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Annotated Bibliography

Is Music an Affective Therapy for Those Who Suffer from Mental Illnesses?

Sarah G Spearman

Professor Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

March 16, 2018

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Annotated Bibliography

Gardstrom, Susan C., et al. "The Impact of Group Music Therapy on Negative Affect of People

with Co-Occurring Substance use Disorders and Mental Illnesses." Music Therapy

Perspectives, vol. 31, no. 2, 2013, pp. 116-126, ProQuest,

https://librarylink.uncc.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1500359400?acc

ountid=14605. Accessed 10, March 2018.

This academic journal talks of a study related to what degree engagement in music therapy

would result in decreased mood and anxiety disorder levels. Those conducting the study,

based on their findings, concluded music therapy may contribute to the decrease in negative

emotions for individuals with psychiatric disorders. They argue clinicians would be better

able to help people with psychiatric disorders if they had a more in depth understanding of

the demographic environmental, structural, and procedural factors that contribute to

desirable emotional shifts. They also argue by having such knowledge, music therapists

would be able to help heighten their patients’ engagement in and efforts towards recovery

and live more manageable, fulfilling, hopeful lives. The primary question raised in this

source is if and to what degree the four-music therapy methods composition, repetitive

(listening), re-creation (performing), and improvisation would result in a decrease in

patients’ psychiatric disorders. For each of the twenty session the same general session

structure occurred. The warm-up and core portions of each session were drawn from all four

music therapy methods listed earlier. The information presented in this study is supported by

a multitude of prior studies and trusted sources. Those conducting the study researched and

became knowledgeable on the different current statistics of people diagnosed with substance
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use disorders and mental illnesses and the conclusions found in prior research. The

academic journal is directed towards people in the mental health field and those suffering

from mental illnesses. However, this academic journal could really spark an interest in

anyone because of how interesting and relevant it is in modern day healthcare. I will use this

source to draw further conclusions and compare it to my other sources that involve studies

concerning my topic. This study has provided me with information about how affective

different forms of music therapy is in decreasing mood and anxiety disorder levels.

Novotney, Amy. “Music as Medicine.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological

Association, Nov. 2013, www.apa.org/monitor/2013/11/music.aspx. Accessed 10, March

2018.

This webpage article uses many different sources to support the notion music therapy can

promote recovery from mental illnesses. Based on the author’s research and findings, she

concluded active music engagement allowed patients to be at a rest because their acute

pain symptoms were relieved. In a research it was found that listening to and playing

music increased the antibody immunoglobulin A and natural killer cells, cells that attack

invading viruses and boost the immune system’s effectiveness, in the body. There was

also compelling evidence that music also reduces levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. The

author also argues music therapy should be viewed as a vibratory stimulus with cognitive

and memory dimensions rather than a cultural phenomenon. In a study conducted in

2009, researches found that vibroacoustic therapy, vibrations absorbed through the body,

led to improvements in symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease. In addition, the

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author reviews many different studies giving her own opinion on the matter. This article

was written by a medical and mental health journalist Amy Novotney. Novotney

graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. and Journalism degree. The article

contains many credible sources which the author used throughout her writing. These

sources are beneficial because the reader can view them in order to verify whether the

information is accurate or not. The article is directed towards families and those affected

by mental illnesses to persuade and encourage them to use music therapy as treatment. I

will use this article because it provides many professional insights on how music therapy

promotes recovery from mental illnesses. In addition, I will use this source because I

deem the cited information in the article to be credible and trustworthy.

Silverman, Michael J, and Jennifer L Leonardo. “Effects of Active Music Therapy Interventions

on Attendance in People with Severe Mental Illnesses: Two Pilot Studies.” The Arts in

Psychotherapy, Pergamon, 22 June 2012,

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197455612001037?via%3Dihub. Accessed

9, March 2018.

This academic journal discusses the differences between active music therapy and

passive music listening in people with severe mental illnesses. The researchers, Michael

Silverman and Jennifer Leonard, conducted two independent studies. After collecting

data over the five-day research period, the first study showed participants tended to have

a slightly higher mean of perceived enjoyment and comfort in the active music therapy

condition than in the passive listening condition. The second study produced similar
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results. Participants tended to have higher perceptions of helpfulness and learning when it

came to managing their mental illnesses in the active music therapy condition than in the

passive music listening condition. Research scientists are curious if individuals with

severe mental illnesses perceive the active condition to be more therapeutic than the

passive condition. However, treatment perceptions are a consequential dependent

measure, and due to the lack of psychiatric music therapy studies where the primary

dependent variable is attendance further music therapy research is needed. Researchers

are expanding the psychiatric music therapy literature by identifying and putting into

effect innovated ways to measure treatment effects. For example, researchers combined

music therapy with standard care for patients with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like

illnesses. They found by combining these two treatments it helps improve their global

state. The data in this article was backed up by many earlier scientific studies and trusted

sources. Those who conducted the research also hold high qualification based on their

degrees. Silverman holding a PhD, MT- (BC) degree and Leonard a MA, MT- (BC). This

academic journal is directed towards professionals in the music therapy field informing

them which type of music therapy is most effective on patients. I will use the information

I gathered from my reading to incorporate additional statistical evidence into my paper.

Flatow, Ira. “Treating Stress, Speech Disorders With Music.” NPR, NPR, 16 Dec. 2011,

www.npr.org/2011/12/16/143847285/treating-stress-speech-disorders-with-music.

Accessed 11, March 2018.

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This is a transcript of an interview which aired on NPR. Ira Flatow, the host of a weekly

show called “Science Friday”, interviewed Dr. Oliver Sacks, Dr. Connie Tomaino, Dr.

Joke Bradt, and Andrew Rossetti. Dr. Sacks is a physician and professor of neurology

and psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Dr. Tomaino is the

executive director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurological Function at

the Beth Araham Family of Health Services in Bronx, New York. Dr. Bradt is an

associate professor in the Creative Arts Therapies Department at Drexel University in

Philadelphia. Rossetti is a musical therapist in radiation oncology at the Louis Armstrong

Center for Music and Medicine at Beth Isrel Medical Center in New York. Dr. Sacks,

Tomaino, Bradt, and Andrew Rossetti are all in generalized agreeance that music therapy

helps a range of patients with reducing their anxiety levels. These patients range from

those who suffer from speech disorders, stroke, and cancer to those who suffer from

autism, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia. The interviewees all speak of studies that have been

conducted which conclude music therapy to have a positive impact on patients, and they

also speak of their knowledge on said subjects and past experiences they have had when

working in the field. For example, Dr. Sacks speaks of how he worked with Alzheimer

patients, and the results were remarkable. Dr. Tomaino elaborates expressing her

knowledge on the subject. She explains when our brains hear a piece of music that is

familiar a widespread of areas are stimulated and can stimulate the release of serotonin (a

neurotransmitter that helps reduces anxiety levels). This is especially impactful on those

with Alzheimer’s because that part of the brain that is stimulated is a part of the brain that

is still intact and functional. Overall, the interviewees see music therapy as an impactful

and helpful track to recovery for different kinds of patients. NPR stands for National
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Public Radio, and is a highly respected station, which makes this interview a strong

source for information. Flatow allows his guests to speak of their experiences and give

their professional opinions regarding the questions he presents them with. An example of

this would be when Flatow asks Dr. Bradt whether music therapy exists or not and Dr.

Bradt responds by providing examples of his past studies with various patient groups. In

addition, all the interviewees are trusted sources for information because they all,

excluding Andrew Rossetti, have a doctorate in their area of work pertaining this this

field of study. Rossetti, on the other hand, speaks of his experiences working as a musical

therapist in Beth Israel Medical Center. This transcript is directed towards anyone who is

interested on hearing the insight and opinions of professionals and those who have had

firsthand experience dealing with music therapy and mentally ill patients. This interview

is useful because it provides many different thoughts and perspectives on the impact of

music therapy. I will use this source to help give shape to my argument.