The Functions of Music Therapy

Cecilia Gonzalez Roman Lawson Virginia Bolster Alessandra Pallete Kelsey Day John Steele EDP 101 Section A Group 4

MIAMI UNIVERSITY [Pick the date] Authored by: Virginia Bolster

[Group Four] Page 2 With a new age comes new scientific findings. In the 18th century hypnosis was a way to help a patient feel relaxed and in an altered state of consciousness. Hypnosis is defined as the state of heightened susceptibility to suggestions. It is believed to reduce the pain of surgery, childbirth, cancer and dental procedures. Its easy to see that hypnosis has an unmistakable resemblance to the growing field and new phenomena that is musical therapy. Although musical therapy has a different definition, hypnosis and musical therapy are both very similar in the way they are used in the hopes of helping people. Two centuries later, can musical therapy be the new hypnosis? Musical therapy is a recent development in the clinical psychology field. This form of therapy has used music to treat social, psychological, cognitive, and physical ailments of patients. A musical therapist must decide which type of treatment is best suited for each patients individual needs. Some therapists treat patients by having them create music, sing, or dance. While others develop personalized music for their patients to listen to. The goals of musical therapy for patients with; social, psychological or cognitive disorders, are to be therapeutic and provide a sense of calm that can carry over to other aspects of the patients life ("Frequently Asked Questions). Musical therapy can foster feelings of independence, freedom to change, adaptability, balance and integration (Definition of Musical Therapy). Many times patients suffering from psychological or cognitive disorders may feel as if they have no control over their environment and need help to express their frustration or other emotions. Music therapy gives patients an outlet to express themselves creatively and through this expression they gain confidence in other areas of their lives. Music therapy can also be used as a way to overcome a lack of motivation, such as using music to get through a strenuous exercise (Stanley, P.). According to Katherine Puckett, the national director of mind-body medicine at the Cancer

[Group Four] Page 3 Treatment Centers of America, music can activate the relaxation response, which helps promote deep breathing, lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, ease muscle tension, and create less stress (Gordon, S.). This form of therapy is effective for hospital patients concerned about their condition, patients suffering from high anxiety or depression, and patients who are extremely confused and uneasy as a result of Dementia. Musical therapy can also be used for physical rehabilitation for patients, who may have suffered from strokes, Parkinsons or other movement disorders, Dementia or Alzheimers, traumatic injuries, speech problems, or chronic or acute pain ("Music Therapy). Musical therapy provides benefits for people of all various ages and conditions and is therefore utilized in many settings. As a result of the therapys effectiveness musical therapy is used in nursing homes, hospitals, sporting events, and also in households. Statistically the U.S population is growing older and this older population has the most demanding healthcare needs when compared to younger individuals. Today, music is the most common form of therapy being used in nursing homes and other geriatric facilities . In nursing homes, music therapy has been proven to provide a sort of emotional well-being to the residents and helps with primary health problems; such as high blood pressure and breathing rates. Music therapists spend 15% of their time working in nursing homes and 29% with senior citizens in the privacy of their homes. Music therapy is also used to encourage emotional expression, promote social interaction, and relieve physical symptoms from its patients. This type of therapy is being used by trained health care professionals that want to offer another option to encourage positive mental health and enhance the quality of life for their patients. One type of music therapy takes place in the Alzheimer wing of nursing homes. Alzheimers is a progressive and fatal brain disorder that destroys brain cells, causing memory

[Group Four] Page 4 loss and problems with thinking and behavior. This effect can become severe enough to affect an individuals work, hobbies, and social life. However, studies have shown that live music therapy has impacted the behavior of aggressive Alzheimers residents. In one study, twenty subjects from the ages of 70-96, from four different nursing homes, were tested in the effects music has on the residents. The music therapists picked different musical activities such as, singing, dancing, playing musical games or instruments, depending on which stage of the disease the residents were at. Residents in the early stage of Alzheimers would sometimes request songs for the therapist to play while some of the late stage residents tended to fall asleep during their sessions. However, employees noticed that the residents looked like they were resting more peaceful than their normal state of pain when they listened to music. Overall, results indicated that the residents were less agitated during and after music therapy sessions than they were before. Although none of these studies are able to prove any sort of scientific results, it cannot be denied that when a resident is in a music session he or she is doing something that he or she enjoys. Music brings a sense of happiness and comfort; some even believe that music has the ability to teleport a resident back to a previous time in his or her life. In the case of Alzheimers, much of a residents memory has been lost by this terrible disease, but with music therapy they are able to clap their hands and sometimes even sing along with the therapist. Due to the outstanding affects music therapy has shown, it is the preferred holistic method in helping those living in nursing homes all across the nation. Music therapy is not only a preferred method in nursing homes it is also used quite frequently in hospitals. The purpose of musical therapy in hospitals is to help increase the quality

[Group Four] Page 5 of life for the patients. Through therapy the patients have increased wellness and a decrease in health problems and complications. Three primary uses of musical therapy in hospitals are with premature infants, people that are having medical procedures, and cancer patients. Premature infants are at risk for being exposed to multiple stressors due to underdevelopment. Stressors are different stimuli that cause extra stress on the body. The noise in the hospital is incredibly painful for premature infants. This extra stress can cause problems with feeding the infant, the oxygen saturation levels in the body, and future weight gain. The various methods of therapy used with premature infants are a combination of singing and massage to soothe infants, recorded music to encourage pacifier sucking (this encourages independent feeding), and parent training in music interventions (Music Therapy and Medicine). This therapy has been proven to shorten infants hospital stay as well as helped them overcome the health problems mentioned above. Although music is beneficial, it can also be harmful depending on the type of music they are listening to. Overly complicated music should be avoided. This music includes instruments in the harp, drum, and mallet range. These complex, unpredictable sounds are not safe and could have the opposite effect on the premature infants development. Many patients that undergo medical procedures encounter a high level of anxiety because of the unfamiliar hospital environment and the potentially negative outcome of the procedure. Any medical procedure can be stressful, but non-routine procedures produce an even higher level of anxiety. Musical therapy can help decrease anxiety and physiological arousal (heart rate, pulse, breathing rate) prior to procedures (Music Therapy and Medicine). In order to decrease the level of anxiety patients are instructed to listen to relaxing music 15 to 20 minutes prior to the procedure. Some research has shown that less pain medication is needed when the patient is

[Group Four] Page 6 listening to the proper music during the medical procedure. This can also help lead to lower medical costs. Musical therapy can be effective to those suffering from diseases such as cancer. Cancer is a debilitating disease that when treated can cause side effects such as pain and nausea. Interactive or respective music therapy intervention can actually have a positive effect in decreasing these symptoms as well as improving overall mood and function. Cancer is a disease that weakens the bodys immune system making patients susceptible to harmful bacteria that can cause them to become ill. Musical interventions have some indications of improving ones overall immune function, which is important in the recovery process. In some cancer treatments where bone marrow is required, the patient is required to be held in special isolation rooms in order to reduce the risk of acquiring an infection. These isolation rooms can cause the patients to suffer from anxiety and depression. Allowing patients to listen to music or to having them physically play music in these isolation rooms can decrease the negative feelings that these patients may suffer from. Music can bring these patients a sense of joy and belonging that they would otherwise not feel if music was not presented in the room. This sense of joy can also be found in an athletic setting where music therapy is used. In this new century we live in a time where technology is advancing so rapidly that most of the information that we learn will be out dated in 5 years. One industry that is benefiting from this rapid advancement is the music industry. Music has become such a pervasive part of everyday. For example, in the weight rooms at many different colleges across the nation, there is usually music playing in the back ground so that the players can have a great life to get bigger, faster, and stronger.

[Group Four] Page 7 Music can be used to control ones emotions. Why do people listen to music when they go out jogging in the morning or at night? Why is it when athletes are warming up they have some type of music device playing them music? What about music do athletes get out when they warm up with it in their ears? Music can be used to set a particular mood during any situation. It can produce happiness, sadness, or anger. In general, music plays a key factor in the majority of athletic events or activities. From an athletes perspective music can either calm someone down after being hyped up from a football game that just won. It could also get you hyped for the game in which your about to play. In most cases around the world, athletes have their own rituals before the game. Music is and will always be a way to express a range of bodily emotions. Music therapy has a great relaxing result and works wonders for the peaceful operation of the brain. One of the most interesting observations that one would make is noticing all the different types of music that one would hear. One would find it interesting to know what type of music gets a person in the right mental state of mind to do anything athletic; its different for every person. Some people love to rock, others enjoy classical music; some even enjoy Indian classical music. Relating this to an athlete, one would usually be happy and relaxed when they do an activity he or she would like, happiness is a cure to all major illness or lifestyle diseases existing in this world, and music is the single largest facilitator for creating happy thoughts. Music therapy is not used on an individual basis as a clinical procedure, but many people use some form of self-medication through music at home. This can be listening to a favorite song or actively engaging in making music. Listening to music has allowed people to express emotion and gain a sense of self-assurance through the power of music.

[Group Four] Page 8 Regardless of how music is appreciated, individuals use music as a means of regulating emotions in everyday life (Chamorro-Premuzic). Music allows people from all different backgrounds and locations to connect to the emotion behind a song. Most people have play lists that depict different periods of time, seasons, and even events. These play lists are listened to whenever someone is trying to feel a certain wait or recall a certain memory. Different personalities use music to express different emotions. Introverts were primarily seen in intellectual individuals and they tend to prefer reflective/complex to upbeat/conventional music; one may expect them to use music in rational/intellectual rather than emotional ways, implying higher levels of cognitive processing (Chamorro-Premuzic). This information relates back to playing certain music to babies while they sleep. Common belief is that playing classical music for infants will help them grow to be more intelligent later in life. On the other hand, extroverts may use music to increase their arousal, especially during monotonous tasks such as cleaning, jogging and data-entry (Chamorro-Premuzic). This is shown in the way that many athletic teams have warm up mixes. The different warm up mixes that players made vary greatly in music taste, but the songs are all high energy and loud. Many athletes are more extroverted than introverted, and the warm up mixes display this well. Music allows individuals to see their own power by recognizing all the different components that make up a song. Through music, people were able to use our size, the characteristic length of our limbs and vocal chords, the volume of our lungs, and the chambers of our hearts (Evans) to realize the abilities that the human body possesses. Clearly people listen to different types of music, but one way many people cope with different events is to just sing at the top of their lungs, this allows them to see the volume of their lungs. Another way this is applied in daily life is through yoga and Pilates. The concept of yoga and Pilates is to find your center

[Group Four] Page 9 and relate that to the world around you. They both focus heavily on breathing and always have soothing music that is of a good tempo to breathe to. In conclusion, musical therapy has been scientifically proven to be a very effective in healing stress, anxiety, and depression. It also can be used for concentration and efficiency. From an athletic point of view music is used in many different ways, it is used for getting the athlete in the right mental state for a game. It can also be used for visual stimulation treatment. Similarly, musical therapy can be used personally to express emotion and to help others relate to their own experiences. This use of therapy helps one to gain a sense of self-assurance and realize their potential. Musical therapy cannot only improve the mood of individuals at home, but also patients in hospitals who are suffering from devastating diseases or extreme anxiety or depression. Surprisingly, this therapy has been proven to help nurse premature babies back to health and alleviate pain and nausea from cancer patients. Also musical therapy can be used to treat patients with Dementia or Alzheimers to achieve a sense of happiness and wellbeing. The proper music treatment can help the elderly to achieve neuronal patterns and cognitive abilities. According to Daniel Levitin, author of, This is Your Brain on Music, music listening enhances or changes certain neural circuits, including the density of dendrite connections in the primary auditory cortex. It is no wonder that music aids in improving concentration for athletes, helps children to study better, distracts patients from pain and uncertainty, and helps to improve memory in elderly patients with dementia. These methods of music therapy are rising in popularity and gaining more attention from researchers as a possible form of treatment. Just as researchers in the 1800s experimented with using hypnosis as a way to lessen pain, anxiety, and depression, researchers today are also fascinated in using music as a new form of treatment (Davis, S.). Musical therapy like hypnosis relies on distracting patients from their pain or anxiety

[Group Four] Page 10 and helps them slip into a state of complete relaxation. Although there has not been conclusive evidence for the successfulness of hypnosis as a use of medical treatment, musical therapy has had some conclusive evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness in various settings.

[Group Four] Page 11 References Alzheimer. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3830/is_6_49/ai_637002 American music therapy association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.musictherapy.org/faqs.html#HOW_UTILIZED_IN_ NURSING_HOMES Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2007). Personality and music: Can traits explain how people use music in everyday life?. British Journal of Psychology, 98(2), 175-185. doi:10.1348/000712606X111177. Davis, S.F., & Palladino, J.J. (2010). Psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. "Definition of Musical Therapy." Medterms Dictionary. MedicineNet.com. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. <http:/www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=25789>. Evans, H. (2010). Music, medicine, and embodiment. Lancet, 375(9718), 886-887. Retrieved from Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection database. Forgeron, N. (1999). The Impact of Music Therapy on Alzheimer's Disease Patients. Psychology at UCCB. "Frequently Asked Questions About Music Therapy." American Music Therapy Association. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. <http://www.musictherapy.org/faqs.html>. Gordon, Serena. "Music Therapy Reduces Anxiety and Improves Physical Health." Therapy Times. U.S. News and World Report, 28 Apr. 2008. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. <http://www.therapytimes.com/content=0002J84C489EB484406040441>. Kyle Allen, Initials. (2005, October 21). The Effects of music on athletic performance. Retrieved from http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/nsfall05/LabpacketArticles/TheEffectsofMusiconAthlet.html Levitin, D.J. (2007). This is Your brain on music. New York, NY: Penguin Group. "Music Therapy." Music Has Power. Institute for Music and Neurological Function, 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. <http://www.bethabe.org/Music_Therapy95.html>. Music therapy and medicine. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.altmd.com/Articles/Music-Therapy-and-Medicine Music therapy to reduce agitation . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/459213/among_nursing_home_re sidents_music_pg2.html?cat=12 Stanley, Paul, and David Ramsey. Music Therapy in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 43.3 (2001): 111-18. Wiley InterScience. Web. 18 Apr. 2010. <http:/www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/119182833/HTMLSTART? CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0>.

[Group Four] Page 12 Stewart, K. (2008, March 28). How Music affects emotion, intelligence, and health. Retrieved from http://socyberty.com/psychology/how-music-affects-emotion-intelligence-andhealth/