MUSIC, BRAIN PLASTICITY AND THE RESILIENCE: THE PILLARS OF NEW RECEPTIVE THERAPY

This paper describes a new type of receptive music therapy which aims to build the patients’ psychological resilience by increasing the levels of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin in order to increase standard psychopharmacological treatment efficiency. Previous research concerning the musically induced production of the two neurotransmitters and a hormone is discussed and reviewed. Based upon the existent studies concerning the influence of music on dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin induction, a new design of specific music features for this purpose is proposed and elaborated upon. The music features are numerically described using Music Information Retrieval software in order to objectivise the otherwise intuitively chosen music elements such as event density (number of notes started in one second of time), tempo, harmonic rhythm (number of harmonies changes in one second), dynamics, key changes and roughness coefficient (level of sensory dissonance). Finally, the new concept of resilience enhancing therapy is proposed and defined using the music features described above

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATION OF PREGNANT WOMEN AND LISTENING TO CLASSICAL MUSIC WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF PAIN IN CHILDBIRTH AND THE OCCURRENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS IN PUERPERIUM

Introduction: Pregnancy is a unique experience accompanied by significant physiological, biochemical, and psychological changes that may affect a women\u27s health status.With the development of a holistic approach midwives have became continuous support during pregnancy and childbirth. Childbirth education is an intervention that affects delivery outcomes and the experience of childbirth. Music therapy has been proven to be a safe and effective non - pharmacological method to gain in pregnancy and puerperium. The study aimed to prove the impact of educating pregnant women and listening to classical music on the experience of childbirth pains and the occurrence of psychological symptoms during puerperium. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial (n=198) was conducted. The experimental group of pregnant women was educated during pregnancy and listened to classical music the rest of the pregnancy, while the control group received the usual care. The VAS scale was used to assess pain, and the 90 - point scale was used to assess the incidence of psychological symptoms. Results: The difference in pain assessment between the experimental and control groups was significant (p<0.001). The experimental group rated their childbirth pain as moderate (M=5.98), while the control group experienced severe pain (M=8.42). A significant difference in the incidence of psychological symptoms between groups was found in the dimensions of interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, and paranoid ideations (p=0.042; p=0.014; p=0.013; p=0.008). Conclusion: This study demonstrated the impact of midwifery education and listening to classical music on the perception of childbirth pain and mental health in the puerperium. The experimental group rated childbirth pain significantly lower compared to the control group and had significantly fewer psychological symptoms 6 weeks after delivery

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATION OF PREGNANT WOMEN AND LISTENING TO CLASSICAL MUSIC WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF PAIN IN CHILDBIRTH AND THE OCCURRENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS IN PUERPERIUM

Introduction: Pregnancy is a unique experience accompanied by significant physiological, biochemical, and psychological changes that may affect a women\u27s health status.With the development of a holistic approach midwives have became continuous support during pregnancy and childbirth. Childbirth education is an intervention that affects delivery outcomes and the experience of childbirth. Music therapy has been proven to be a safe and effective non - pharmacological method to gain in pregnancy and puerperium. The study aimed to prove the impact of educating pregnant women and listening to classical music on the experience of childbirth pains and the occurrence of psychological symptoms during puerperium. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial (n=198) was conducted. The experimental group of pregnant women was educated during pregnancy and listened to classical music the rest of the pregnancy, while the control group received the usual care. The VAS scale was used to assess pain, and the 90 - point scale was used to assess the incidence of psychological symptoms. Results: The difference in pain assessment between the experimental and control groups was significant (p<0.001). The experimental group rated their childbirth pain as moderate (M=5.98), while the control group experienced severe pain (M=8.42). A significant difference in the incidence of psychological symptoms between groups was found in the dimensions of interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, and paranoid ideations (p=0.042; p=0.014; p=0.013; p=0.008). Conclusion: This study demonstrated the impact of midwifery education and listening to classical music on the perception of childbirth pain and mental health in the puerperium. The experimental group rated childbirth pain significantly lower compared to the control group and had significantly fewer psychological symptoms 6 weeks after delivery

MUSIC, BRAIN PLASTICITY AND THE RESILIENCE: THE PILLARS OF NEW RECEPTIVE THERAPY

This paper describes a new type of receptive music therapy which aims to build the patients’ psychological resilience by increasing the levels of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin in order to increase standard psychopharmacological treatment efficiency. Previous research concerning the musically induced production of the two neurotransmitters and a hormone is discussed and reviewed. Based upon the existent studies concerning the influence of music on dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin induction, a new design of specific music features for this purpose is proposed and elaborated upon. The music features are numerically described using Music Information Retrieval software in order to objectivise the otherwise intuitively chosen music elements such as event density (number of notes started in one second of time), tempo, harmonic rhythm (number of harmonies changes in one second), dynamics, key changes and roughness coefficient (level of sensory dissonance). Finally, the new concept of resilience enhancing therapy is proposed and defined using the music features described above

Exploring the narrative nature of music : comparing listeners imagery with analysis of musical structure

Die Dissertation untersucht, inwieweit Musik einer narrativen Erzählung ähnelt. Ähnlichkeiten und Unterschiede zwischen dem narrativen Inhalt klassischer Instrumentalmusikstücke und literarischer Erzählungen wurden mithilfe der Musiktherapiemethode „Guided Imagery and Music“ erforscht. Es wurden drei separate Studien durchgeführt, die sich jeweils auf ein unterschiedliches narratives Grundelement konzentrierten: Die erste Studie kategorisierte die Bilder, die während der GIM-Sitzungen bei den TeilnehmerInnen durch die Musik hervorgerufen wurden, in verschiedene erzählerische Archetypen (Landschaft, Charaktere, Protagonist) und verglich sie literarischen Erzählungen. Die zweite Studie ermittelte, ob die Bilder der TeilnehmerInnen passiver oder aktiver Natur waren und ob sie in den Musikstücken durchgehend in einer dreiteiligen Erzählform (passiv-aktiv-passiv) erschienen. Die dritte Studie untersuchte, ob die eindeutige lexikalische Bedeutung von einem Text durch Klavierimprovisationen auf die ZuhörerInnen übertragen werden konnte. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf folgende Schlussfolgerungen hin: Musik kann handlungs-statische Erzähl-Archetypen, nicht jedoch aktive Beziehungen zwischen Charakteren vermitteln. Darüber hinaus erscheinen passive und aktive Bilder in den meisten Musikstücken in einer dreiteiligen Erzählform, die die Spannungen und Entspannungen der Musikmerkmale widerspiegeln. Zudem kann Musik zwar keine eindeutige lexikalische Bedeutung vermitteln, jedoch kann sie eindeutig grundlegende Bewegungsarten und Emotionen ausdrücken. Zusammenfassend kann gesagt werden, dass Musik die Illusion einer Erzählung im bewussten Erleben der/des Zuhörenden schafft, indem sie Musikmerkmale, die die/den Zuhörenden emotional und kognitiv ansprechen, mit jenen austauscht, dies nicht tun. Dadurch werden Spannungen und Entspannung erzeugt, die auf eine dreiteilige Erzählform hinweisen. In der unbewussten Erfahrung der/des Hörenden vermitteln Musikfunktionen jedoch nur statische Szenen und Objekte, die sich über die Zeit weder entwickeln noch verändern. Ihre Bedeutung wird durch grundlegende Bewegungen und Emotionen vermittelt, die von der Musik zum Ausdruck gebracht werden, und unterscheidet sich bei jeder/m Zuhörenden je nach ihrer/seiner individuellen Interpretation. Diese zweiteilige Natur der Musik einerseits direktional und andererseits diskursiv kennzeichnet ihr inhärentes therapeutisches und künstlerisches Potenzial.This dissertation aimed to investigate to what extent was music similar to a narrative. This was accomplished by establishing the similarities and differences between classical instrumental music pieces and literary narratives using the Guided Imagery and Music method. Three separate studies were conducted, each focusing on a separate basic narrative element: The first one categorized the participants imagery elicited by music during the GIM sessions into different types of narrative archetypes (setting, characters, protagonist) and compared it to imagery found in literary narratives. The second one determined if the participants imagery was of passive or active nature and whether it appeared in a three-part narrative form (passive-active-passive) throughout the pieces. The third one examined if unambiguous lexical meaning could be transferred from text through piano improvisations to the listeners. The results pointed to the following conclusions: Music is capable of conveying only plot-static narrative archetypes that are unable to develop active relationships between characters. Furthermore, passive and active imagery in most music pieces appears in a three-part narrative form, mirroring the tensions and relaxations in the music features. Finally, music cannot convey an unambiguous lexical meaning, but can express unambiguously basic types of movements and emotions. In conclusion, music creates an illusion of a narrative in the conscious experience of listeners by exchanging music features that emotionally and cognitively engage a listener with those that do not thus creating tensions and relaxations that allude to a three-part narrative form. In the unconscious experience of listeners however, music features convey only static scenes and objects that do not develop or change in time. Their meaning is communicated through basic movements and emotions expressed by music and differs in every listener, depending on their individual interpretations. This dual nature of music, directional on one hand and discursive on the other, marks musics inherent therapeutic and artistic potential.Helena DukićZusammenfassungen in Deutsch und EnglischKarl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Dissertation, 2019OeBB(VLID)370371

MUSIC, RELIGION AND HEALTH; A SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE ORIGIN OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO MUSIC

Why do we react emotionally to music? Does music appreciation have an adaptive value? What is the role of music in spiritual and healing practices? Music is a fascinating area of research for evolutionary theory, psychological development, and emotional perception and elicitation. It is a highly valued feature of all known living cultures and societies, pervading many aspects of daily and devotional life and playing many roles. The question that still lingers among music researchers however is why is this so. This paper will discuss the influence of music on our emotional life, psychological wellbeing, spiritual practices and finally on physiological processes present in our body. The aim is to examine the origin of our relationship to music through the mentioned perspectives and to attempt to link the various theoretical perspectives on this subject across two major domains; health and spirituality