A comparison of verbal descriptors used by TMR students and music therapists

Author(s): Graham, R. M., verbal-descriptors.

Journal/Book: Journal of Music Therapy. 1983; 20: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. National Association for Music Therapy. 59-68.

Abstract: The purposes of this study were (a) to compare terminology used by music therapists and TMR students when both groups described the same music phenomena, and (b) to determine whether the words used by these subjects differed from the "traditional" terminology employed in music textbook series. Subjects were asked to listen to ten presentations of a well-known melody and to give a word that described how the music changed in each presentation. One music concept was varied in each test item. When correctly describing music concepts, both TMR students and music therapists used consistent and traditional terminology. Differences in correct test scores resulted from the inappropriate use of terms by TMR students, not their lack of vocabulary. These students repeated many of the same words across the different test items. When incorrect terms were given, no vocabulary was common to both groups.

Keyword(s): mental-retardation, developmental-disabilities, music-therapist, verbal, musical-concepts.

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