Single-session improvisational group music therapy in adult inpatient psychiatry: a pilot study of the therapist’s experience

ABSTRACT

This pilot study is to systematically investigate the therapist’s experience while implementing single-session group improvisational music therapy in adult inpatient psychiatric care. In this study, there were three participants who are board certified music therapist working in inpatient psychiatry; a phenomenological study was conducted to explore the therapist’s experience. The data collection included the following three stages: (a) an individual phenomenological interview, (b) a group musical improvisation, approximately 2 weeks after individual interviews, and (c) a group post-session interview. Two analysis cycles were conducted. In the first analysis cycle, a descriptive coding method was used to code the interviews.A phenomenological method of analysis was used to analyze improvisational music playing. In the second analysis cycle, the researcher conducted a composite review of the data. The data were comprehensively reflected on, clustered, and thematized, yielding the following four themes: (a) work in adult inpatient psychiatric care, (b) the concept of the single-session model, (c) music as a means of therapy, and (d) the formation of structure in single-session group improvisational music therapy. This study found that music therapists in inpatient psychiatry must adapt treatment goals and interventions, and in single-session group improvisational music therapy, learning and changing may occur.

KEYWORDS:

• Single-session therapy
• improvisational music therapy
• group therapy
• phenomenological study
• inpatient psychiatry

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yu-Ying Chen

Yu-Ying Chen is a music therapist, working for Inpatient Mental Health Services at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City.Mr. Chen is a PhD candidate in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University. His current research focuses on the use of music therapy in adult inpatient psychiatry.