Prevention of violence through music: Empirical impact analysis of a music therapy model project

ABSTRACT

Introduction: This article describes the main results of an empirical impact analysis of a music therapy model project for the prevention of violence in schools, developed and investigated by the author.

Methods: Based on the investigation of research hypotheses, the assumed effects of the program were explored in a quasi-experimental evaluation study. The study was carried out in two regular secondary schools (middle schools) in the 5th year level.

Results: The experiment showed significant but heterogeneous effects. Of 42 time-by-group interaction effects tested, 21 were significant. In one of the two project classes (treatment groups), the positive effect of violence prevention through the project model was confirmed by the research results throughout. In the other project class, the research hypotheses were predominantly rejected with the exception of a highly significant decrease in the category of aggressive acts.

Discussion: The results are analyzed and evaluated in terms of class and project variables. For this purpose, interviews with experts are methodically evaluated in a qualitative analysis, which was carried out after completion of the project work. On the basis of the summaries of these research steps, knowledge is obtained indicating which conditions promote preventative effects, such as relations between the students or common interest in the project work, and under which conditions steps for modification of the program are required, such as little willingness to show consideration for others or a sudden decrease in motivation due to a lack of immediate success and a lack of common interests and goals.

KEYWORDS:

• Violence prevention
• music therapeutic prevention program for schools
• empirical impact analysis
• mixed methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

¹ This article presents a summary of the pilot study of the doctoral dissertation of the author (Wölfl, 2014).

² The quasi-experimental research design was planned and arranged by the author in cooperation with scientific partners (University of Innsbruck, Institute Competto) who conducted the investigation independently and objectively.

³ In the German school system, after four years of elementary school most of the well-performing students change to grammar school (Gymnasium) or secondary modern school (Realschule). Only a small percentage of the elementary students stays at the regular secondary school (Mittelschule) (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2016). Generally, there are more lower-performing as well as psycho-socially challenged students in the classes of the regular secondary school.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andreas Wölfl

Andreas Wölfl is Music Therapist, Psychotherapist for Children and Adolescents, Supervisor. He is music therapist in a hospital for child and adolescent psychiatry since 1989 and has a practice for supervision, coaching and music therapy since 1999. He is Head of the music therapy training BWM and the workgroup „prevention“ at the Institute of Music Therapy at the „Freies-Musikzentrum München e.V.“.