Music Therapy

Our music therapy faculty conduct basic research on human response to music, assessment of therapeutic applications of music, and the evaluation of best practice in the professional preparation of music therapists.

Areas of research interest for faculty include:

Music perception and enjoyment of adults and children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and who use special hearing devices (cochlear implants, hearing aids)
The use of music training to enhance speech perception of persons with cochlear implants
Examining the impact of musical training on the auditory pathway at the cortical level
Accommodations to enhance music education and music enjoyment for persons with hearing loss
Music-assisted relaxation to reduce post-operative pain
Music therapy to regulate behaviors in children with autism

Research

Abbey Dvorak, MA, PhD, MT-BC

Associate Professor and Music Therapy Area Head

Landless, B., Dvorak, A. L., Hadley, S., Chou, J., Carlton, N., & Bradt, J. (2024)

Exploring a therapeutic songwriting program with three people experiencing homelessness and their communities through a cross-case analysis. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 92.

Lee, S. J., Dvorak, A. L., & Manternach, J. (2024)

Outcomes of singing and semi-occluded vocal tract exercises for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Music Therapy, 61(2), 132-167.

Dvorak, A. L. (2023)

Explanatory sequential investigation of music therapy practices for individuals with eating disorders. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 23, 102067.

Landless, B., Dvorak, A. L., Hadley, S., & Bradt, J. (2023)

Music therapy with people experiencing homelessness: A narrative review. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness.

Dvorak, A. L., Landeck, L., Dyer, W., & Spiegel, D. (2022)

Dialectical behavior therapy skills training with music interventions for adults with severe mental illness.: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control-group pilot study. Journal of Music Therapy, 59(3), 205-238.

Hernandez-Ruiz, E., Dvorak, A. L., & Weingarten, K. (2020)

Music stimuli in mindfulness meditation: Comparison of musician and non-musician responses. Psychology of Music.

Dvorak, A. L., & Hernandez Ruiz, E. (2019)

Comparison of music stimuli to support mindfulness meditation. Psychology of Music.

Chen, X., Kim, H. S., & Dvorak, A. L. (2024)

Education and training in the United States: A guide for international music therapy students. (Available in English, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese Translations). Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 24(3).

Dvorak, A. L. & Oddy, N. (2024)

AUMI and music therapy: Supporting independent musicking. In Improvising across abilities: Pauline Oliveros and the adaptive use musical instrument (AUMI). University of Michigan Press Social Justice Series.

Dvorak, A. L (2023)

Explanatory sequential investigation of music therapy practices for individuals with eating disorders. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 23, 102067

Lee, S. J., & Dvorak, A. L. (2023)

Therapeutic group singing for individuals with Parkinson’s disease: A conceptual framework. Music Therapy Perspectives, miad008.

Hernandez-Ruiz, E., & Dvorak, A. L., (2022)

Virtual scaffolded course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Music Therapy Perspectives, 41(1), 63-74.

Dvorak, A. L., Davis, J., Bernard, G., Beveridge-Calvin, R., Monroe-Gulick, A., Thomas, P., Forstot-Burke, C. (2019)

Systematic review of course-based undergraduate research experiences: Implications for music therapy education. Music Therapy Perspectives.

Dvorak, A. L., & Hernandez Ruiz, E. (2019)

Outcomes of a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) for music therapy and music education students. Journal of Music Therapy.

Dvorak, A. L., Haaheim, K., Mizumura-Pence, R., & Tucker, S. (2024)

Improvising inclusive communities: In The AUMI Editorial Collective (Ed). Improvising across abilities: Pauline Oliveros and the adaptive use musical instrument (AUMI). University of Michigan Press Social Justice Series.

Landless, B., Dvorak, A. L., Hadley, S., & Bradt, J. (2023)

Music therapy with people experiencing homelessness: A narrative review. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness.

Umeda, L. & Dvorak, A. L. (2023)

An integrative review of guitar teaching methods in music therapy education and training. Music Therapy Perspectives, miad006.

Baumler, G., & Dvorak, A. L. (2023)

[Review of the book: The music therapy assessment manual: A guide to data-based decision making. Waldon, E. American Music Therapy Association]. Music Therapy Perspectives.

Dvorak, A. L., Hernandez-Ruiz, E., & Weingarten, K. M. (2021)

Course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE): Music education and music therapy student outcomes. Journal of Music Teacher Education.

Hernandez-Ruiz, E., & Dvorak, A. L. (2020)

Music stimuli for mindfulness practice: A replication study. Journal of Music Therapy.

Dvorak, A. L., & Boresow, E. (2018)

Using the adaptive use musical instrument (AUMI) in music therapy clinical practice. Music Therapy Perspectives.

Dvorak, A. L., Maxson, J., & Knott, D. (2024)

Clinical applications using AUMI in music therapy practice. In The AUMI Editorial Collective (Ed). Improvising across abilities: Pauline Oliveros and the adaptive use musical instrument (AUMI). University of Michigan Press Social Justice Series.

Lee, S. J., & Dvorak, A. L. (2023)

Therapeutic group singing for individuals with Parkinson’s disease: A conceptual framework. Music Therapy Perspectives, miad008.

Lee, S. J., & Dvorak, A. L. (2023)

Therapeutic group singing for individuals with Parkinson’s disease: A conceptual framework. Music Therapy Perspectives, miad008

Bernard, G. & Dvorak, A. L. (2023)

Using music to address trauma with refugees: A systematic review and recommendations. Music Therapy Perspectives, 41(1), e30-43.

Hernandez-Ruiz, E., & Dvorak, A. L. (2020)

Music and mindfulness meditation: Comparing four music stimuli composed under similar principles. Psychology of Music.

Hernandez-Ruiz, E. & Dvorak, A. L. (2020)

Replication of a course-based undergraduate research experience for music students. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy.

Wells Staab, K., & Dvorak, A. L. (2018)

Perception of music therapy by direct care staff of older adults with intellectual disabilities. Music Therapy Perspectives.

Kirsten Nelson, MA, MT-BC

Assistant Professor of Instruction

Knott, D., Biard, M., Nelson, K., Epstein, S., Robb, S., Ghetti, C. (2020).

A survey of music therapists working in pediatric medical settings in the United States. Journal of Music Therapy, 57(1), 34-65.

Nelson, K., Adamek, A., Kleiber, C. (2017).

Relaxation training and postoperative music therapy for adolescents undergoing spinal fusion surgery. Pain Management Nursing, 18(1), 16-23.

Authors

Robb, S., Clair, A., Watanabe, M., Monahan, P., Azzouz, F., Stouffer, J., Ebberts, A., Darsie, E., Whitmer, C., Walker, J., Nelson, K., Hanson-Abromeit, D., Lane, D., Hannah, A. (2008).

A non-randomized controlled trial of the active music engagement (AME) intervention on children with cancer. Psycho-oncology, 17(7):699-708.

Hae Sun Kim, PhD, MT-BC

Assistant Professor

Kim, H. (2024)

Auditory-Motor Mapping Training with an Autistic Child from a Bilingual Family. Music Therapy Perspectives, miae004.

Kim, H., Chen, X., & Dvorak, A. L. (2024)

Education and Training in the United States: A Guide for International Music Therapy Students. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 24(3).

Kim. H. (2022)

Online Simulation-Integrated Education for Hearing Loss in Older Adults: Applications in Music Therapy Education. (Publication No. 29322127) [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Iowa]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Kim. H. (2014)

The Effect of Auditory-Motor Mapping Training in Korean on the Speech Output of Children with Autism. (Publication No. 1552739741) [Master’s thesis, Colorado State University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.