Evaluating Music Therapy

Evaluating Music Therapy

Stuart WoodBarchester Healthcare / Nordoff Robbins

Research context

Student on Nordoff Robbins UK PhD Developing work from research project in Neuro

rehabilitation and Dementia Care 2004 Not a guide to How to Evaluate CoMT, but

discussion of some themes and problems

Evaluating Music Therapy: A Classic Model

“…evaluation is the process of determining how much progress a client is making towards achieving the goals of therapy. Progress is usually evaluated by observing any changes that the client is making as a result of treatment, and by comparing the client’s current status with his/her status at a previous time.” Bruscia (1987)

BASELINE ASSESSMENT MEASUREMENT

Assumptions / Foundational Values of ‘Classic’ Evaluation Model

Medical / Treatment model Positivist Standard & standardized ‘Client’ is fully autonomous at point of evaluation Goal-directed ‘treatment’ can be linked with

measurable outcomes ‘Client’ makes measurable progress that can be

compared with a previous point in time

‘New’ view of Music Therapy Psycho-social model Context-based Non-standard and responsive ‘Client’ is seen in continuum of individual - communal

experience. Client-Therapist in music. Goals often less functional, therefore harder to link with a

direct ‘intervention’ Some clients change ‘inside’ music rather than changing

over time

WHAT BASELINE? WHAT MEASUREMENT?

Fig 4: List of actions from workshop analysis.

• A reason to meet• A framework for structuring interaction• A mode of paying attention• A source of pleasure and motivation• A form of learning• A mode of equality• A matrix for accessing functional ability and skill• A source of confidence

Wood (2006)

Previous Research Suggests Multimodal Musical Experience

Music is one part of a person, and it can help other parts of the person change?

Or

Music is a world of experience, and different parts of a person change within that world?

Evaluating Music Therapy: Some questions

What are we working with? A different and/or multifarious concept of music / therapy

Who are we working with?A different and/or multifarious concept of client / therapist

What are we working for?New and sometimes radical political / social / musical changes

How do we know it’s working?Needs a new approach to ‘evaluation’

Theoretical Framework: Tensions

Musical / Para-musical Experience eg. Categorising the process of planning and putting on a concert

Universal / Individual Experienceeg. Client experiencing self as individual and part of context or social structure simultaneously

Effectiveness / Influenceeg. Recognising that some work seeks to influence situations and re-frame individual perspectives, rather than cause specific effects

Indigenous / Shared Knowledgeeg. Does our need to communicate with other professionals dilute our musical thinking?

Challenging Basic Elements

‘Client’‘Session’

‘Progress’‘Therapist’

‘Musicality’

EVALUATION

Evaluating Music Therapy

Stuart WoodBarchester Healthcare / Nordoff Robbins