Stepping into the Spotlight: Collaborative Efforts towards Musical Participation

Abstract This article presents findings from qualitative research which aimed to capture the experience and views of people who were supporting fourteen learners with intellectual disabilities (aged 12-18

Active music

We are a group of eleven young people with intellectual disability and three music therapists. We did action research at a university. We wanted to find out how a music group might be helpful for young people with intellectual disabilities. We wanted to tell our own story and use our own words because we have a lot to say. We wanted people to read our story and to use our ideas to help young people with intellectual disabilities to have good lives. We went to twenty sessions of music research, and five more sessions of research analysis. We also did a lot of research work in between sessions. We found out that music groups can be fun. They can also be hard work. They help us develop skills like listening and waiting. They are places where we can be independent. But music groups are also good places to practice working as a team. They can be safe places for people to express emotions. Music helps us to know people. It brings us together. Playing musical instruments can also help physical development. A good life for us would include having the chance to play music with others or to have music lessons. But it is not always easy for us to go to ordinary lessons or music groups. It might be important for young people with intellectual disability to have support from people who understand them at first. We want to be independent but we need help to develop our dreams in practical ways. We found that doing research is fun and interesting. We were all researchers but we had different things to do. The adults had to be the organisers, setting up the research. We knew from the start the research would be about what young people think about music. The adults had done their reading and had written the literature review. The young people decided on other questions, and gathered data in lots of different ways. They also did some of the analysis, and decided on the findings of each cycle. The findings of each cycle, with more of the young people’s words, are in the appendices. Later, the adults wrote the main findings, the discussion and conclusion. We all discussed the things we wrote along the way and at the end of the research. The adults have tried to help the young people understand what has been written. The research took a lot of time and it was hard work for everybody. To be a good researcher you need to learn research skills. It is important that young people with intellectual disabilities are not exhausted by research. They need to be able to enjoy the things they are doing. We all liked being involved in research even though it was hard work. We think that research is important and helpful. Young people should be involved in research that is about them. We learnt that young people with intellectual disabilities can go to university. Going to university was scary at first but we got used to it and we started to enjoy it. We need to do more research to make sure universities are ready to welcome students with intellectual disabilities. We can use our research to show universities that it can be a good idea to support people with intellectual disabilities to go to university. We can also use our research show people what we can do; what we like to do; and what we want to do in the future. Most of us would like to do more music and research in future

The Boy With the Glass Flute

This study describes music therapy sessions over 21 months with a preadolescent boy who had several diagnoses including Atypical Asperger Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Reading Disability, and "probable" Conduct Disorder (CD). He had also been physically abused. John's initial rejection of music led me, as clinician, to question the appropriateness of a music therapy programme for him, the philosophical underpinnings of the work, and my skills as a clinician. However, by maintaining the humanistic existential framework that was familiar to me, and employing aspects of Paraverbal therapy, I was able to develop a relationship of trust with John and to facilitate his involvement in creative activities. Following an extremely tentative beginning he was able to communicate his love and fascination for music by creating the fantasy of owning a "glass flute", a symbolic object of beauty that can be enjoyed, but which was delicate and fragile. As his self awareness and identity became more established the image of the glass flute was replaced by the reality of recorder playing and he developed a new confidence in the mastery of music which allowed him to successfully perform for his peers and the general public

Researching Ones Own Clinical Practice: Managing Multiple Roles in an Action Research Project

Action Research is a useful approach for practitioners who want to develop or improve on their everyday activity, while simultaneously contributing to a scientific body of knowledge. Action Researchers need to be able to reflect critically on their actions and interpretations, and be aware of their biases. This becomes increasingly complex and important when the researcher is engaged in multiple roles during the research process. This paper describes some of the dilemmas encountered by a music therapist using Action Research to develop a music therapy consultation protocol while simultaneously gathering data for a thesis towards a PhD in Music. The use of a research journal as an aid to self-understanding is discussed

La pertinence des perspectives d'invalidité dans la pratique de la musicothérapie avec les enfants et les jeunes qui ont une déficience intellectuelle

Questo studio prende in considerazione i modi in cui un orientamento verso gli studi sulla disabilità possa essere incorporato negli approcci della musicoterapia con bambini e giovani che hanno disabilità intellettiva. Una vasta panoramica di modelli medici, sociali, culturali e modelli affermativi di disabilità, precede un’illustrazione che descrive musicoterapisti e giovani con disabilità intellettiva impegnati in un progetto di ricerca musicale,il quale è fondato su un approccio affermativo. I giovani hanno valutato le opportunità di essere impegnati in entrambe le attività musicali e di ricerca, e hanno lavorato duramente per esprimere i propri pareri e agire su se stessi nel contesto musicale. Tuttavia, molti hanno espresso livelli di ambivalenza relativamente alti riguardo le opportunità potenziali che gli erano state permesse in una più ampia comunità, evidenziando la necessità per gli adulti di monitorare accuratamente la posizione di 'attivista' nel contesto dell'esperienza individuale. Il potenziale significativo per i musicoterapisti di impegnarsi in approcci partecipativi con bambini e giovani con disabilità intellettiva, è evidenziato.Cet article examine les façons dont une orientation des études d'invalidité peuvent être incorporés dans les approches en musicothérapie avec les enfants et les jeunes qui ont une déficience intellectuelle. Une vue d'ensemble des modèles médicaux, sociaux, culturels et positive du handicap précède une vignette décrivant les musicothérapeutes et des jeunes en situation de handicap intellectuel engagé dans un projet de recherche de musique qui a été fondée sur l'approche positive. Les jeunes des occasions de valeur à être engagés dans les activités de musique et de recherche, et ont travaillé dur pour exprimer leurs opinions et d'agir sur eux dans le contexte de la musique. Cependant, plusieurs ont exprimé des niveaux relativement élevés de l'ambivalence au sujet des possibilités potentielles qui ont été offertes à eux dans la communauté plus large, soulignant la nécessité pour les adultes de surveiller attentivement la position «activiste» dans le contexte de l'expérience individuelle. Le potentiel significatif pour les musicothérapeutes se livrer à des approches participatives avec les enfants et les jeunes avec déficience intellectuelle est mise en évidence.This paper considers the ways in which a disability studies orientation can be incorporated into music therapy approaches with children and young people who have intellectual disability. A broad overview of medical, social, cultural and affirmative models of disability precedes a vignette describing music therapists and young people with intellectual disability engaged in a music research project which was grounded in the affirmative approach.  The young people valued opportunities to be engaged in both music and research activities, and worked hard to express their views and to act upon them in the music context.  However several expressed relatively high levels of ambivalence regarding potential opportunities that were afforded to them in the wider community, highlighting the need for adults to carefully monitor the ‘activist’ stance in the context of individual experience. The significant potential for music therapists to engage in participatory approaches with children and young people with intellectual disability is highlighted.In diesem Artikel wird betrachtet, in welcher Art und Weise eine Disability Studies Orientierung in die Musiktherapie mit Kindern und Jugendlichen, die eine geistige Behinderung haben, integriert werden kann. Ein breiter Überblick über medizinische, soziale, kulturelle und affirmative Modelle von Behinderung geht einer Vignette voraus, die Musiktherapeuten und Jugendliche mit intellektueller Behinderung in einem Projekt, das auf einem affirmativen Ansatz basiert, beschreibt. Die Jugendlichen wussten die Möglichkeit, sowohl an Musik als auch Forschungsaktivitäten involviert zu werden, zu schätzen und arbeiteten hart, um ihre Sichtweisen auszudrücken und im Kontext von Musik danach zu handeln. Allerdings beschrieben viele ein hohes Maß an Ambivalenz im Hinblick auf die potentiellen Chancen, die in der größeren Gesellschaft gewährt werden und es wird hervorgehoben, dass die Erwachsenen die ‚Aktivist‘ Haltung im Kontext von individueller Erfahrung betreuen müssen. Das signifikante Potential für Musiktherapeuten, das in partizipativen Zugangsweisen mit Kindern und Jugendlichen mit intellektueller Behinderung liegt, wird hervorgehoben.この論文は、障がい学的な考え方が、知的障がいを持つ子どもや青年への音楽療法アプローチに組み入れられ得る方法について考える。まず障がいの医療的、社会的、文化的そしてアファーマティブ・モデルを広く概観し、その後、アファーマティブ・アプローチに根ざした音楽リサーチプロジェクトに加わっている音楽療法士と知的障碍を持った青年たちを記述した場面を引用する。若者たちは、音楽とリサーチの活動に関与できる機会に価値を見出し、彼らの見方を表現したり、その見方に添って音楽という文脈の中で行動しようと努力した。しかしながら、何人かは、より広いコミュニティにおいて彼らが得ることのできる機会について高いレベルの両価的感情を表現した。それは、おとなが、個人的経験のコンテクストにおける「活動家」という立場を注意深く見守る必要があることを浮き彫りにした。知的障がいのある子どもや青年と参加型のアプローチに音楽療法士が加わることの高い潜在的可能性ついて、特記される。Este trabalho considera a maneiras em que uma orientação dos estudos da deficiência podem ser incorporadas nas abordagens musicoterapêuticas com crianças e jovens com deficiência intelectual. Um resumo geral dos modelos médico, social, cultural e afirmativo da deficiência precede uma vinheta descrevendo musicoterapeutas e jovens com deficiência intelectual engajados em um projeto de pesquisa em música que foi fundamentado na abordagem afirmativa. Os jovens valorizaram as oportunidades para se engajarem tanto nas atividades de música quanto nas atividades de pesquisa, e se esforçaram muito para expressarem suas visões e para agirem de acordo com as mesmas no contexto musical. Entretanto, muitos expressaram níveis relativamente altos de ambivalência em relação a potenciais oportunidades que lhe foram proporcionadas na grande comunidade, enfatizando aos adultos a necessidade de monitorar cuidadosamente a postura ‘ativista’ no contexto da experiência individual. É destacado o potencial significativo de os musicoterapeutas se envolverem em abordagens participatórias com crianças e jovens com deficiência intelectual

Instructional and improvisational models of music therapy with adolescents who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) : a comparison of the effects on motor impulsivity : a thesis presented to fulfil the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Therapy at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

This study compared the impact of instructional and improvisational music therapy approaches on the level of motor impulsivity displayed by adolescent boys who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Measures included numbers of errors made on a Synchronised Tapping Task (STT); and Conners' Rating Scales (Conners, 1997). Participants (n=13), aged 11 - 16 years, were enrolled in a special residential school. A combination of a multiple contrasting treatment and an experimental control group design was used. Students were randomised to three groups; control (Group A) and two treatment groups. Students in Group B received eight sessions of improvisational music therapy followed by eight sessions of instructional music therapy, while the order was reversed for Group C.There was no statistical difference between the impacts of the contrasting music therapy approaches on the level of motor impulsivity displayed by the students as measured by the STT and the Restless-Impulsive and Hyperactive-Impulsive Conners' subscales. However all students significantly improved on the STT across each phase of treatment and improvement was slightly greater during the instructional treatment periods for both groups. During these same periods teachers reported a small decrease in restless and impulsive behaviours. The results therefore cautiously imply that the instructional approach might contribute to a reduction in motor impulsivity in the classroom.Significant improvement on STT without the corresponding improvement in motor impulsivity suggested that increased accuracy on the STT might be attributable to progress in other developmental domains. Teacher report of significant improvement for treatment groups on the DSM-IV Total Subscale adds weight to this suggestion, and implies that combined music therapy approaches might have contributed to a reduction in DSM-IV symptomology in the classroom.Rickson's (2001) tentative suggestion that creative music-making might over-arouse students with ADHD was not confirmed. Students did make more errors when tested on the STT a second time on the same day but this was regardless of whether they had been involved in instructional, improvisational or no music therapy programme. It is possible that students who have ADHD are easily aroused by the general school milieu and classroom or music room interactions with peers

Stepping into the Spotlight: Collaborative Efforts towards Musical Inclusion

This article presents findings from qualitative research which aimed to capture the experience and views of people who were supporting fourteen learners with intellectual disabilities (aged 12-18) to perform with a professional orchestra. Findings have been analysed in two stages. The first analysis, published elsewhere (Rickson 2012), focused on supporters’ experiences of organising and preparing for the performance. The supporters believed that through practising and performing an orchestral work the diverse musicians had the potential to challenge stereotyped portrayals of disability, change attitudes and foster the ongoing inclusion of people with diverse abilities. However, while the learners’ responses during preparatory workshops were described as interesting, meaningful and creative, there seemed to be a general perception that they were vulnerable and in need of protection from potentially unsympathetic audiences. This dichotomy was examined in post-performance interviews with supporters and audience members. Findings, presented here, show that the narrative of vulnerability and ‘overcoming’ persisted. Nevertheless, interviewees remained convinced of the artistic value of the work and believed the learners had the potential to attract wider audiences to their performances. Further opportunities for young people with intellectual disabilities to be involved in community arts projects alongside non-disabled musicians may result

Collaboration, critique, diversity [Editorial]

Giorgos Tsiris - ORCID 0000-0001-9421-412X https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9421-412X12pubpub