Music therapy has acquired over the years a gradual process of medicalization generated by the need to provide evidence-based results in the treatment and rehabilitation of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Otherwise, the goal of music as therapy should not be to propose music as a kind of remedy or cure, but to promote relationships between individuals,…

The purpose of this study is to understand the children's expression with verbal and nonverbal communication in the Autistic spectrum. We study the emotional readiness and the music therapeutic activities which exploit the elements of music. The method followed focused on the research field of special needs education. Assumptions on the parameters…

The author's use of music therapy is illustrated in her account of therapy sessions with two autistic children. Music is seen to be particularly useful with the autistic child because it can make use of the child's rhythmic stereotypical actions to increase the child's self awareness. Techniques such as reflection (mimicking, through song and…

Music therapy is the unique use of music in the accomplishment of therapeutic aims: the restoration, maintenance, and improvement of mental and physical health. A music therapist can help clients increase understanding of themselves and their environment through systematic involvement with music. The process of music therapy gives clients a…

The response of patients with stress problems to one of five music genres during biofeedback training is measured. Fifty male and female patients between the ages of 15 and 25 who were receiving psychotherapy, self-help counseling, and physical fitness training as well as biofeedback training comprised the sample. Using a Biofeedback Systems…

Music therapy, the systematic application of music and musical activities to elicit specific changes in emotional, physical, or social behavior, can help pediatric cancer patients to decrease their anxiety and cope with hospitalization. Because music is a nonverbal means of expression, it is an especially effective medium for young children who…

Project LINK at the Developmental Center for Autistic Children in Philadelphia provides therapy to emotionally disturbed children and training and consultation for teachers and mental health professionals. Each child is evaluated by treatment team members through repeated observations and informal assessments. The primary goal of treatment is the…

The paper presents a method for teaching music to the severely emotionally disturbed high school learner, a typology for relating the learner to the type of method to be used, and three case studies illustrating use of music as a way to provide students with the least restrictive environment. The music program involves group singing and playing…

The paper reports on a study in which 64 students (6-9 years old) identified as learning disabled in the area of auditory discrimination were trained to discriminate musical pitches in order to assess effects on speech discrimination. A detailed review of the literature is presented regarding the use of music in remediation, the definition of…

Although both poetry and music have been used as therapeutic tools in individual and group counseling, few counselors use the techniques in combination. Poetry therapists tend to follow either the strucutred approach of Leedy, in which poems are used as treatment, or the less structured approach of Lerner, in which poems are used as medium. Music,…

The effects of musical accompaniment on two different visual information processing activities were examined in individuals of differing selected personality types. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator Form G was administered to classes of University students. From the results, four subgroups, the sensing-thinking, sensing-feeling, intuitive-feeling,…

Developed in Bulgaria in the 1960's by Dr. Georgi Lozanov, Suggestopedia is a unique system of foreign language teaching, combining yoga relaxation and verbal suggestion with the direct method. In the 1950's in France, Dr. Alfred Tomatis began his research into the ear and the voice and subsequently developed his own unique system for treating…

This paper outlines a method for professional assessment of music therapy students' learning and recall. The purpose of the assessment is to examine the Model of Domain Learning (P. Alexander, 1997) within an Australian context and to provide a professional assessment for application within music therapy education. Despite the music therapy…

The paper reviews music therapy, the educational background of music therapists, music therapy's various settings, and its use as an intervention with girls with Rett Syndrome. Sample music therapy programs for three girls (aged 5, 14, and 20 years) with Rett Syndrome are presented. The sample programs provide: student descriptions; the girls'…

Expressive therapists (in art, music, and dance) possess the techniques necessary for working with older adults who need assistance in making productive use of their leisure time. Therapeutic expressive activities for long-term care residents promote creativity, self-expression, communication, and understanding of oneself. The purpose of the…