Gatekeeping practices of music therapy academic programs and internships: a national survey.

BACKGROUND: Gatekeeping safeguards access to the practice of a profession to ensure the quality of clinical services. It involves selective admission, continuous evaluation, and timely and ethical decisions in response to trainees with severe professional competency problems (SPCP). To date, little information is available concerning gatekeeping practices in the field of music therapy. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the extent and outcomes of gatekeeping practices across academic programs and National Roster internship sites approved by the American Music Therapy Association. Specifically, it examined the prevalence of trainees with SPCP, program-wide precautionary measures, common indicators of trainees with SPCP, remedial strategies, and supports and barriers to effective management. METHODS: Thirty-two academic program directors and 77 internship directors completed an online survey. Responses were compiled into aggregate form (frequencies & percentages) for analysis. Chi-square tests with Yates' correction were applied to compare the differences between academic programs and internships. RESULTS: A significantly higher percentage of academic programs (93.8%) reported having at least one trainee with SPCP over the past 5 years than did internships (66.2%). The most common indicators of competency problems included inadequate music skill development, emotional instability, limited communication skills, deficient interpersonal skills, defensiveness in supervision, and lack of insight. Typical remedial methods included referral to personal therapy, increased supervision, and repetition of practicum or extension of internship. CONCLUSIONS: Issues regarding trainees with SPCP are frequently addressed by academic and internship program directors. Improving clarity within professional guidelines and establishing more rigorous and consistent standards across training programs are recommended.

From the ideal to the real world: a phenomenological inquiry into student sojourners' reentry adaptation.

This phenomenological study examines the thematic structure of reentry transition for international music therapy graduates who have returned home after studying in the United States. Emphasis is placed upon career development. Standardized open-ended interviews were used to obtain rich and in-depth descriptions of the participants' experiences. Ten music therapists from six countries participated in the study. The themes that emerged from the data include moving from the ideal to the real world, shifting from the role of student to professional, confronting reality and working through challenges, and achieving personal growth and self-transformation. The dynamics of cross-cultural comparison, confronting the home culture, and redefining music therapy and professional identities within the local cultural context are illustrated via quotations from the participants. Implications and recommendations for music therapy education and career preparation for international graduates are discussed.

Mandarin melody recognition by pediatric cochlear implant recipients.

This study investigated the ability of children with implants who speak Mandarin Chinese, a tonal language, to recognize familiar melodies. It further examined the relative contributions of pitch, rhythm, and lyrics to melody recognition. Two groups of participants (ages 7-15; n = 20 for each group), those with cochlear implants and those with typical hearing, listened to 2 sets (traditional Mandarin children's songs and children's songs from Western cultures translated into Mandarin) of three melodies. These melodies were presented in 3 conditions: (a) melodic contour only (pitches in equal durations); (b) melodic contour with rhythmic patterns; and (c) melodic contour with rhythmic patterns and lyrics. The results indicated that pediatric cochlear implant recipients performed with greater accuracy in melody recognition when lyrics were available. Their scores were significantly lower when melodies containing only pitch features. Providing the rhythmic patterns aided participants' identification of the target melodies, but less so than the lyrics. Applications of findings to aural rehabilitation are discussed.