Dissertation - World Federation of Music Therapy

Four specific questions concerning the participants’ experience of the imagery, the
music and the BMGIM therapy were included. These questions were formulated by
the researcher and designed for this study, in the same format as HADS.
Two aspects related to hypothesis three were addressed: 1) the meaningfulness of
music and imagery as experienced and rated by the participants, 2) the usefulness of
the music therapy, as experienced and rated by the participants.
Four statements were rated on a 1-4 point Likert scale with the following options:
‘ Not at all – Only to a small extent – To some extent – Very much’. The four
statements were as follows:
1. Music therapy (BMGIM) helps me get on
2. The imagery makes sense for me
3. The music is meaningful for me
4. I can use what music therapy has taught me.
The qualitative investigation
In order to answer subquestion (4) six qualitative research interviews with the
participants were conducted by the researcher 1-2 weeks after follow-up. This time
point enabled the researcher to include provisional findings from the quantitative
study in the dialogue. The interviews were based on a guide (app. 6.1). According to
Robson (2002, p. 271) qualitative research interviews are appropriate, when a study
“focuses on the meaning of particular phenomena to the participants…. [and]… where
a quantitative study has been carried out, and qualitative data are required to validate
particular measures or to clarify and illustrate the meaning of the findings.” The
interviews were semi-structured, i.e. based on the predetermined questions of the
guide, but with the possibility of modifying the wording and sequence of questions
“based upon the interviewer’s perception of what seems most appropriate.”
In order to answer subquestions (5), (6) and (7) the therapist was instructed to provide
the following data:
a) Handwritten transcripts of the music and imagery experience, according to the
standard BMGIM procedure (Bonny 2002)
b) Session notes on every session, written immediately after the session in a five-
column format presenting information data and session number, focus for the session,
induction, music selections used, imagery and postlude.
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