Research in music therapy: quantitative or qualitative?

Journal/Book: Nordisk tidsskrift for musikkterapi. 1993; 3: 3-10.

Abstract: In this article the author´s has introduced two burning questions in the music therapist´s profession these days: one is concerned with the meaning of the music therapy experience and the second one deals with finding the right research modalities in order to explore the meaning and understand the music therapy experience on a deeper level. Since until lately most studies in our field are based on positivistic research methods. The author gives the principles of positivism, and try to find the rational for using it in music therapy. Through examining a particular study the author shows why positivism is not the right modality in finding meaning. Then the author introduces the new paradigm and a qualitative research modality which is also called "grounded theory". Through the description of its main characteristics Amir shows how this modality is closely related to the music experience. The author brings back Amir´s own doctoral research as an example of using a qualitative research design in order to understand the holistic meaning of the music therapy experience for music therapists and for music therapy clients. Amir´s conclusion is that the utilization of qualitative research methods in this field will help uilluminate the art, the beauty, and the essence of the work made by music therapists.

Note: Ph.D:, ACMT, is the head of the Music Therapy Program at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat-Gan, Israel; Menmber og AAMT(American Assosiation for Music Therapy) and ICET(The Israeli Assosiation of Creative anf Expressive Therapie) Language: English Address: 1 Shprintzak Street, Apt.#24, Rishon Le Zion, 75236 ISRAEL. Phone: 011 972 3 9658 198

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