Learning to be Mindful: An Exploratory Study into the Perceived Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training for a Music Therapy Student
Jessica O. M. Graham
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A music therapy student working with young people with complex needs in special education |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | The analysis developed five themes of learning—Presence, Non-striving, Beginner's Mind, Acceptance, and Patience—with 'Being Present' as an over-arching theme and modelling to students as a key finding. The authors suggest that MBSR training can benefit music therapy students and indirectly those they work with, while noting that similar benefits might arise naturally through music therapy training. |
Abstract
Mindfulness training has become very popular in recent years and has proven successful for reducing anxiety and depression and enhancing coping skills (amongst other benefits). This research project explores the perceived benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training on a music therapy student working with young people with complex needs in special education. Secondary analysis of clinical records (session notes and a reflexive journal) was employed and included the use of both inductive and deductive methods of analysis. Five themes were developed (framed as themes of learning) including: Presence, Non-striving, Beginner’s Mind, Acceptance, and Patience with a final key finding being the effect of modelling to the students. Findings showed these benefits emerging through a journey from early data (before MBSR training) to later data (after MBSR training) and suggest that mindfulness training can be beneficial for both music therapy students and (indirectly) to those they work with. The themes and perceived benefits proved very interconnected with each relating to several others and ‘Being Present’ emerging as an over-arching theme. Similarities between benefits discovered and certain principles of music therapy were discussed and whether the benefits found may have occurred naturally through the course of music therapy training amongst other factors of change and natural growth.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Standardised Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Healthcare: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of RCTs PLoS One April 16, 2015
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Healthy Individuals Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine July 22, 2014
- Mindfulness, attention, and flow during music listening: An empirical investigation Psychology of Music September 27, 2011
and 4 more in the library