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Abstract
The relationship between the music therapist's spirituality and clinical practice has been a relatively unexplored area despite an increasing attention to spirituality within the clinical sphere. A random sample of American music therapists (n = 252) was surveyed to determine whether spiritual beliefs functioned as a predictor of theoretical orientation. Results from two logistic regressions indicated that spiritual beliefs did not function as predictors. Several factors may have influenced these findings. Participants were asked about their training in spiritual matters related to clinical work, and to rank their affiliations with four distinct theoretical philosophies across a 5-point Likert scale. A descriptive analysis indicated limited training and education regarding spiritual issues as they pertain to clinical work, and a similarly poor awareness of when such issues manifest. Tendencies emerged with participants' self-reported associations with four distinct theoretical traditions, including an almost exclusively dichotomous identification with either the cognitive/behavioral or humanistic/person-centered traditions. Important implications for future study emerged, including the need for continued exploration of music therapists' self-awareness of spiritual issues and theoretical development, underlying factors influencing theoretical orientation, and the depth of understanding of philosophical traditions.