Music therapy in the treatment of automutilating adolescents

Abstract

Self-harm behaviors have grown dramatically in recent decades and are increasingly common among teenagers in contemporary society. This study is an intervention research of the type before and after, with a mixed methodology, which aim to investigate the possible contributions of Music Therapy in the treatment of a group of self-mutilating adolescents hosted at the Child and Youth Psychosocial Care CenterÁgua Viva, Goiânia, Goiás. For the collection of quantitative data, the Barrat Impulsivity Scale - version 11 (Barrat Impulsivity Scale - BIS 11) and the Self-Mutilation Behavior Scale (Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation - FASM) were used. Music therapy interventions were carried out in a closed group of nine participants, over a period of three months. During the meetings, musical experiences of recreation, listening and composition were used. It is concluded that the experiences of recreation and musical listening effectively contributed to the reduction of self-mutilation behaviors, as well as the reduction of impulsivity. As for the musical composition experience contributed to the regulation, structuring, expression, communication and reframing of feelings and emotions, in addition to expanding interpersonal interaction through identification.