Effects of Music Therapy In Self-Injurious Adolescents

http://mmd.sagepub.com.remote.libproxy.wlu.ca/content/2/1/59.abstract
Music and Medicine, II (1) 59-65, 2010.
‘‘Stop Cutting—Rock!’’: A Pilot Study of a Music Therapeutic Program for Self-Injuring Adolescents.
Paul L. Plener MD, Thorsten Sukale, Andrea G. Ludolph, MD, PD,and Thomas Stegemann, MD.
Abstract:
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common phenomenon in adolescence. This pilot study blended elements of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A) with music therapy to reduce NSSI in a project for self-injuring female adolescents (N¼5; meanage: 14 years 8 months; age range: 14-16 years). Four out of the 5 female adolescents had stopped self-injuring at the end of the program, and the depression score declined. The program proved to be a feasible alternative in an outpatient setting, although severe suicidal ideation presented as a problem. Blending different therapeutic approaches might be an interesting way to tailor effective treatments for specific patient groups.
Keywords: nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), self-harm, music therapy, dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A), adolescents