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Savannah Ashment

Mr. Gardner

Musty Cockatoos

18 February 2019

Musical Therapy: An Alternative Medical Road

As numerous technological advancements in medicine and psychology appear, scientists

continue to further their study to alleviate difficulties of those with mental illness. After

thousands of medicinal studies, researchers and psychologists direct their research into an

advanced, present-day alternative. Analysts from across the globe recently detected significant

experimental outcomes in the field of musical therapy. As experiments continue, similar

questions are posed, “Is Musical Therapy beneficial to those afflicted with anxiety and mental

illness?” An important element to remember throughout the analysis of musical treatment is the

variety of care options it provides. Different patients require contrasting treatment plans often

times yielding unalike results. With thorough research being conducted of all treatment types,

some believe the topic of musical therapy to be significantly beneficial to a wide variety of the

mentally oppressed. Others suspect that musical therapy creates additional mental harm to

patients with anxiety and emotional instability through elements such as psychological triggers

and emotional distress.

Those in acceptance of the experiments and results of musical therapy believe there are

multiple rational claims for why the treatment would be beneficial in the lives of those mentally

ill today. Musical therapy can be extremely useful due to the recent studies on global mental

disabilities. Recent studies suppose, “​...2.6% of young people worldwide suffer from depression;
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often associated with impaired social functioning and education attainment”(Porter). This

increasing percentage of mental illness is crucial to the possible effectiveness of musical therapy.

More than ever before, mental illness rates are climbing. The results of the cures for anxiety and

depression that have been in place over the past decade now reveal stagnant outcomes. ​First

noticing the need for musical therapy can later inspire scientists to provide a more targeted

approach. Locating the motive for the studies results in medical breakthroughs for those with

emotional instability as well as anxiety prone difficulties.

To understand the benefits of musical therapy it is first important to realize the obvious

difference between the use of music during medical treatment, as well as for leisurely enjoyment.

While the recreational use of music tends to aid towards the likes and dislikes of an individual

for entertainment, musical therapy focuses on academic, motor, and cognitive skills to strengthen

an individual's brain and body (Musical Therapy). There are multiple obvious strengths that

result from musical treatment sessions. Studies of musical treatment results, “...​pointed to the

fact that music can be used to activate associations [relationships], memories, experiences,

moods, and emotions” (Schäfer). These results that musical therapy provides to individuals can

be crucial in their development and quality of life. In a study performed by the Annals of

Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, experiments were conducted to test the mood of

individuals before and after a musical therapy treatment session. (See Figure 1).
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Mean Mood Values Measured on the Face Scale before and after Music Therapy Sessions​. 2008.

​Science Direct​, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168605408002201#fig2.

Accessed 7 Feb. 2019. Graph.

The anxiety and mood levels after the session are significantly decreased. The study shows

impressive outcomes in decreased anxiety and depression as well as decreased inclination

towards anger and hostility (Science Direct). Although sessions of musical therapy may differ for

each circumstance and patient, the results seem to contain a significant connection of increased

emotional stability.

One positive aspect that musical therapy provides is a social, collective, and personalized

approach that other forms of medicine do not provide. It is very important to remember that

musical therapy can either be a one-on-one process between the therapist and the patient, or a

group meeting in which one therapist treats multiple patients each with personal goals (Musical

Therapy.) The choice of which musical therapy suites a patient can be determined by a

physician, often times based off of the individuals needs. There are multiple routes that musial

therapists can create for a patient. Commonly, musical therapists are trained to form a private

and particular relationship between the patient and themselves. The importance of this is stressed

by the statement, “​In MT [musical therapy], the therapist uses musical experiences and the

patient/therapist relationship to achieve health goals for the patient” (Porter).​ In circumstances

where private practice is recommended for a patient instead of group therapy, the individual can

receive the individualized care they need. Other cases require a more social approach, in which

one therapist treats several individuals at the same time. This direction of treatments provides the

social component that individuals may rarely experience (Musical Therapy). Countless beneficial
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results can be noticed from the practice of musical therapy, one being to put an end to the

increased levels of depression and anxiety. Once the concept of musical therapy can be

understood, it is easy to recognize the significant benefits of cognitive and social improvement.

Those in opposition of musical treatment argue it’s ineffectiveness and negative results

that are produced in the outcomes of patients. After research and experiments, scientists

recognize significant errors in demonstration techniques that are difficult to track from patient to

patient. In some circumstances, each patient may obtain a deferred treatment plan due to

personalized medical situations. Scientists find it difficult to find conclusive results and change

different aspects of treatment to make it more useful when each case is so personalized. “​While

the findings provide some evidence for the integration of music therapy into clinical practice,

differences relating to subgroups and secondary outcomes indicate the need for further study”

(Porter). Usually experiments regarding musical therapy require deeper scientific testing to come

to a final result, leaving musical therapy successfulness uncertain.​ Some argue that music itself is

ineffective, resulting in inconclusive results during therapy experiments. In the book, “Creating

Minds” the author discusses beliefs of a famous composer and states, “...Stravinsky portrayed the

musician as a craftsman whos materials of pitch and rhythm in themselves harbor no more

expression than the carpenter’s beams or the jeweler's stone” (Gardner, 174). The successfulness

behind musical therapy may require no change to the procedure, but rather the concept of music

itself and it’s useless cause.

Another reason that some view musical therapy in an unfavorable way is due to the

unsuccessful and sometimes inconclusive results when used as the only way of treatment. Often

times individuals with mental illness require extreme care in which medicinal supplements and
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prescriptions given by physicians come into play. Other individuals may need the use of

occupational or speech therapy in an attempt to cure the illness or anxiety. Musical therapists are

trained to see goals within a patient and find out how to accomplish those goals through

personalized treatment (Musical Therapy). As studies continue, most caretakers looking after a

mentally ill individual inform researchers that musical therapy is not their only use of care.

Frequently, patients are treated with other forms of therapy to increase chance of successfulness

and healing (Musical Therapy). This could be a crucial part in understanding why some musical

treatment experiment results return inconclusive.

The ineffectiveness of musical therapy can be more than just inconclusive results, but

rather harmful to patients in unique and unforeseen ways. ​Ph.D. Kimberly Sena Moore discusses

the extremely negative results that musical therapy poses to the mentally ill in her article, “five

problems music can create.” She first introduces that musical therapy may induce

overstimulation to those with mental disabilities. Musical overstimulation such as loudness can

be especially harmful to those with anxiety or mental illness due to their cognitive sensitivity.

Another idea that Moore introduces in her article is memory triggers. Those afflicted mentally

contain a significantly delicate cognitive recollection trigger. If a song suggests memories that

are harmful or negative to a patient it could result in psychological outbursts. The last idea that

Moore introduces is “emotional flooding.” Those with special mental ailments may have

suggestive emotional damage that could be stimulated by musical therapy sessions. Overall the

negative features proposed by musical therapy such as ​indeterminate​ results, insignificant power

without further medicine, and emotional and cognitive damage suggests obstructive conclusions.
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Throughout the informational research conducted, I have formed a position determining

musical therapy to contain a beneficial result to those with anxiety and mental illness. I believe

that although further research may need to be conducted to form concrete results, musical

therapy does no significant harm. I acknowledge the opposing side and the argument placed for

the harmful cognitive and emotional effect musical therapy may have on an individual. However,

the benefits of treatment socially, emotionally, and intellectually in an individual outweigh the

risks. Before conducting this research I possessed a limited knowledge of the topic and depth of

musical therapy, and the details of an authentic therapy session. Through my research I learned

to believe it is important to acknowledge that different types of musical therapy exists and

perform different goals and functions pertaining to an individual. It is beneficial to understand

that the recreational perception of musical therapy contains more scientific objectives than

originally recognized. I believe that aided with occupational or speech therapy, along with

medicine prescribed by physicians, musical therapy could grow to be a successful branch of

treatment resulting in beneficial outcomes.

In conclusion, the effectiveness of musical therapy for those with anxiety or mental

illness can be acknowledged through the improvement of social, emotional, and cognitive

development. Those in opposition may believe musical therapy to be harmful with negative

factors resulting in overstimulation, memorial triggers, and emotional instability. Although all

points are valid, with additional research and study, musical therapy could grow to become a

leading treatment for those with mental afflictions. Aided with medicine prescribed by doctors,

musical therapy can be personalized to each patient with unique circumstances. With anxiety and
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mental disorders increasing heavily across the globe, new measures must be taken in order to

cure and heal the afflicted.

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Works Cited

Gardner, Howard. "Igor Stravinsky: The Poetics and Politics of Music." ​Creating Minds,​ New

York, Basic Books, 2011, pp. 174-75. Print.

Mean Mood Values Measured on the Face Scale before and after Music Therapy Sessions​. 2008.

​Science Direct,​ www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168605408002201#fig2.

Accessed 7 Feb. 2019. Graph.

Moore, Kimberly Sena. "5 Problems Music Can Create." ​Psychology Today,​ 15 Aug. 2014,

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-musical-self/201408/5-problems-music-can-cre

ate. Accessed 18 Feb. 2019.

"Music Therapy." ​PBS,​ Public Broadcasting Service, 2 Apr. 2018, www.pbs.org/video/

music-therapy-bymlde/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2019.

Porter, Sam, et al. “Music Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Behavioural and

Emotional Problems: A Randomised Controlled Trial.” ​Journal of Child Psychology &

Psychiatry,​ vol. 58, no. 5, May 2017, pp. 586–594.

Schäfer, Thomas et al. “The psychological functions of music listening”​Frontiers in psychology

vol. 4 511. 13 Aug. 2013, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00511