Examining music as a therapy for complex needs and offending behaviour
| Date | 05 December 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-04-2016-0005 |
| Published date | 05 December 2016 |
| Pages | 291-302 |
| Author | Louise Andrea Sicard |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology |
Examining music as a therapy for
complex needs and offending behaviour
Louise Andrea Sicard
Louise Andrea Sicard is a
Higher Degree Research
Candidate at the Department of
Social Science, University of
Western Sydney, New South
Wales, Australia.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine music as a therapy for complex needs and offending
behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach –This study utilised the rapid evidence assessment (REA) approach to
collect and assess the current data pertaining to music as a therapy for complex needs and offending
behaviour. Within the REA this study used a thematic analysis as the analytical framework to manage and
explore the wealth of data collected during the REA.
Findings –The results of this study are presented in two parts –first, the application of music as a therapy for
complex needs and second, music as a therapy for offending behaviour. These two sections explore music
therapy as an effective intervention method for offending behaviour and/or complex needs. Psychopathy as a
complex need is a subsidiary theme that is also investigated within this section.
Research limitations/implications –To present music as a therapy as an effective method of therapy
and intervention for those with offending behaviour and/or complex needs, thus, leading to further research
in the field.
Practical implications –To incorporate music therapy into working with offending behaviour; to incorporate
music therapy into interventions for those with complex needs, such as psychopaths; to recognise a need for
developing innovative approaches/methods to address gaps in treatment; and to recognise music therapy’s
potential as a programme utilised alongside cognitive-behavioural therapy.
Originality/value –There has been a significant amount of academic attention given to researching music as
an effective therapy for select groups such as those with autism, anxiety, dementia and depression. The
scope of this attention has extended to examine the link between music, cognition and emotion. The limitation
of this work is the lack of research that has focussed on music as a therapy as an intervention for complex
needs and offending behaviour, to which this study will begin to redress.
Keywords Psychopathy, Intervention, Offending behaviour, Complex needs, Treatment,
Music as a therapy
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Music has been understood by various cultures and scholars as a tool for healing and health (e.g.
Horden, 2000; Gouk, 2000; Davis and Hadley, 2015). This introduction will provide a brief history
on music as a therapy, as it is important to the research that a foundational knowledge is
presented. This research notes that it is limited to focussing on the western development and
history of music as a therapy.
Davis and Hadley (2015) discuss early forms of music therapy and healing. It is noted that many
early forms of music therapy were based on superstition. Tarantism, for example, was a practice
formed in the middle ages, utilised in Spain and Italy, which involved using music and dance to
induce a trance-like state for healing purposes (Davis and Hadley, 2015). Other early concepts of
Received 21 April 2016
Revised 12 June 2016
8 September 2016
Accepted 8 September 2016
DOI 10.1108/JCRPP-04-2016-0005 VOL. 2 NO. 4 2016, pp.291-302, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2056-3841
j
JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE
j
PAGE291
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