Proceedings, Oxford, UK (2002) - World Federation of Music Therapy

Cultural aspects of mental health care is a hotly debated subject in
Britain. Research has included anthropological fieldwork (Carstairs and
Kapur 1976), the nature and outcome of psychotic illness in ethnic
groups (Chen et al 1996), the validity of assessment procedures when
working with ethnic groups (Abas et al 1998), and the over-
representation of ethnic groups in psychiatric provision (Coid et al 2000).
The literature discusses theory and practice and discusses the
implications of culture for services and treatments (Fernando 1995) as
part of a move towards a better understanding of the needs of ethnic
minorities.
Research Questions
Having reviewed the literature I felt there was a need to research the issue
of culture from the music therapy client’s perspective and the following
questions needed to be addressed:
Is racial and cultural identity an issue in music therapy groups?
Is acknowledgement of a client's personal musical preferences and
cultural influences important in establishing a therapeutic relationship?
Does a working knowledge of ethnomusicology enhance musical
communication with clients from different ethnic backgrounds?
Are there certain aspects of the indigenous music of different cultures
that may have important implications for clinical improvisation in music
therapy?
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