Music Therapy Within Children And Adolescent Bereavement

Music Therapy Within Children and Adolescent Bereavement While the bereavement process may be a universal chapter of life, the experience itself is conclusively subjective. Specifically for younger individuals, bereavement is a very complex encounter because developmental factors must be considered. The loss of an individual in a child’s life is heavily influenced by the time in which it occurs because coping mechanisms may or may not be developed. For example, if a child does not understand the context of death, they most likely will not have adequate coping skills to process this life-changing experience. Children and adolescents who are facing bereavement may face developmental relapse as well as changes in social, behavioral,†¦show more content†¦In their article, McFerran et al. gives a great representation of the role of music within the realm of children and adolescent bereavement: The function of music can be metaphorically represented as both a mirror and a window for the teenager. The idea of music serving as a mirror reflects an emphasis on the personal, including the intrapersonal and private roles that music can fulfill when there is no expectation of an audience for their musical engagement†¦ The contrary idea of music serving as a window encompasses the social, interpersonal, and cultural functions that music naturally serves for young people.† (McFerran et al, p. 543-544). Within the world of a teenager, the desire to feel normal is very natural. When going through the bereavement process, these individuals undoubtedly need support, but this must be approached with caution. By providing these individuals with a familiar variable, they may feel more comfortable with sharing what emotions they may be experiencing. Various studies have concluded that the relationship between children, adolescents, and music is very synonymous. Adolescents in today’s modern world tend to familiarize themselves with music in which they can relate. Furthermore, this preferential music may provide that validation for teenagers who are grieving, making it known that what they are feeling is not atypical.