Role of Culture in Music Therapy and Psychosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
MUSIC THERAPY AND PSYCHOSIS - WHAT IS THE ROLE OF CULTURE?
IRAS ID
331929
Contact name
MARIO EUGSTER
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 14 days
Research summary
This study aims to explore the role of culture in music therapy with people affected by psychosis. The study is based on the researcher’s 13 years music therapy practice in this field in a culturally diverse NHS context in London. This cultural diversity raised questions related to culture such as biases, blind spots and misinterpretation in music therapy practice and theory and a gap in the music therapy literature and research was identified. This study follows on from a pilot study involving an interview study with 12 music therapists and associated professionals, recruited internationally and with relevant experience of music therapy and psychosis. This pilot study highlighted the relevance of culture and revealed various significant aspects which appear to influence music therapy practice with people affected by psychosis (such as geographic/ethnic culture, professional culture, indigenous culture, institutional culture etc). The pilot study had significant limitations as it firstly did not involve service users and secondly, whilst providing some useful mapping of culture, the method based only on interview did not sufficiently capture how culture arises in live music therapy work This study aims to examine how culture is co-created in live music therapy work with people with psychosis and how culture affects the music therapy process, including in how service user and therapist share in meaning making and music therapy strategies. It will also include the influence of institutional and professional cultures on music therapy work with people affected by psychosis. The study will examine music therapy work (case study design) through analysis of video/audio recordings of sessions and interviews with service users. The study will also involve interviews with multi-disciplinary team members (e.g. psychiatrist, nursing staff) based on music therapy examples of the service user engaging in music therapy.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
24/NS/0079
Date of REC Opinion
29 Jul 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion