Environmental Factors

Abstract

The impact of the therapeutic environment has not been an area of clinical practice that has been afforded a great deal of attention in music therapy literature. The environment can be understood from many levels. On one level, the environment is the surroundings and conditions in which a person (or organism) lives and operates. It is the forces, influences, and circumstances that lead to adaptation of a person or a community in order to survive and thrive. And it is also the sum of social and cultural conditions including customs, language, economic, and political practices that influence the life of an individual or community (Environment, 2011). It has been long recognized that the structure and culture of environments where music therapy is practiced have an impact on the interactions and behaviors (and therefore the health) of people operating within them (Jörgensen et al., 2009; Røssberg et al., 2006), such as the environmental impacts on therapy compliance and patient dropouts, and inpatient stay satisfaction (Jörgensen et al., 2009; Røssberg et al., 2006). The therapeutic climate1 has been described as the perceived quality and form of relationships between staff and people participating in health-related services. Shechtman (1990) suggests that a good therapeutic climate is one where there is a sense of belonging, acknowledgment by others, freedom to express feelings, opportunities for self-disclosure, and open communication.