6. Research in Music Therapy >main table of contents
As early as in 1975, the training in Middeloo, in collaboration with the universities of Leiden and Amsterdam, started a scientific research into the creative process theory.
The music therapy section of the association took a leading role in stimulating research. It organized in 1981 a symposium about research at the university of Utrecht where music therapists and researchers met each other. After this symposium Middeloo started in 1982 a music therapy research project in collaboration with the university of Utrecht.
The music therapy section of the association started the Music Therapy Research Project Group (P.O.M.). In 1984, this project group published a report containing proposals for research (Schalkwijk & Smitskamp, 1984). After the name changed in the Music Therapy Research Group (W.O.M.) this research group formulated its tasks as making an inventory, advising and stimulating in matters of research. In 1992/'93 it backed the publication of the 1st Music Therapy European Research Register (Smeijsters & Rogers (eds), 1993).
The research group is associated with the Documentary Information and Communication System (D.I.C.S.) of the College of Higher Education of Nijmegen.
At the international congress in Noordwijkerhout (1989) a Round Table Meeting on research was organized, an initiative which had a sequel at the Preconference in Groesbeek (1991) and the Research Round Table Meeting at the international congress in Cambridge (1992).
Since 1975 The Netherlands has the Music Therapy Fund of the BUMA Association which is exclusively intended for the financial support of research in the field of music t.Music Therapy Laboratory of the College of Higher Education Nijmegen in Nijmegen.
In the past decade, there has been regular research into music therapy in the Netherlands. Below are mentioned a few examples.
- De Wit (1981) and Zijlstra (1991) investigated the role of the music therapist within the organizational structure of the public health service.
- Consten (1986) and Koch (1988) investigated whether music evokes values with clients which remain hidden when using verbal stimuli.
- Gielink (1987) created a model for the cerebral processing of aspects of musical motives by musical and non-musical C.V.A. patients.
- Van Grinsven (1988) investigated whether children recognize the emotional character of pieces of music.
- M. Mulder (1988) interviewed music therapists and classified the methodical decisions they take in their work.
- Schalkwijk (1987) investigated by means of a decision-theoretical method the various applications of music with the mentally handicapped. He analyzed the knowledge from experience of 112 music therapists by means of questions, such as: How is the therapy offered? Are there indications and contra-indications ? What objectives are pursued ? Which techniques are used ? Which instruments are used ?
- Benders-Maassen (1989) described by means of research the music therapeutic process with the help of the Rogerian therapeutic factors, further developed by Lietaer.
- Smeijsters (1989) investigated by means of the semantic differential how music can be arranged on the basis of connotations.
- Smeijsters (1990, 1993) did research into the psychological functions that music can have.
- Schalkwijk et al (1992) looked into the effect of orthoagogic music making on the social skills of mentally handicapped people.
- Loggers & Adriaansz (1992) did research into the influence of music on the breathing pattern of preterm born children.
- Van den Hurk & Smeijsters (1991) and Smeijsters & Van den Hurk (1993) developed a practice-oriented qualitative method of research where treatment and research have been integrated.
- A. Mulder (1992) researched the application of the psychotherapeutic factors and functions of J.D. Frank in music therapy.
- Wetzel (1992) researched the possibilities to prepare birth by relaxation, singing and dancing.
- Wijzenbeek, Van Nieuwenhuijzen & Smeijsters (1992) look into the connection between music, elements of music and values in the receptive music therapy with depressive clients.
- Romijn, Van den Berk, De Bruijn, Lameijer-Sterrenberg and Runge (1992) investigate the function of music in the treatment of aphasia patients.
- Boeckhorst & Storm (Boeckhorst, 1992) investigate by means of a qualitative method of research the non-specific factors in music therapy.
- Smeijsters & Van den Berk are preparing a research into the practical knowledge of music therapists concerning analogy.
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