posted on 2023-08-30, 13:57authored byJonathan W. Pool
Injuries to the brain are the leading cause of permanent disability and death. Survivors of
acquired brain injury (ABI) experience cognitive impairments and emotional problems.
These often persist into community rehabilitation and are among the most significant needs
for those in chronic stages of rehabilitation. There is a dearth of research providing
evidence of music therapy addressing cognitive deficits and emotional needs in a holistic
approach. This research answers the question how can brief group music therapy address
cognitive functional gains and emotional needs of people with acquired brain injury.
A mixed methods design was used to investigate the effect of 16 sessions of weekly group
music therapy on attention and memory impairments, and emotional needs of ten ABI
survivors in community rehabilitation. Quantitative data were collected to determine the
effect of treatment on attention and memory functioning, mood state, and the satisfaction
of emotional needs. Qualitative data were collected to reveal survivors’ experiences of
brain injury and brief group music therapy.
Analysis of the data showed that the intervention improved sustained attention (p<.05,
r=.80) and immediate memory recall (p>.05, r=.46), and that the effect of treatment
increased with dosage. Overall, the intervention was more effective than standard care, and
cognitive functional gains continued after treatment for some ABI survivors. The
intervention addressed emotional needs of feeling confident (p<.05, d=.88), feeling part of
a group (p<.05, d=.74), feeling productive/useful (p<.05, d=.90), feeling supportive
(p<.05, d=.75), feeling valued (p<.05, d=.74), and enjoyment (p<.05, d=.34).
Improvements in these domains were observed in the immediate term and over the course
of therapy. Music therapy enabled emotional adjustment through the development of selfawareness
and insight.
This study offers a music therapy method to deliver a holistic approach in rehabilitation. It
demonstrates that music therapy can provide a cost effective, holistic treatment for ABI
survivors.
History
Institution
Anglia Ruskin University
File version
Supplemental material
Language
eng
Thesis name
PhD
Thesis type
Doctoral
Legacy posted date
2014-02-06
Legacy creation date
2019-08-07
Legacy Faculty/School/Department
Theses from Anglia Ruskin University/Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences