Music Therapy, learning disabilities, self harm:the caring process
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Investigation of music therapy as a non-verbal, psychotherapeutic intervention for adults with learning disabilities who self-harm.
IRAS ID
136840
Contact name
Hayley Hind
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Anglia Ruskin University
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This qualitative first person research study will be with adults with mild-moderate learning disabilities, who regularly self-harm. The study will last for one year. I will investigate the combined approach of weekly music therapy sessions for the service user, with its opportunities for musical and non-verbal therapeutic engagement, alongside a monthly staff support group for the care staff who are supporting the service users. Also investigated will be an analysis of changes in the staff's perception and response to the self-harming. Links will be explored between any reduction in the incidents of self-harm and changes in staff perception during this period. It is recognized that staff teams trying to support such service users often experience feelings of guilt, anger and hopelessness. An article published in 2010 in the Journal of the British Institute of Learning Disabilities, looked at staff beliefs about why people with learning disabilities self-harm. They identified five viewpoints which demonstrate a range of beliefs held by staff. Their perceptions of self-harm were shown to effect the quality of care offered to service users. The conclusions from the BILD study are that staff would welcome further support and would like to be better able to understand the complexities arising from supporting such service users. A means of expressing the tensions arising from supporting such service users is also one of the recommendations. By offering a staff support group alongside weekly music therapy for the service user, I wish to see whether this combined approach that attends to the staff team as well can be linked to any reduction in self- harm. There will be semi-structured interviews with service users and staff prior to the start of music therapy treatment, and measurements will be made to determine the frequency of self-harming throughout the study.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EE/0109
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jul 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion