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Title: Embodying the Black/African-American experience through collaborative improvised music and dance/movement
Abstract: This thesis is the dissemination of the findings of an arts-based research study exploring the collaborative improvised music and improvised dance/movement on the experience of being embodied as Black. The overall aim was to explore the interpersonal and intrapersona...
Show moreThis thesis is the dissemination of the findings of an arts-based research study exploring the collaborative improvised music and improvised dance/movement on the experience of being embodied as Black. The overall aim was to explore the interpersonal and intrapersonal experiences of one Black/African American musician and one Black/African American dancer engaging in a collaborative creative process focusing on the experience of being embodied as Black. This study grew out of my own experiences when engaging in collaborative improvised music and collaborative dance exploring my racial identity. Participants were chosen through convenience sampling. Data was collected through video recording the collaborative improvised music and dance/movement collaborative experience, written responses to questions about the experience, and through a group discussion. Participants were asked to write down their feelings, thoughts, sensations, imagery, memories, perceptions of cultural aesthetics, interpersonal dynamics, intrapersonal dynamics, and any transpersonal experiences immediately after the experience. Cultural dynamics were explored individually and relationally. Questions posed were centered around connection/disconnection, shifts in power, being in the moment, perceived interpretations of what contributed to the overall collaborative engagement, and perceptions of cultural aesthetics. A poem was created from the themes and subthemes collected from the data. Member checking was utilized for the accuracy of the representation of the participants’ collaborative experience. To authentically represent the essence of the participants’ narratives through music and dance, a multimedia arts reflection of their expressions of being Black in the United States was cultivated. Themes of 1) resilience, 2) resistance, 3) Black aesthetics, 4) spirituality 5) connection, 6) trauma, 7) subjugation/oppression, and 8) Black power emerged in the data and are discussed in the context of individual and collaborative Black experiences. Implications for the practice of music therapy will be addressed.
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Year Issued: 2021

Author: Martin, Tatyana
Sub-title: implications for the practice of music therapy

Title: The Impact of a Short-Term Music Therapy Program on Emotional Regulation Development in Preschool Age Children Following the COVID-19 Pandemic
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: Early child development has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which effects later development through school and adulthood (Davies et al., 2021; Jiao et al. 2020; Paulauskaite et al., 2021; Spiteri, 2021; Takahashi and Honda, 2021; Timmons et al., 2021). Concer...
Show moreEarly child development has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which effects later development through school and adulthood (Davies et al., 2021; Jiao et al. 2020; Paulauskaite et al., 2021; Spiteri, 2021; Takahashi and Honda, 2021; Timmons et al., 2021). Concerns related to early childhood development of academic and social-emotional skills, including emotion regulation, have arisen due to isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been linked to increased school readiness, forming positive relationships, and preventing maladaptive behaviors in older childhood and adulthood. Music therapy has been shown to support emotion regulation skills in older childhood and adolescence (Foran, 2009; Ross, 2016; Williams, 2018; Zhenyu and Zhenhua, 2022). There is limited research on the use of music therapy in early childhood for emotion regulation. Since the developmental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to understand ways music therapy can support emotion regulation development in early childhood. This study used a short-term music therapy program focused on shifting arousal levels in preschool-age children to understand the effect on emotion regulation skill development in early childhood with two groups experiencing music therapy over the course of eight weeks compared to eight weeks of typical learning. Participants were assessed at baseline, following music therapy, and following typical learning for emotion regulation skills. 83% of participants experienced a reduction in behavioral concerns with music therapy. Half of participants increased self-regulation with music therapy. On average all participants with music therapy intervention increased social-emotional and attention and self-control skills. This research shows potential for improving emotion-regulation skill in early childhood, but future research is needed with a larger sample size. Other areas of social-emotional skills could benefit from future research in preschool-age children, such as attachment.
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Author: Oldland, Kelsey

Title: Clinicians’ Perceptions of the Certification Board for Music Therapists Exam
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: This study utilized survey research to determine contributing factors to the downward trend in passing rates for the board certification examination for music therapists from the test takers’ perspectives. This was accomplished by inquiring about test preparation, te...
Show moreThis study utilized survey research to determine contributing factors to the downward trend in passing rates for the board certification examination for music therapists from the test takers’ perspectives. This was accomplished by inquiring about test preparation, test-taking experiences, test accessibility, and perceptions about the overall structure of the exam. 76.67% of participants indicated that they were White or European, 16.67% were Hispanic or Latino/a, and 3.33% were American Indian or Alaska Native, 96.43% were female, and 61% passed the exam on their first attempt. 75% of survey respondents said that the exam was accessible to their individual test taking needs. Survey participants in both categories, those who passed on their first attempt and those who did not, reported experiencing restrictions that hindered them from (re)taking the CBMT exam. When asked whether or not they agreed with the statement “My exam score(s) reflect my competence as a music therapist,” 57% of participants disagreed to some extent. When those who did not pass on their first attempt were asked how this impacted their self-concept, there was a common theme among respondents. Using words like failure, dreadful, discouraged, and defeated to describe how they felt after not passing, it was clear that many exam candidates put a strong emphasis on this exam and what it indicates about them as a music therapist. Nearly half of the respondents admitted to experiencing test taking anxiety which made taking the CBMT exam more challenging. Participants noted that the most challenging section for exam candidates overall was treatment, implementation, and termination. 67% of respondents agreed to some degree that their undergraduate program’s approach/philosophy was well-rounded enough to fully prepare them for the exam. Yet, 46% believe that the content of these same programs did not fully prepare them for the exam. That said, most survey respondents also disclosed that they received little to no support from academic professors when preparing for the exam.
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Author: Miller, Sara

Title: Songwriting as a medium to explore the supervisory relationship in hospice music therapy
Abstract: This thesis is a culmination of an Arts-Informed Cohort-Pair Narrative Inquiry that focused upon the experiences of a supervisor and a supervisee within their supervisory relationship. Over the course of a six-month music therapy internship, the supervisor and superv...
Show moreThis thesis is a culmination of an Arts-Informed Cohort-Pair Narrative Inquiry that focused upon the experiences of a supervisor and a supervisee within their supervisory relationship. Over the course of a six-month music therapy internship, the supervisor and supervisee participants each submitted a monthly song and a written reflection to the researcher describing their experiences. The songs, in which the music and the lyrics were considered data, were analyzed through phases of thematic analysis. At the midpoint of the internship, the researcher facilitated a joint song writing experience. Findings showed that the supervisory relationship was impacted by external, intrapersonal, and interpersonal factors. Themes concerning external factors included the availability of external support systems and the overall work environment. In terms of intrapersonal factors, themes included energy, emotions, and self-awareness. Interpersonal factors included themes regarding factors that impacted the working alliance and the development of rapport. While these findings align with and support previous literature, the findings revealed that songwriting organically included reflexivity regarding many of the foundational aspects of the supervisory relationship.
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Year Issued: 2022

Author: Phair, Kelly
Sub-title: Supervisor and supervisee perspectives

Title: Exploring Music Therapist’s Experiences of Sharing Pronouns within Group Therapy
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: If music therapists are following the code of ethics, they should be striving to provide inclusive practices. This includes how gender, and its concepts are communicated by therapists. In context of clinical group work, promoting gender inclusivity can be cultivated ...
Show moreIf music therapists are following the code of ethics, they should be striving to provide inclusive practices. This includes how gender, and its concepts are communicated by therapists. In context of clinical group work, promoting gender inclusivity can be cultivated through disclosure and musical choices. Additionally, there are contextual factors that influence clinical decisions made by the therapist. These factors can impact how gender identity is shared and explored by the therapist and clients in the group setting. There is growing research in the music therapy and counseling field regarding the impact of disclosing gender pronouns as well as how the therapeutic relationship is perceived to be impacted by the act of sharing pronouns with clients. However, minimal research has been curious towards how these decisions are made by the clinicians. This thesis aimed to explore the experiences of music therapists sharing or not sharing their pronouns within group settings, and how pronouns are considered when selecting songs for clinical experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants, who were recruited from social media postings. Through thematic analysis, four themes emerged from the data: 1) potential for harm, 2) culturally affirming practices, 3) context, and 4) musical considerations. The researcher hopes this research will be a useful addition to the growing literature exploring gender-inclusive music therapy practices.
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Author: Ambrose, Elizabeth

Title: In a Big Voice
Abstract: In this autoethnography, I utilized a handful of different techniques to recall, examine, and share my experiences while entering, being in, and leaving the field of music therapy. Those included: chronological listing, narrative journaling, songwriting, lyric analys...
Show moreIn this autoethnography, I utilized a handful of different techniques to recall, examine, and share my experiences while entering, being in, and leaving the field of music therapy. Those included: chronological listing, narrative journaling, songwriting, lyric analysis, and external collaborators. Examining the autoethnography revealed specific themes about my experience with music therapy, including the role of my identity and privilege, systemic pressures, resistance to systemic pressures, non-profit specific ethics, and community support. Sharing these specific experiences and themes aims to add to a growing literature of music therapy burnout, including why music therapists leave the field, what specific experiences feel like, and where music therapists go after leaving the field.
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Year Issued: 2024

Author: Cumine, Colby
Sub-title: An autoethnography on entering, being in, and leaving the field of music therapy

Title: The Music Therapist’s Experience of Conflicting Approaches in the Workplace
Year Issued: 2023

Abstract: This thesis aimed to explore the lived experiences of music therapists who practice from a different approach than the behavioral setting in which they work. I was interested in whether other music therapists experienced a dissonance that stemmed from conflicting app...
Show moreThis thesis aimed to explore the lived experiences of music therapists who practice from a different approach than the behavioral setting in which they work. I was interested in whether other music therapists experienced a dissonance that stemmed from conflicting approaches in their workplace, as I experienced this dissonance as a new music therapist. After completing an initial interest and demographic survey, nine participants were selected to participate in interviews, where they were asked predetermined questions about their approach to treatment, their facility's approach to treatment, and how they experienced and navigated this conflict. After coding, themes were organized using ATLAS.ti. Five themes emerged: 1) relationships, 2) power dynamics, 3) perceptions, 4) feelings, and 5) bridging approaches. Interpretations of the findings were provided, as well as recommendations for future research and implications for music therapy practice.
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Author: Goodenough, Haylee

Title: Exploring music therapists’ attitudes towards disability and sexuality
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: Music therapy has historically not addressed sex as a topic within clinical practice despite its clinical relevance to the human experience. As a field that works with an abundance of disabled clients who are often harmed by social and systemic infantilization which ...
Show moreMusic therapy has historically not addressed sex as a topic within clinical practice despite its clinical relevance to the human experience. As a field that works with an abundance of disabled clients who are often harmed by social and systemic infantilization which prevents them from access to sexual knowledge, it could be argued that music therapists should be trained to provide basic levels of support to this community in particular given the high level of need. Nevertheless, there are many questions and conflicting ideas around music therapy scope of practice as it pertains to these topics, barriers to education and clinical implementation and viable solutions to this gap in knowledge as a profession. While the music therapy literature has seen an increase in disability justice research in recent years, it offers little to nothing on the topic of engaging in clinically relevant discussion of sex, and most certainly not within the context of disability. This study aimed to examine music therapists’ educational and clinical experiences on engaging in sexual topics with disabled clients, as well as measuring personal feelings of comfort in engaging in these conversations. It was conducted via an anonymous survey intended to collect quantitative and qualitative data from a wide array of music therapists. Data was collected and analyzed according to an objectivist framework and qualitative data in particular was analyzed for common themes. Results indicate a lack of training and education in the facilitation of such topics, and the majority of participants reported complex feelings on the various intersecting layers of these conversations. While many reported feeling discomfort in relation to this topic, so too did many indicate a desire to reflect more critically and intentionally on the subject. It is hoped that this study’s data will serve as an impetus for our field to shift cultural and education practices to better prepare therapists for these conversations on these topics.
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Author: Miller, Francesca

Title: ROCKvoices Oral History Project

Abstract: The ROCKvoices Oral History Project features full audio and transcripts of interviews as well as select video clips from interviews of past and present SRU faculty, staff, presidents and alumni. Hear the wonderful stories of the people who have shaped this institutio...
Show moreThe ROCKvoices Oral History Project features full audio and transcripts of interviews as well as select video clips from interviews of past and present SRU faculty, staff, presidents and alumni. Hear the wonderful stories of the people who have shaped this institution from Slippery Rock State Teachers College, through the Slippery Rock State College years and into the Slippery Rock University of today.
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Title: Building Community and Exploring Identity through Culturally Focused Music-Making for Biracial Filipino/a/x Americans in the United States
Year Issued: 2024

Abstract: This qualitative focus group study explores the use of music in building community and exploring themes of identity for biracial Filipino/a/x Americans, while also introducing participants to cultural values. Participants included Aurora, Lynn, and Kim (pseudonyms); ...
Show moreThis qualitative focus group study explores the use of music in building community and exploring themes of identity for biracial Filipino/a/x Americans, while also introducing participants to cultural values. Participants included Aurora, Lynn, and Kim (pseudonyms); all identify as biracial or multiethnic Filipinos. Aurora participated in all 6 music therapy sessions. Lynn participated in the first session. Kim was only able to participate in music therapy sessions 2 and 3, due to having to start fall term for her second year of music therapy studies. The first four sessions focused on a Filipino/a/x cultural value: Kapwa, Utang Ng Loob, Hiya, and Pakikisama. The fifth session involved a recap of the previous sessions and discussion of a topic related to lived experiences that occurred the week after the previous session. Session 6 focused on a recap of the cultural values that were explored and resulted in a songwriting session focusing on Hiya. Findings indicated that participants felt a closer connection to their biracial Filipino/a/x identity by being in a space with other participants who also identified as biracial Filipino/a/x, creating a space to be authentic and vulnerable, and utilizing music as a focused tool to explore identity. An implication of this study is that music therapy is an untapped allied health care resource for the Filipino community. Additionally, there is a need for biracial Asian and Filipino healthcare providers. Currently, to my knowledge there are only two Filipino board-certified music therapists in the state of Oregon both of which are biracial, including the investigator. Future studies should continue to explore the nuanced experiences of biracial Filipino/a/x individuals, with an emphasis on expanding sample sizes, incorporating intergenerational perspectives, the duality of identity, and deepening cultural specificity in therapeutic practices.
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Author: Steinhebel, Jessica

Title: Publications

Title: Pitluga, Kurt Interview Video Clip
Year Issued: 2023

Abstract: Video clip from the interview of Kurt Pitluga conducted on May 2, 2023.
Sub-title: ROCKvoices Oral History Project