A 7-year-old girl with a severe developmental disability is receiving music therapy in a residential setting.
She is nonverbal and prone to be fearful and anxious in new situations. When brought into the therapy
room for her first session, she actively resists and begins to cry. The music therapist, working in an
improvisational model, might do which of the following?
1. Meet the child by playing music to express the intensity of her crying.
2. Reflect the child's sound and breathing with careful musical phrasing.
3. Comfort the child by holding and rocking her while singing soothing lyrics.
4. Sing without words so the child hears another voice that corresponds to how she is feeling.
A. 1, 2, and 3 only
B. 1, 2, and 4 only
C. 1, 3, and 4 only
D. 2, 3, and 4 only
B. True. By reflecting the child's sounds and breathing with careful musical phrasing, the child becomes
aware that someone is listening to her and aware of her own sounds. She feels accepted and understood.
,A 17 year old is demonstrating a sudden decline in grades, increased unexcused absences, and inability to
concentrate when in school. Facial affect has changed from friendly to flat. When approached, the student
states he is fine. Reports indicate the client responds to music, so a music therapy referral is requested. To
assess possible causes of the change in behavior, a music therapist should FIRST
A. Observe the student in other classes
B. Discuss concerns with the guidance counselor
C. Identify current stressors in the student's life
D. Review the student's individualized education plan (IEP)
C. This is the only choice that allows the music therapist to determine potential causal factors
,A 52-year-old woman hospitalized for ovarian cancer requests music therapy to help her relax and sleep.
During the initial session conducted at bedtime, the client shares her fears and life story before the use of
any music intervention. After validating the client's feelings, the BEST direction for the music therapist to
take is to
A. discuss favorite songs important to the client's life.
B. improvise soft guitar music to help the client go to sleep.
C. compose a song together reflecting the client's disclosure.
D. close the session and bring the client's favorite music to follow-up visits.
B. Once the client has discussed her fears and shared her story, she may be more ready for sleep.
Introducing soft guitar music at this point would be germane to accomplishing the stated therapeutic goal.
, An adult with severe, chronic asthma receives individual music therapy in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic.
Treatment goals include increasing breath support and developing intercostal muscle strength to improve
voice quality. When selecting song material, which of the following is the MOST crucial aspect to consider?
A. client preference
B. phrase length
C. tessitura
D. song duration
B. Phrase length is most crucial because it requires regulated and sustained breath support.
She is nonverbal and prone to be fearful and anxious in new situations. When brought into the therapy
room for her first session, she actively resists and begins to cry. The music therapist, working in an
improvisational model, might do which of the following?
1. Meet the child by playing music to express the intensity of her crying.
2. Reflect the child's sound and breathing with careful musical phrasing.
3. Comfort the child by holding and rocking her while singing soothing lyrics.
4. Sing without words so the child hears another voice that corresponds to how she is feeling.
A. 1, 2, and 3 only
B. 1, 2, and 4 only
C. 1, 3, and 4 only
D. 2, 3, and 4 only
B. True. By reflecting the child's sounds and breathing with careful musical phrasing, the child becomes
aware that someone is listening to her and aware of her own sounds. She feels accepted and understood.
,A 17 year old is demonstrating a sudden decline in grades, increased unexcused absences, and inability to
concentrate when in school. Facial affect has changed from friendly to flat. When approached, the student
states he is fine. Reports indicate the client responds to music, so a music therapy referral is requested. To
assess possible causes of the change in behavior, a music therapist should FIRST
A. Observe the student in other classes
B. Discuss concerns with the guidance counselor
C. Identify current stressors in the student's life
D. Review the student's individualized education plan (IEP)
C. This is the only choice that allows the music therapist to determine potential causal factors
,A 52-year-old woman hospitalized for ovarian cancer requests music therapy to help her relax and sleep.
During the initial session conducted at bedtime, the client shares her fears and life story before the use of
any music intervention. After validating the client's feelings, the BEST direction for the music therapist to
take is to
A. discuss favorite songs important to the client's life.
B. improvise soft guitar music to help the client go to sleep.
C. compose a song together reflecting the client's disclosure.
D. close the session and bring the client's favorite music to follow-up visits.
B. Once the client has discussed her fears and shared her story, she may be more ready for sleep.
Introducing soft guitar music at this point would be germane to accomplishing the stated therapeutic goal.
, An adult with severe, chronic asthma receives individual music therapy in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic.
Treatment goals include increasing breath support and developing intercostal muscle strength to improve
voice quality. When selecting song material, which of the following is the MOST crucial aspect to consider?
A. client preference
B. phrase length
C. tessitura
D. song duration
B. Phrase length is most crucial because it requires regulated and sustained breath support.
