Dissertation - World Federation of Music Therapy

14 of the 53 sessions, but as it was always episodic and appeared across the spectrum
of other categories, it was defined as a subcategory, not as a core category. In other
words, specific cancer-related images or issues did not dominate the participants’
imagery. The distribution of core categories by participants and sessions (table 6.9)
showed that mixed music-listening periods composed of two or more subcategories
was most frequently found, and that all six participants had their personal imagery
profile. Experiences structured as narrative sequences were found in 17 sessions, with
four participants, and complete narratives were found in 7 sessions, with two
participants. Core images or metaphors were identified in 29 sessions, including all
six participants. In summary narrative development and configuration was found in a
little less than half of the sessions, however not with all participants. In order to give a
more detailed answer to sub-question 6, the two case studies that were conducted as
part of the triangulation procedure (chapter 7) included a thorough analysis of the
imagery and its development. It was shown that core metaphors emerged and how the
metaphors were spontaneously configured into meaningful narrative episodes or even
complete narratives founded on a plot. A grounded theory model of image
configuration types found in the therapeutic BMGIM process was proposed.
The original project description relating to question 7 said that “The relationship
between imagery and music will be investigated focusing on how specific metaphors
and narrative configurations may be connected to metaphoric properties of musical
parameters and the 'musical narrative'. The original research question was: “What
elements describe the relationship between the music and the imagery transformations
[if any]?” An eclectic methodology was developed for the analysis (8.2), based on a
specific literature review (8.1). The research question was revised slightly, because it
became clear very early that there was definitely a relationship in most of the
sessions. The music and imagery study reported in section 8.3 documented the
influence of the music on the participants’ imagery. It was shown through detailed
analyses of the interplay of music and imagery how the music influenced both the
course (the configuration process) and the content (the metaphors evoked) of the
imagery, and how major changes in the music had immediate impact on the imagery.
Three types of music, or therapeutic categories of music, were identified: Supportive
music, Challenging music, and Mixed (supportive and challenging) music had
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