Music therapy – a supportive distraction 
                              
          An empirical, interpretivist study exploring music therapy interventions 
          with paediatric oncology patients in the ambulatory chemotherapy unit 
                    in a public hospital in Lima, Peru 
          
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
          
            
            
            
                              
                     Sarah Elisabeth Helander 
                   Master’s Thesis in Music Therapy 
                       Aalborg University 
                          May 2018 
            
           Master’s Thesis in Music Therapy 
            
           Department of Communication and Psychology 
           Aalborg University, Denmark 
             st
           31  of May 2018  
            
            
            
           Title: Music therapy – a supportive distraction 
                An empirical, interpretivist study exploring music therapy interventions  
                with paediatric oncology patients in the ambulatory chemotherapy unit  
                in a public hospital in Lima, Peru 
            
            
            
           Author: Sarah Elisabeth Helander 
           Semester: Master programme, 4th semester  
           Supervisor: Gustavo Gattino 
            
            
           Reference system: APA  
           Characters (with spaces): 18.5816 
           Standard pages: 77,4 
            
            
            
            
            
            
           Sarah Elisabeth Helander 
           ellihelander@gmail.com  
                          Music Therapy – a supportive distraction | Sarah Elisabeth Helander 
        	
         
        English abstract 
         
        The aim of this Master’s thesis is to explore how to integrate music therapy in the treatment 
        of paediatric oncology patients. This is an empirical interpretivist study, using a 
        phenomenological and hermeneutic approach, based on my 9th semester practical experience 
        at the ambulatory chemotherapy unit at a public hospital in Peru. Through a thematic analysis 
        of questionnaire-based interviews with caregivers, volunteers and staff members, the 
        interviewees’ experiences of the impact of music therapy in this unit are studied. Followed by 
        a heuristic analysis examining the connection between culture and music therapy. 
         
        The outcome of the thematic analysis presents three emergent themes describing music 
        therapy having an impact on attention, enjoyment and relaxation. Between and during 
        medical procedures, music therapy can provide a supportive distraction from the challenging 
        environment. With active and receptive music therapy intervention, relaxation or musical 
        activities can be created helping the child to better cope with the situation. 
          
        Through the heuristic analysis, the importance of self-reflection, cultural sensitivity and the 
        therapist’s responsibility to respect, support and keep an openness to the personal-cultural-
        musical background of the patient, are presented. Multicultural music therapy is evolving due 
        to international collaborations and more multicultural societies. Music and culture are both 
        personal and phenomenon shared with others, therefore awareness of the therapist’s and the 
        patient’s cultural background are needed. Nevertheless, it is essential to strive for a balance 
        between cultural considerations and the spontaneous connectivity in the music, in music 
        therapy. 
                        
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                          Music Therapy – a supportive distraction | Sarah Elisabeth Helander 
        	
         
        Danish abstract 
         
        Formålet med dette speciale er at undersøge, hvordan man integrerer musikterapi i 
        behandlingen af pædiatriske onkologiske patienter. Dette er et empirisk, kvalitativt (eng. 
        interpretivist) studie, der bruger en fænomenologisk og hermeneutisk tilgang, og som tager 
        udgangspunkt i min 9. semester praktik i ambulatoriet for kemoterapi på et offentligt sygehus 
        i Peru. Gennem en tematisk analyse af spørgeskemabaserede interviews med 
        omsorgspersoner, frivillige og medicinsk personale undersøger jeg, hvordan folk oplevede 
        virkningen af musikterapi i denne enhed. Desuden, undersøger jeg, gennem en heuristisk 
        analyse, sammenhængen mellem kultur og musikterapi. 
         
        Resultatet af den tematiske analyse præsenterer tre fremtrædende temaer, der beskriver, at 
        musikterapi har en positiv indflydelse på opmærksomhed, glæde og afslapning. Mellem og 
        under medicinske procedurer kan musikterapi give en støttende distraktion, fra det 
        udfordrende miljø. Ved brug af aktive og receptive musikterapimetoder kan skabes afslapning 
        eller musikalske aktiviteter, der hjælper barnet til at kunne klare situationen på en bedre måde. 
         
        Gennem den heuristiske analyse, præsenteres vigtigheden af selvrefleksion, kulturel 
        følsomhed (eng. cultural sensitivity) og terapeutens ansvar for at respektere, støtte og være 
        åben over for patientens personlige-kulturelle baggrund. Multikulturel musikterapi udvikler 
        sig gennem internationale samarbejder og mere multikulturelle samfund. Musik og kultur er 
        både personlige og fænomener der deles med andre, derfor er der behov for bevidsthed om 
        terapeutens og patientens kulturelle baggrund. Ikke desto mindre er det vigtigt at stræbe efter 
        en balance mellem kulturelle overvejelser og den spontane kontakt, der er i musikken, i 
        musikterapi.          
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