A heuristic self-inquiry into the clinical decision making process of a medical music therapist when selecting music for patients who cannot or chose to not share preferred music

Music therapy can support hospitalized adults, especially when using patient-preferred music. However, limited research exists on music therapy in adult medical settings where patients cannot or choose not to share their music preferences. The purpose of this heuristic self-inquiry was to identify the factors that influenced the researcher’s music selections and to share insights into the researcher’s clinical decision making process. The researcher engaged in reflexive journaling after 11 sessions where patients could not or chose not to share their preferences. Seven themes emerged: patient and/or caregiver responses, patient information, I question myself, I don’t’ have much time, I draw from my prior experiences, I want my decision to lead to positive patient outcomes, and intuition. Clinical implications are provided for music therapists to reflect on their own decision making process when working with patients who cannot or choose not to share their music preferences.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Music Therapy

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music Therapy

Grantor

Texas Woman's University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Kelley, Siobhan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• West, Rebecca

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• McCarroll, Elizabeth M
• Molloy-Daugherty, Della

• Music therapy
• Decision making
• Preferred music
• Song selection
• Medical music therapy
• Patient preference

Language dc:language.iso

English

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/11274/17130

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:twu-ir.tdl.org:11274/17130