Dyadic nonverbal synchrony during pre and post music therapy interventions and its relationship to self-reported therapy readiness

Nonverbal interpersonal synchronization has been established as an important factor in therapeutic relationships, and the differentiation of who leads the interaction appears to provide further important information. We investigated nonverbal synchrony - quantified as the coordination of body movement between patient and therapist. This was observed in music therapy dyads, while engaged in verbal interaction before and after a music intervention in the session. We further examined associations with patients' self-reported therapy readiness at the beginning of the session. Eleven neurological in-patients participated in this study. Our results showed an increase in both nonverbal synchrony and patient leading after the music intervention. A significant negative correlation was found between self-reported therapy readiness and nonverbal synchrony after the music intervention. These findings point to the empathic ability of the music therapist to sense patients' therapy readiness. Higher patient leading in nonverbal synchrony after the music intervention may thus indicate that the music intervention may have allowed dyadic entrainment to take place, potentially increasing self-regulation and thus empowering patients.

EEG Hyperscanning and Qualitative Analysis of Moments of Interest in Music Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation—A Feasibility Study

Interdisciplinary research into the underlying neural processes of music therapy (MT) and subjective experiences of patients and therapists are largely lacking. The aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility of newly developed procedures (including electroencephalography/electrocardiography hyperscanning, synchronous audio–video monitoring, and qualitative interviews) to study the personal experiences and neuronal dynamics of moments of interest during MT with stroke survivors. The feasibility of our mobile setup and procedures as well as their clinical implementation in a rehabilitation centre and an acute hospital ward were tested with four phase C patients. Protocols and interviews were used for the documentation and analysis of the feasibility. Recruiting patients for MT sessions was feasible, although data collection on three consecutive weeks was not always possible due to organisational constraints, especially in the hospital with acute ward routines. Research procedures were successfully implemented, and according to interviews, none of the patients reported any burden, tiredness, or increased stress due to the research procedures, which lasted approx. 3 h (ranging from 135 min to 209 min) for each patient. Implementing the research procedures in a rehabilitation unit with stroke patients was feasible, and only small adaptations were made for further research.

The Therapeutic Musical Relationship: A Two-Sided Affair?: A Consideration of the Significance of the Therapist's Musical Input in Co-Improvisation

Many improvisational models of music therapy involve therapist and client improvising spontaneously together. This is widely described as a form of musical relationship. However, whilst there is much discussion of the client's musical input in the literature, the therapist's music attracts less attention. The author considers reasons why this may be the case and seeks evidence, from the music therapy literature and beyond, as to whether the therapist's musical input is of significance for the therapeutic process. An example of detailed analysis of the author's own clinical work is presented, in order to establish whether the therapist's musical input has an observable impact on the shared musical experience and might thus be judged to be significant for the therapeutic musical relationship. Concluding that it is indeed significant, the author goes on to consider the implications for the way music therapists consider their work.