Awareness of music therapy practices and factors influencing specific theoretical approaches.

The investigator identified music therapists' theoretical awareness of their practices and analyzed factors influencing their specific theoretical orientations and models. A 2-page survey was mailed to 500 board-certified music therapists in the United States; 272 returned surveys were analyzed. Data analysis revealed that respondents': (a) adoption of current theoretical approaches is contingent on the attended college, area of practice, and their age groups; (b) work satisfaction is not a function of involvement with theoretical orientations but rather of their area of practice and attendance at national music therapy conferences; (c) involvement in music making is not a function of theoretical orientations but of academic degrees; (d) emphasis on client's musical growth and aesthetic quality of music was not a function of theoretical orientations or any other investigated factor; (e) satisfaction with past education was not a function of involvement with theoretical orientations but of the area of practice; (f) desire to expand their theoretical knowledge was not a function of theoretical orientations but of academic degrees.