Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

The students were able to reflect on different aspects of music therapy which they felt
were important. In particular, students talked about being able to play and feeling free
and spontaneous. They enjoyed being in control and having the opportunity to talk
openly. The approach used in this study (4.4) enabled the relationship which inspired
students. Their explanation of its incentive and their commitment to sessions show
the value of music-making and engaging in the ‘here and now’ which can alleviate
difficult feelings, even though the quantitative data did not always reflect this.
The method did not set out to compare results between The Centre School and CVC
students but, recognising the students’ differences, helped to further explain the data.
For example, those at risk of underachievement or exclusion but who can cope at a
mainstream school generally have greater emotional and academic intelligence. On
the other hand, students who have emotional and behavioural difficulties and attend a
special school have more complex needs and may have known more interruption to
schooling due to periods of exclusion. The baseline scores for self-concept and
disruptive behaviour were shown to be significant which reinforced the need to
discuss the students’ results for each school separately.
9.2.2 The Centre School students
The Centre School students had very low baseline scores for their self-concept and
this was found to be significant compared to the score that they gave after music
therapy. The data showed that students recorded a lower self-concept after the block
of music therapy than before. This presents the idea that things have to get worse
before they can get better (Castonguay et al., 1998) and there are different ways of
interpreting this result.
One argument is that music therapy did help students to become more aware of
themselves and their emotions but the therapy process needs to continue, build on this
level of self-awareness and bring about further understanding, change and
development. It was interesting that almost all Centre School students were keen to
continue music therapy after the project and reported this in their interviews. They
wanted to attend music therapy on a regular basis for longer than they were offered.
This issue of ending therapy for some might also be to do with endings in general and
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