ASU Research E-Magazine: Musical Motivation in Health Care

“Music therapy is not just about playing records—it’s about knowing how to use music to motivate,” says Barbara Crowe, director of the Music Therapy Department at the ASU School of Music.

“Music therapy is a mental health/special education profession that uses carefully planned musical activities to achieve desired changes in behavior and function,” Crowe explains. Music becomes the tool to help people.

Eight to 10 music therapists are graduated each year from ASU. They emerge from the program as skilled musicians with strong scientific knowledge. They are prepared to work with a wide range of clients, including emotionally disturbed children and adults, the mentally challenged of all ages, the physically handicapped, the visually and hearing impaired, the learning disabled, and the aged.

Crowe says that a trained music therapist uses carefully planned “interventions” that are structured to meet the specific needs of individuals. Some seem as simple as engaging stroke victims in handbell playing to encourage specific arm movement. Others interventions are more complex, such as those designed for autistic children whose goals may include focusing, relating to, and communicating with others.

Early interventions for the cognitively impaired, such as children with Downs Syndrome, give individuals the ability to learn and improve as they grow older. They are able to maximize their ability to function in society.

Autism is a neurological disorder. The music therapist might try to help the autistic patient improve speech patterns as well as his or her ability to communicate with others. Music becomes the tool to help focus their attention.

“In certain instances of autism the therapist is trying to get any reaction, or to get the child to respond on cue,” Crowe says. “Songs such as ‘If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands’ help the child focus on hearing the word and then clapping appropriately.”

Similar interventions are designed for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. These people suffer from organic degeneration of the brain.

“Music is usually the only thing they respond to, especially familiar music and activities involving percussion and drumming,” Crowe explains. “The changes are dramatic. These people may be agitated, screaming and hostile. When the familiar music comes on, suddenly they are laughing and singing and are able to answer questions—all in the snap of a finger.”

At ASU, the backbone of the program is an extensive use of practical experience in music therapy techniques. Students participate in a wide variety of community clinical settings, including nursing homes, private psychiatric hospitals, and rehabilitation programs.

ASU also has a new on-campus Music Therapy Clinic.

“This well-equipped, state-of-the-art facility provides students the opportunity to work with individual clients,” Crowe says. “The student is given close, individualized supervision and guidance by the faculty to ensure maximum skills and techniques.”

Music therapy is finding a home in other work settings. “Music therapists might work in physical medicine such as surgery, orthopedics, or pediatrics,” Crowe says. “Many new health clinics use music therapy to assist with stress reduction and development of self-awareness.”

Crowe has directed ASU’s program since 1981. She has more than 25 years experience in the field as both a practitioner and educator. She says the basic approach to the profession has not changed much over time.

“What has changed is the growing diversity of applications for music therapy,” she says. “There is increasing recognition of the usefulness of music therapy by mental health professionals and medical doctors.”

Therapists now find themselves helping clients with head injuries, expectant mothers with risky pregnancies, and a variety of patients undergoing medical treatments for diseases such as cancer.

The ASU Music Therapy Program itself is changing. Crowe says community involvement is increasing, as ongoing, formal relationships are established with area hospitals and health care agencies.—Vickie Hamilton-Smith