Evaluating Music Therapy Stuart Wood Barchester Healthcare / Nordoff Robbins Stuart Wood Barchester Healthcare / Nordoff Robbins

Research context  Student on Nordoff Robbins UK PhD  Developing work from research project in Neuro rehabilitation and Dementia Care 2004  Not a guide to How to Evaluate CoMT, but discussion of some themes and problems  Student on Nordoff Robbins UK PhD  Developing work from research project in Neuro rehabilitation and Dementia Care 2004  Not a guide to How to Evaluate CoMT, but discussion of some themes and problems

Evaluating Music Therapy: A Classic Model “…evaluation is the process of determining how much progress a client is making towards achieving the goals of therapy. Progress is usually evaluated by observing any changes that the client is making as a result of treatment, and by comparing the client’s current status with his/her status at a previous time.” Bruscia (1987) BASELINE ASSESSMENT MEASUREMENT “…evaluation is the process of determining how much progress a client is making towards achieving the goals of therapy. Progress is usually evaluated by observing any changes that the client is making as a result of treatment, and by comparing the client’s current status with his/her status at a previous time.” Bruscia (1987) BASELINE ASSESSMENT MEASUREMENT

Assumptions / Foundational Values of ‘Classic’ Evaluation Model  Medical / Treatment model  Positivist  Standard & standardized  ‘Client’ is fully autonomous at point of evaluation  Goal-directed ‘treatment’ can be linked with measurable outcomes  ‘Client’ makes measurable progress that can be compared with a previous point in time  Medical / Treatment model  Positivist  Standard & standardized  ‘Client’ is fully autonomous at point of evaluation  Goal-directed ‘treatment’ can be linked with measurable outcomes  ‘Client’ makes measurable progress that can be compared with a previous point in time

‘New’ view of Music Therapy  Psycho-social model  Context-based  Non-standard and responsive  ‘Client’ is seen in continuum of individual - communal experience. Client-Therapist in music.  Goals often less functional, therefore harder to link with a direct ‘intervention’  Some clients change ‘inside’ music rather than changing over time WHAT BASELINE? WHAT MEASUREMENT?  Psycho-social model  Context-based  Non-standard and responsive  ‘Client’ is seen in continuum of individual - communal experience. Client-Therapist in music.  Goals often less functional, therefore harder to link with a direct ‘intervention’  Some clients change ‘inside’ music rather than changing over time WHAT BASELINE? WHAT MEASUREMENT?

Fig 4: List of actions from workshop analysis. A reason to meet A framework for structuring interaction A mode of paying attention A source of pleasure and motivation A form of learning A mode of equality A matrix for accessing functional ability and skill A source of confidence Wood (2006) Previous Research Suggests Multimodal Musical Experience

Music is one part of a person, and it can help other parts of the person change? Or Music is a world of experience, and different parts of a person change within that world?

Evaluating Music Therapy: Some questions  What are we working with? A different and/or multifarious concept of music / therapy  Who are we working with? A different and/or multifarious concept of client / therapist  What are we working for? New and sometimes radical political / social / musical changes  How do we know it’s working? Needs a new approach to ‘evaluation’  What are we working with? A different and/or multifarious concept of music / therapy  Who are we working with? A different and/or multifarious concept of client / therapist  What are we working for? New and sometimes radical political / social / musical changes  How do we know it’s working? Needs a new approach to ‘evaluation’

Theoretical Framework: Tensions  Musical / Para-musical Experience eg. Categorising the process of planning and putting on a concert  Universal / Individual Experience eg. Client experiencing self as individual and part of context or social structure simultaneously  Effectiveness / Influence eg. Recognising that some work seeks to influence situations and re-frame individual perspectives, rather than cause specific effects  Indigenous / Shared Knowledge eg. Does our need to communicate with other professionals dilute our musical thinking?  Musical / Para-musical Experience eg. Categorising the process of planning and putting on a concert  Universal / Individual Experience eg. Client experiencing self as individual and part of context or social structure simultaneously  Effectiveness / Influence eg. Recognising that some work seeks to influence situations and re-frame individual perspectives, rather than cause specific effects  Indigenous / Shared Knowledge eg. Does our need to communicate with other professionals dilute our musical thinking?

Challenging Basic Elements ‘Client’ ‘Session’ ‘Progress’ ‘Therapist’ ‘Musicality’ EVALUATION ‘Client’ ‘Session’ ‘Progress’ ‘Therapist’ ‘Musicality’ EVALUATION

Evaluating Music Therapy Stuart Wood Barchester Healthcare / Nordoff Robbins Stuart Wood Barchester Healthcare / Nordoff Robbins