Abstract:
This thesis will demonstrate the relationship between music and patient recovery and well-being by citing relevant sources which shall support this thesis, and use those sources to argue that occupational therapists should be educated as to the benefits of music as therapy and henceforth employ it as a useful tool to promote recovery and wellness. The prospectus will be broken down into three sections: music’s effects physical problems, psychological problems, and examples of music’s use in occupational therapy. The use of atonal music (music without a key center) in occupational therapy as a genre will also be explored, as its unique tonality can have interesting effects on cognition, relaxation, and focus. While this thesis is not a complete review of existing literature, it serves as a starting point for future investigation into the benefits music can have in occupational therapy.