Three case studies: the use of music therapy to ameliorate social skill deficits in three schizophrenic adult females

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of music therapy treatment on the amelioration os social skill deficits in schizophrenics. More specifically, the purpose was to determine whether music therapy sessions using reinforcement, modeling/imitation and other behavioral principles would increase significantly appropriate eye contact, facial expressions of affect, verbal interaction and interactional distance in three, female chronic undifferentiated schizophrenic patients. The subjects were recent admissions to a private psychiatric hospital. Each subject attended 20 individual, 30-minute music therapy sessions conducted on consecutive days by the researcher. The music therapy sessions were designed to provide opportunities for positive reinforcement, imitation, modeling and rehearsal to improve eye contact, interactional distance, facial expressions of affect and verbal interaction. These targeted social skills were observed and recorded graphically. Results were examined through visual inspection of the data. Visual inspection confirmed a trend in increased eye contact, verbal interaction and displays of affect through facial expression as a result of music therapy treatment. Interactional distance was appropriate in all sessions for all subjects.

Keyword(s): Social-skills, schizophrenic, adult, case-study.

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