Music Therapy Research and Practice in Medicine

In examining the power of music as a means of self-expression and the consequent benefit for health that this brings, David Aldridge clarifies the importance of music in our culture of healing. With the help of case studies, he gives an overview of music therapy practice as it is used in medical settings in work with a wide range of illnesses including AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and autism. This practical approach is complemented by an examination of research in music therapy. An account of the development of a research programme illustrates how research may be structured systematically to describe and analyse the clinical benefits of music therapy, and the dynamic nature of the relationship between theory and practice is made clear.