, , 2020Sutton, 2002). Studies have shown that the visual creative process can alter traumatic thoughts, emotions, and memories by constructing a systematic, coherent narrative (Gantt & Tinnin, 2009;Hass Cohen & Clyde Findlay, 2018;Huss et al., 2016;King, 2016;Malchiodi, 2008aMalchiodi, , 2020 while also gaining personal insights and perspectives that may lead to healing and growth . ...
This study focuses on an arts-based mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) intervention in the form of TOT (training of trainers) conducted under the auspices of IsraAID in the aftermath of the Yolanda typhoon in the Philippines in 2013. Interviews were conducted with 10 female education and healthcare professionals, who also made drawings of their experiences. The goal was to better understand how they evaluated the training program, both for themselves and their communities. Analysis of the interviews and drawings, based on the principles of Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR), identified three main domains: (1) Supportive and inhibiting factors for participants in the training course; (2) Supportive and inhibiting factors with respect to the participants’ implementation of the training goals in their local communities; (3) Perceptions of the benefits of the training program for the participants and their communities. The discussion centers on the value of the creative process, the importance of the group in the training course and in the context of multiculturalism, and the impact these factors in interventions applying the TOT model.
... En las artes multimedia, la música da sentido y enfatiza el significado emocional de textos, imágenes y acciones (Balteş et al., 2011;Cohen, 2011;Tan et al., 2007). Investigaciones sobre música y bienestar revelan el papel de las emociones en la regulación terapéutica de la salud psíquica y física (Bensimon et al., 2008;Ledger y Baker, 2007;Srinivasan y Bhat, 2013); asimismo, nuestras preferencias musicales son influidas por las experiencias afectivas (Berlyne, 1970;Brattico et al., 2016;Hargreaves y North, 2010). ...
Desde una perspectiva fenomenológica, sustentada en la semiótica del aprendizaje (Cárdenas-Castillo, 2001), se analizó el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje en un curso de dirección orquestal. Se presentan resultados de observaciones y entrevistas realizadas durante un taller de dirección orquestal en una institución de educación superior. El análisis logrado nos acerca a la comprensión de los signos y los registros semióticos implicados en la didáctica de la dirección orquestal, lo que a su vez orienta la elección de estrategias pedagógicas que sean acordes con las intencionalidades docentes. Este trabajo se realizó en el marco del proyecto de investigación PIE21-1 “Formación de directores orquestales: Acercamiento fenomenológico a la pro- puesta pedagógica de Jorge Pérez-Gómez”, registrado ante la Dirección General de Investigación y Posgrado de la Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
... En las artes multimedia, la música da sentido y enfatiza el significado emocional de textos, imágenes y acciones (Balteş et al., 2011;Cohen, 2011;Tan et al., 2007). Investigaciones sobre música y bienestar revelan el papel de las emociones en la regulación terapéutica de la salud psíquica y física (Bensimon et al., 2008;Ledger y Baker, 2007;Srinivasan y Bhat, 2013); asimismo, nuestras preferencias musicales son influidas por las experiencias afectivas (Berlyne, 1970;Brattico et al., 2016;Hargreaves y North, 2010). ...
Se entiende que cada usuario de un sistema dancístico le otorga sentido desde su presente y de acuerdo con el valor que la comunidad ha dado a sus elementos. Se requiere, entonces, de una comprensión profunda de la danza jazz, sobre todo al situarla en el contexto educativo. Este trabajo presenta una posible vía de análisis semiótico de la danza jazz que podría ser de ayuda en el proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje. En el primer apartado se expone la problematización, los conceptos y la comprensión de las autoras sobre el proceso semiótico posible en los actores involucrados en la danza jazz. En el segundo se expone una breve semblanza de la danza jazz para comprender los signos que están en juego. Posterior- mente, se presenta el análisis semiótico logrado mediante tres elementos bási- cos que actúan como representamen (signos) del objeto (danza jazz), sobre los que el interpretante (danzarín o espectador) construye sus significados: a) la técnica, b) el vestuario y la escena y c) el cuerpo del ejecutante. Se concluye con un apartado de reflexiones.
... En las artes multimedia, la música da sentido y enfatiza el significado emocional de textos, imágenes y acciones (Balteş et al., 2011;Cohen, 2011;Tan et al., 2007). Investigaciones sobre música y bienestar revelan el papel de las emociones en la regulación terapéutica de la salud psíquica y física (Bensimon et al., 2008;Ledger y Baker, 2007;Srinivasan y Bhat, 2013); asimismo, nuestras preferencias musicales son influidas por las experiencias afectivas (Berlyne, 1970;Brattico et al., 2016;Hargreaves y North, 2010). ...
Primero se caracteriza el constructo de significado emocional de la música a través de un contexto histórico y de la explicación de un corpus teórico sobre las emociones musicales. Luego, se exponen los mecanismos psicológicos de respuestas emocionales a la música, el modelo de tres códigos de significado emocional (Juslin, 2013b) sobre el que se basa el presente planteamiento y las tipologías de Peirce. En la discusión se realizan críticas al modelo de Juslin que conducirán a su reformulación y a una reflexión conclusiva sobre el impacto académico de este ejercicio; lo que abona al diseño de estrategias para atender la dimensión del significado emocional de la música en tareas como la composición, la ejecución, la enseñanza, la formación de públicos, el diseño de terapias y la investigación.
Introduction
Many cancer patients experience high levels of anxiety during chemotherapy, which can negatively impact their mental health and their physiological, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Different complementary therapies aim to attenuate these effects, including music therapy. Although there is preliminary evidence on the positive effects of music therapy and music-based interventions in chemotherapy wards, few studies report live group interventions delivered by accredited music therapists.
Objective
To determine the effect of a single live group music therapy intervention on state anxiety and well-being levels of adult cancer patients during chemotherapy.
Methodology
This study protocol follows the SPIRT guidelines and reports a two-arm multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT). The intervention group will receive standard care + a live group music therapy session and the control group will receive standard care only. The primary outcome is state anxiety, measured with the six-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6). The secondary outcome is well-being, measured with the Well-being Numerical Rating Scales (WB-NRSs). The scales will be applied before and after each intervention. Sample size calculation resulted in a total of 102 participants.
Conclusions
This study seeks to contribute to the improvement of psycho-emotional health and well-being of cancer patients during chemotherapy. It is the first multi-center RCT on music therapy with cancer patients in [country, de-identified for peer review] and aims to gather knowledge about music’s role to improve patients’ mental health during acute treatment.
Trial Registration
clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06577324, submission date August 21 st , 2024).
A review and meta-analysis of music therapy (de Witte, 2019) found an overall beneficial effect on stress-related outcomes. Research suggests that music engagement not only shapes our personal and cultural identities but also plays a role in mood regulation. Moreover, music can be used to help in addressing serious mental health and substance use disorders. Music has been an integral part of human culture for millennia, serving as a medium for expression, communication, and community bonding. In recent decades, the therapeutic potential of music has garnered significant attention, particularly in the realm of mental health. Music therapy, an evidence-based practice, employs music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. This article is aimed at showing the role of music in mental health treatment.
Compared with the general population, emergency service/Blue Light personnel have an increased risk of mental health and related stress (Skogstad et al., 2013)
This pilot programme evaluated quantitative and qualitative data to understand the impact of group music therapy for emergency service personnel struggling with symptoms associated with anxiety and traumatic stress disorders
Directional findings indicated a positive reduction in symptoms, an increased sense of wellbeing and a sense of leaving therapy with specific coping strategies suggesting that group music therapy is an intervention that warrants further exploration.
Significant barriers and stigma remain around Blue Light personnel accessing mental health support that they also say they want and need.
Compared with the general population, emergency service/Blue Light personnel have an increased risk of mental health and related stress (Skogstad et al., 2013).
This pilot programme evaluated quantitative and qualitative data to understand the impact of group music therapy for emergency service personnel struggling with symptoms associated with anxiety and traumatic stress disorders
Directional findings indicated a positive reduction in symptoms, an increased sense of wellbeing and a sense of leaving therapy with specific coping strategies suggesting that group music therapy is an intervention that warrants further exploration. Significant barriers and stigma remain around Blue Light personnel accessing mental health support
Italian university choirs typically welcome students, employees at the university, alumni and even external people. In fact, they constitute a significant example of intergenerational and intercultural group singing in that they enable interaction between people with different backgrounds in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, place of origin, language and class. This makes them a strategic standpoint from which to investigate group singing activities which are aimed at inclusivity, cooperation and music appreciation. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data collected during 2018–19, shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this article investigates the positive benefits of singing for members of university choirs. More precisely, it argues that collective singing promotes the emotional, social and cognitive well-being of choristers. It discusses how these benefits are strongly associated with face-to-face interaction and direct personal participation in the choir, including but not limited to singing during rehearsals and concerts.
The Ethio-South Sudanese border is characterized by instability and conflict. Most populations in this area have experienced violence and displacement and face ongoing insecurity and political inequality. During my fieldwork in the region, several composers gave accounts of how composing and singing Christian songs provided them with comfort and hope in times of hardship, particularly following episodes of violence. Using ethnographic research and interviews as primary methodologies, this article explores how these individuals use religious music-making as a means of coping and resilience in the wake of trauma. The primary goal of this article is to provide a platform for their stories. The secondary goal is to explore resonances between their accounts and scholarly observations about potential roles of music-making in trauma resilience across disciplines. I focus particularly on themes of embodied music-making, community connection, and spirituality. All point to the same phenomenon: that music can play a role in human resilience and meaning-making. Finally, I make suggestions on how to enhance mental health care in culturally-relevant ways in a religious society such as in Ethiopia, as well as draw out cross-cultural implications for mental health care in the western system.
Creativity is usually seen as a good thing, but why? The Creativity Advantage first offers an overview of creativity studies with an emphasis on the little-discussed benefits of being creative. These include how creativity can lead to self-insight, help people heal, forge connections with others, inspire drive, and enable people to leave behind a meaningful legacy. Written in an engaging style and illustrated with interesting anecdotal material, this book offers a new perspective on creativity scholarship that can serve as an introduction to the field for newcomers or as a way to encourage new avenues for research.
Background: UK and US military veterans can face challenges navigating civilian society, along with specific mental health conditions such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In this study brief group dramatherapy with veterans with clinical and subclinical PTSD symptom levels were brought together to operationalise the teamwork of the Forces in creative exercises. The goal was to facilitate story sharing as a therapeutic practice and as chosen by participants. This intervention was then assessed for its impact on participant wellbeing, sense of belonging and transition.
Methods: Using a mixed methods approach, this study triangulated qualitative narrative inquiry with quantitative outcome measures (for PTSD [PCL5], Changes in Outlook [a posttraumatic growth measure], Sense of Belonging and Community Reintegration of Service Members) with data collected over 14 months including before and after the group dramatherapy series (8 weekly 90-minute sessions), and at 3- and 12-months after. The findings were based on 4 separate groups (2 UK; 2 US). This study included 19 participants and was grounded in their words to guard against appropriation of the embodied experience of military service that the researcher did not have. Co-creation (co-production) was a part of the dramatherapy approach.
Findings: Main themes of homecoming and sense of belonging arose in all group contexts suggesting common transition challenges across decades. Reframing veteran-life challenges occurred in the group contexts to foster the creation of a narrative of capacity but also inhibited the sharing of some types of stories that were shared only in post-group interviews. Story sharing over the life course revealed that early-life and veteran-life traumas impacted wellbeing. An intervention focused solely on military service stories would miss this breadth of wellbeing stories. Participation reduced PTSD symptoms for more than half of participants over the year of the study, with sense of belonging enhanced for some participants during the group but not sustained for most once the group concluded suggesting a lower sense of belonging particularly for veterans living in civilian communities. Benefits from participation were greater for veterans who lived in civilian communities as compared to veterans in veteran-only communities who exhibited lower PTSD symptoms and a higher sense of belonging before, during and after the study.
Conclusion: Findings suggest recurring challenges for veterans across decades with some UK and US similarities and differences. Findings also suggest reconsidering group therapy to address stress and transition challenges faced by veterans over the life course. Also, the value of an ongoing group, with veterans deciding when and how long to attend, was suggested by participants.
Key words: brief group dramatherapy, veterans, wellbeing, sense of belonging, transition, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, experts by experience
Background:
Cancer survivors represent one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. Unfortunately, nearly 1 in 3 survivors experience anxiety symptoms as a long-term consequence of cancer and its treatment. Characterized by restlessness, muscle tension, and worry, anxiety worsens the quality of life; impairs daily functioning; and is associated with poor sleep, depressed mood, and fatigue. Although pharmacological treatment options are available, polypharmacy has become a growing concern for cancer survivors. Music therapy (MT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are evidence-based, nonpharmacological treatments that have demonstrated effectiveness in treating anxiety symptoms in cancer populations and can be adapted for remote delivery to increase access to mental health treatments. However, the comparative effectiveness of these 2 interventions delivered via telehealth is unknown.
Objective:
The aims of the Music Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Cancer-related Anxiety (MELODY) study are to determine the comparative effectiveness of telehealth-based MT versus telehealth-based CBT for anxiety and comorbid symptoms in cancer survivors and to identify patient-level factors associated with greater anxiety symptom reduction for MT and CBT.
Methods:
The MELODY study is a 2-arm, parallel-group randomized clinical trial that aims to compare the effectiveness of MT versus CBT for anxiety and comorbid symptoms. The trial will enroll 300 English- or Spanish-speaking survivors of any cancer type or stage who have experienced anxiety symptoms for at least 1 month. Participants will receive 7 weekly sessions of MT or CBT delivered remotely via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc) over 7 weeks. Validated instruments to assess anxiety (primary outcome), comorbid symptoms (fatigue, depression, insomnia, pain, and cognitive dysfunction), and health-related quality of life will be administered at baseline and at weeks 4, 8 (end of treatment), 16, and 26. Semistructured interviews will be conducted at week 8 with a subsample of 60 participants (30 per treatment arm) to understand individual experiences with the treatment sessions and their impact.
Results:
The first study participant was enrolled in February 2022. As of January 2023, 151 participants have been enrolled. The trial is expected to be completed by September 2024.
Conclusions:
This study is the first and largest randomized clinical trial to compare the short- and long-term effectiveness of remotely delivered MT and CBT for anxiety in cancer survivors. Limitations include the lack of usual care or placebo control groups and the lack of formal diagnostic assessments for psychiatric disorders among trial participants. The study findings will help guide treatment decisions for 2 evidence-based, scalable, and accessible interventions to promote mental well-being during cancer survivorship.
International registered report identifier (irrid):
DERR1-10.2196/46281.
Although group drumming has been found to help improve well-being among marginalized populations, including incarcerated individuals, additional study into the possible benefits of drumming within maximum-security facilities is still required. This phenomenological study examines the experiences of fifteen maximum-security-incarcerated individuals who participated in a twelve-session group drumming and the meaning of this group for them. An analysis of interviews that took place after the sessions revealed three main categories: (1) perceptions regarding the djembe ‐ describing how participants initially perceived the djembe as insufficiently masculine, but then changed their minds about this; (2) benevolent relationships ‐ relating to the facilitators’ non-judgemental, non-patronizing and egalitarian approach within a joyful atmosphere, and how this filtered into the mutual relationships among group members; (3) revealing new possibilities ‐ describing how participants were able to unmask themselves and discover new aspects of their peers, express emotions within a pleasurable and safe space and release aggression. This study suggests that the use of drumming groups as a rehabilitative tool may enable incarcerated individuals to shift from a hegemonic masculinity, that fosters aggression, toughness, boldness, violence and control of others, towards an alternative masculinity that encourages openness, respect, support and the expression of emotions.
Purpose
The offender personality disorder (OPD) pathway provides services to people with histories of offending and traits of personality disorder (PD) who are at high risk of violent re-offending. The residential provisions have been developed as psychologically informed planned environments (PIPE), in which socially creative activities form an integral part. Ryan et al. (2018) suggest that social and creative activities offer individuals experiences to increase their understanding of themselves and others. The purpose of this study is to complete a service evaluation exploring how people who live on an OPD PIPE in a woman’s prison make sense of their experiences of a drumming, singing and ceremony group, which was offered to them as part of their provision PIPE.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six service users (between 19 and 42 years old).
Findings
Thematic analysis identified three themes: emotional regulation, belonging and connectedness and humanising spaces.
Research limitations/implications
This study used a small sample ( n = 6), and all participants were accessing the same OPD provision PIPE. Further, participation was voluntary, and results found may relate to possible biases in a self-selecting sample. The interviewer knew the participants through their clinical work, and despite being informed that participation in this research project would have no bearing on their treatment pathway, some may have participated as a way to demonstrate their compliance with the overall programme. A further limitation relates to the group being evaluated on its own without a comparison group.
Practical implications
This study has important implications for treatment delivery in prisons, as it demonstrates the therapeutic merit of social creative activities for one of the most complex, high-risk and challenging offender groups. The findings show that the specific combination of the physical act of drumming and the social act of drumming together may create an environment that allows people to heal and overcome both physical and emotional disconnections that have been caused by their trauma.
Social implications
This study’s findings provide further understanding of the experience of people who have survived trauma.
Originality/value
Findings suggest that the group provides therapeutic value, offering an alternative to traditional therapy and targets specific difficulties particularly associated with emotionally unstable and antisocial PDs. We suggest that socially creative activities form an important part of the rehabilitation process of complex, high-risk groups. Future research would benefit from focusing on the extent to which experiential learning through socially creative group participation can impact on lasting behavioural change.
This study examined 2 process variables, emotional engagement and habituation, and outcome of exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Thirty-seven female assault victims received treatment that involved repeated imaginal reliving of their trauma, and rated their distress at 10-min intervals. The average distress levels during each of 6 exposure sessions were submitted to a cluster analysis. Three distinct groups of clients with different patterns of distress were found: high initial engagement and gradual habituation between sessions, high initial engagement without habituation, and moderate initial engagement without habituation. Clients with the 1st distress pattern improved more in treatment than the other clients. The results are discussed within the framework of emotional processing theory, emphasizing the crucial role of emotional engagement and habituation in exposure therapy.
Describes the creation of narratives, the form for processing everyday experience. Complete narratives segment experience, link action and character, identify affect, and make meaning or sense. Trauma disrupts narrative processing by interfering with psychophysiological coordination, cognitive processes, and social connections. Incomplete narrative processing of traumatic experiences causes symptoms of posttraumatic distress. Two case illustrations of traumas that are not narratively complete suggest approaches for clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Fifty-eight undergraduate students with low and high musicianship skills rated the degree to which 24 solo improvisations expressed the emotions of sad, angry, and scared. Eight musicians-two violinists, two trumpet players, two vocalists, and two timpanists-performed three short improvisations, each of which expressed one of the three targeted emotions. Accuracy scores were computed to assess the degree to which subjects rated improvi- sations as expressing the emotion intended by the musician in contrast to the other two emotions. The results indicated that the subjects were relatively accurate in assessing the emotional content of the improvisations. In addition, subjects with a higher level of musicianship skills demonstrated greater accuracy for only the trumpet improvisations. Finally, the subjects' accuracy depended not only on the instrument played, but the emotion expressed. For example, subjects were more accurate when identifying scared improvisations performed on a violin. The applied and theoretical implications of these results were discussed.
The analytical investigation examining tonal therapeutic improvisatory music (Lee, C. A., 1989) would seem to indicate that music therapy should be exploring its own investigative form of analysis. The adoption of a Schenkerian construct of analysis accommodates music therapy perhaps more clearly than the often complex statistics and pitch classes that, for the most part, concern the analysis of atonal music. The tonal infrastructure can normally be described in direct relation to its harmonic foundation. With atonality, however, such reference points are not easily available, except in serialism or similar theoretical forms of music. It is the intention of this article to investigate the diverse constructs of post-tonal analysis and consider their validity in exploring atonal issues of therapeutic improvisation. Initial focus will be on formal analysis of the improvisation, interspersed with a more informal subjective framework of enquiry endeavouring to evaluate relationships between both areas.
The passage of improvisation selected is taken from a different session with the same client, thus enabling various parallels to be drawn.
The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) has been used in the inpatient psychiatric setting in the treatment of
patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). GIM has been effective in addressing PTSD symptoms of hyperarousal, intrusion
and constriction, and the core experiences of disempowerment and disconnection in both individual and group sessions. The
GIM process allows access to subconscious feelings, images, and memories and fosters empowerment and reconnection through
self-understanding and an alliance with the therapist.
This article examines the music therapy drumming and improvisation treatment component designed for residential adult male
sexual offenders. Techniques draw from rhythm-based music therapy, community drum circles, and music therapy improvisation
with offender populations. Goal areas are intimacy, social skills, prosocial behavior, and awareness and expression of emotions.
These goals parallel areas of need to reduce risk of recidivism. Staff observations and resident self-reports indicate progress
toward all goals in addition to increased positive self-concept.
Vietnam veterans receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder consistently show current symptomatology reflective
of their war traumas. Music therapy using improvisation on hand drums is used to help the veterans modulate their often misdirected,
exaggerated, and unrecognized emotions. Once rage is expressed, expressions of sorrow and fear surface, and eventually a joyful
group cohesion is formed. By controlling the volume, tempo, rhythm, and timbre of the drums, the veterans learn to channel
their often misused sense of power. The goal is for the veterans to generalize these skills to their everyday life. Drumming
allows the men to be heard, provides the opportunity for their feelings to be expressed and controlled, and helps build a
sense of connectedness and group mission.
besteld dd.29 november 2000 tbv. Henk Elffers & Jan de Keijser
It is an ancient, and very pervasive, idea that music expresses emotion. Apart from the copious literature to this effect contributed by composers, musicologists, and philoso- phers, there is also solid empirical evidence from psychological research, reviewed in chapters of this book (e.g. Gabrielsson & Lindström, this volume; Juslin, this volume), that listeners often agree rather strongly about what type of emotion is expressed in a particular piece. It is also a pervasive belief that music can, at times, actually produce emotion in listeners. The distinction between perception and production is related to the distinction between cognitivism and emotivism proposed by philosophers in their analysis of emotion in music (e.g. Kivy 1989). Whereas 'emotivists' hold that music elicits real emotional responses in listeners, 'cognitivists' argue that music simply expresses or represents emotions. Our view is that it would be premature to prejudge the issue and that both positions may be perfectly appropriate depending on a number of factors out- lined below. Our purpose in this chapter is to provide a formalization of the processes whereby music produces emotional effects in the listener that go beyond the cognitive inference of what the music can be said to express. In addition, we review the pertinent evidence to date and suggest ways in which future research might investigate these processes in a systematic fashion. We state at the outset that our discussion and the review of the available evidence are largely based on Western classical music, thereby restricting the generalizability of our claims to other kinds of music and other cultures. Our attempt at a formalization of emotional effects of music will consist in defining the affective changes that music is supposed to produce in the listener and to identify the determinants of the listening situation (features such as the musical structure of the piece listened to, the interpretation by the performer, relevant state and trait character- istics of the listener, and the respective context). An important issue for discussion will be the relative weighting of the different determinants and the type of their interaction in producing the affective outcome. We follow the senior author's attempt to define the emotional meaning of music in analogy to Bühler's Organon model of language, postu- lating composition, expression, perception, and production rules to model the different facets of emotional meaning (Scherer, 2000d). In this context, the term rule is used to denote a certain regularity or lawfulness of the effects discussed that can be expressed in concrete predictions or hypotheses. It is not excluded that these rules can be integrated into attempts at computational modelling of the underlying mechanisms (in fact, we consider this a highly desirable option), but we do not feel that the current state of the
Assessed how life events, locus of control (LOC), and social support are associated with the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among combat stress reaction casualties. 255 Israeli soldiers' mental health was assessed 1 and 2 yrs after the 1982 Lebanon War. Correlational analyses reveal significant relationships between PTSD at 1 yr and life events, LOC, and social support. These variables were also cross-sectionally related to PTSD severity at 2 yrs. However, regression analyses show that after prior PTSD was controlled for, the direct contributions of life events and LOC did not reach significance. Social support measures were the only variables that significantly contributed to PTSD after their redundancy with other variables and their relations with prior PTSD were controlled for. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)
Contrasts the naturalistic research paradigm with the scientific model, noting that the naturalistic paradigm assumes multiple reality, subject-object interrelatedness, and contextuality. Skills required for the pursuit of naturalistic inquiry are described. (JEG)
In many instances the music therapist is called upon to choose a suitable instrument to communicate or express a certain emotional tone. We have examined music therapists 'expression of basic emotions on a variety of instruments. Four therapists made improvisations on five different emotions using four different instruments to convey each emotion. Seventy-six subjects, some of whom were music therapists and some non-therapists, listened to each improvisation and decoded its emotional content. Results pointed to specific emotion-instrumental patterns. Anger was communicated best on the drum, fear on the drum and the piano, sadness with the voice and the kazoo, and happiness and calmness with the voice. Music therapists were better than non-therapists at correctly decoding the emotional content of the improvisations. A short emotional training markedly improved therapists' accuracy at decoding emotions. Implications For the practice and training of music therapists are discussed.
Why does music have such a powerful effect on our minds and bodies? It is the most mysterious and most intangible of all forms of art. Yet, Anthony Storr believes, music today is a deeply significant experience for a greater number of people than ever before. In this challenging book, he explores why this should be so.
Music is a succession of tones through time. How can a sequence of sounds both express emotion and evoke it in the listener? Drawing on a wide variety of opinions, Storr argues that the patterns of music make sense of our inner experience, giving both structure and coherence to our feelings and emotions.
Here he [the author] explains how, in a culture which requires us in our daily working lives to separate rational thought from feelings, music reunites the mind and body, restoring our sense of personal wholeness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Describes the major elements of trauma and its treatment, and presents a rationale for creative arts therapy as the treatment of choice. Psychological trauma results in a dissociation of the self, interpersonal effects that attach the victim to the victimizer, and a feeling that one's humanity has been compromised. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress are outlined, and stages of treatment via gaining access to and working through the traumatic memories and rejoining the world are described. The special role of art therapy in facilitating the processes involved in these stages is discussed and illustrated via case examples of Vietnam veterans treated for posttraumatic stress syndrome with the aid of visual, literary, and dramatic arts. The cognitive, developmental, and psychodynamic reasons for choosing art therapy are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
A detailed account of war neuroses and their treatment, based on studies of both acute and chronic cases. Harvard Book List (edited) 1955 #450 (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Survivors of trauma often have difficulty with assertiveness and anger management. This paper describes an Improvisational
technique which utilizes drumming and cognitive-behavioral methods to address issues of power in an experiential and symbolic
manner. This drumming technique was developed in an inpatient short-term psychiatric setting with adults and adolescents who
had a history of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
Argues that music improvisation connects the mind and the body through the act of expression in cases of healing splits or dissociations. Thus, music therapy provides integration through holism. The healing process for patients with traumatic experiences is discussed in terms of surfacing repressed material and a healing force from within. A 3-fold trauma recovery process through the use of music improvisation in therapy is presented. Part 1 involves creating a safe space; Part 2 involves exploration, expression, and integration; and Part 3 involves group closure. The musical techniques of "holding" and "splitting" are described along with clinical examples. The holding case involves a 42-year-old physically and sexually abused woman; the splitting case involves 2 women who were victims of sexual abuse. An example of a young woman's use of an "internal musical dialogue" in her therapy for multiple personality disorder is also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This article describes the group psychotherapy program on an eight bed short term adolescent psychiatric service. We will
focus on the working relationship within the multidisciplinary team, the impact of the group on the total program, and the
interactional process within the group. Also discussed are recurrent themes, leader's tasks and stages of adolescent inpatient
treatment.
One aim of this study was to examine the strength of association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alexithymia relative to other psychiatric disorders in a sample of 252 treatment-seeking psychiatric patients. The other aim of this study was to explore which type of childhood trauma was associated with a greater level of adult alexithymia. The study found that PTSD and borderline personality disorder (BPD) were the two disorders among selected psychiatric disorders to contribute independently to a higher degree of alexithymia. Another finding was that a greater severity of emotional neglect and physical neglect, rather than abuse, was significantly related to higher levels of alexithymia. In addition, the study found that among these variables, BPD had the strongest relationship to alexithymia.
Alexithymia was measured in non-treatment seeking, community-dwelling Holocaust survivors using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale—Twenty Item Version (TAS-20). Scores of survivors with (n = 30) and without (n = 26) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were compared, and associations among alexithymia, severity of trauma, and severity of PTSD symptoms were determined. Survivors with PTSD had significantly higher scores on the TAS-20 compared to survivors without PTSD. TAS-20 scores were significantly associated with severity of PTSD symptoms, but not with severity of trauma. This study adds to our knowledge of the relationship between alexithymia and trauma by demonstrating that this characteristic is related to the presence of posttraumatic symptoms and not simply exposure to trauma.
Symptom checklists and a follow-up questionnaire were mailed to the first 180 graduates of an inpatient Post Traumatic Stress Treatment program. Eighty-six of the 180 responded to the survey. Their responses were compared to measures obtained on them while they were inpatients at the treatment program. Significant differences were found on one symptom checklist, while positive trends toward symptom reduction were noted on another. Demographic characteristics of the respondents were discussed, as were responses to open-ended questions regarding in what ways the program helped most and least. Changes in a positive direction were noted in the area of self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and symptoms of numbing and arousal. PTSD-related intrusive symptoms had the least clear-cut improvement. Implications of these findings for inpatient treatment and aftercare are reviewed, with suggestions for future applied research.
Recent studies of music performance have shown that systematic variations in tempo, sound level, articulation, and timbre may be used by the performer to communicate representations of specific emotions to listeners. However, although performance analyses show that performers use certain cues to communicate emotions, they cannot explain how listeners use these cues to decode the expression. The purpose of this study was thus to examine listeners' cue utilization. This was done in two listening experiments using synthesized performances of a short melody. In the first experiment, an attempt was made to recreate representative cue profiles of five emotional expressions; happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and tenderness. The cues manipulated included tempo, sound level, spectrum, articulation, attack, vibrato, and timing. Listeners made forced choice judgments regarding the intended emotional expression. The results showed that (a) listeners were successful in decoding the intended emotional expression of the synthesized performances, (b) decoding accuracy was as high for synthesized performances as for live performances, and (c) reversal of the sequences reduced decoding accuracy to a larger extent for live performances than for synthesized performances, suggesting that live performances were relatively more dependent on prosodic contours. In the second experiment, five cues – tempo, sound level, spectrum, articulation, and attack – were systematically varied in a factorial design. Listeners were instructed to describe the emotional expression of each cue combination by ratings on adjective scales. An attempt to describe the listener's judgment policy was made using multiple regression. The results showed that (a) listeners used all of the available cues in their judgments, (b) none of the cues had more than a probabilistic (i.e., uncertain) relation to the listeners' judgments, (c) the predictive strength of each cue varied a lot depending on the emotion judged, and (d) the hypotheses based on our earlier studies of emotional expression in music performance (e.g., Gabrielsson & Juslin, 1996; Juslin; 1997d) were supported.
The experiments reported here provide a perceptual analysis of the first movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata in Eb Major, K. 282. The listeners, who varied in the extent of their musical training, performed three tasks while listening to the piece as it was reproduced from an expert performance. The first task determined how the music is perceived to be segmented, the second task determined how the experience of tension varies over time, and the third task determined what listeners identify as new musical ideas in the piece. These tasks were performed first on the entire piece and then on smaller sections from the beginning. These three aspects of music perception are coordinated with one another and correlate with various musical attributes. Judgments of section ends co- occurred with peaks in tension and slow tempos. Judgments of new musical ideas co- occurred with low tension levels and neutral tempos. Tension was influenced by melodic contour, note density, dynamics, harmony, tonality, and other factors. Judgments of large-scale section ends were less frequent than judgments of new musical ideas, but these were more nearly one-to-one on smaller time scales. A subsidiary experiment examined the extent to which tension judgments were influenced by performed tempo and dynamics. Listeners made tension judgments for four different versions of the piece: as performed, constant dynamics (with tempo as performed), constant tempo (with dynamics as performed), and constant tempo and dynamics. The tension curves were generally very similar, deviating only in a few regions containing major section ends. The results are considered in light of the metaphor of tension applied to music and the analogy between music and linguistic discourse.