A case study of change in music therapy, viewed from the patient's perspective seen through psychometric and interview data

Aim: To investigate change in music therapy with a patient suffering from severe dissociation episodes and who is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The treatment had a positive outcome, and the need for therapy collapsed.
Method: Change is displayed through data from self-report questionnaires and interviews at treatment termination. Quantitative data are represented in descriptive form, and qualitative data are analysed through open coding, and organized into factors inside music therapy treatment, other treatment and support and other factors that influence the process of change.
Discussion: The focus is on what changed during treatment; what elements in treatment and outside treatment contributed to the change; what was the balance between non-specific and specific factors in the treatment, and finally have this study provided any new knowledge to the field of music therapy, psychiatry or to research.
Conclusion: Change as seen by the patient was described the dynamics of change were investigated, and some factors that contributed to change were identified. The importance of the therapeutic alliance was confirmed, and the use of music therapy interventions was described, as well as the complexity of psychiatric treatment.