A phenomenology of music therapy with the terminally ill / Michele Forinash.

Author/creator Forinash, Michele
Format Book
Publication Info1990.
Descriptionviii, 120 pages
Subjects

Contents Introduction -- Related literature. Music therapy ; Thanatology -- Method. Phenomenology -- Participants in the study. Discussion -- Results of the study. Relationship ; Music ; Process -- Case example. Transcript ; Process note ; Data analysis ; Discussion -- Conclusions and recommendations for further research. Conclusions ; Description of music therapy ; Summary of method and recommendations for further research -- Appendices. A. Human subjects statement ; B. Statement to the subjects ; C. Consent form.
Summary In this study music therapy with the terminally ill was investigated from a phenomenological perspective. The purpose was to provide a deeper understanding of the clinical practice of music therapy with the terminally ill. The emphasis was on acknowledging the complexity of the therapeutic event and most importantly maintaining its wholeness and integrity in the research process. Phenomenology was presented as the method of research which would allow for an in depth exploration without compromising the phenomenon. The researcher studied ten music therapy sessions with terminally ill patients which she conducted while working as a music therapist at Cabrini Hospice in New York City. The data base consisted of three components from each session: a verbatim transcript of the session; the therapist's process note; and an audio tape of the session. The research method consisted of five steps which focused an intensified reflection on the data base. This reflection allowed the essences of the music therapy experience to emerge from the data. Once they had emerged, the essences were then subjected to a second reflection and from this synthesized into general groups or categories. These essences and resulting categories led to a description of the music therapy experience with the terminally ill. The reader is provided with the verbatim session transcript and therapist's process note of one of the ten sessions. This allows for a regrounding of the essences which emerged into the actual clinical experience. The essences that emerged were synthesized into three general categories: Relationship; Music; and Process. These essences were then discussed and highlighted in the case example presented. A summary of the findings was made with an emphasis on the impact of these results for the music therapy clinician working with the terminally ill. Limitations and recommendations for future study were provided.
Dissertation noteD.A. New York University 1990.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 110-117).
Reproduction noteJoyner- Photocopy. Ann Arbor, Mich. : University Microfilms International, 1993. 21 cm.

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