Music Therapy in the Bereavement of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: A Feasibility Study

This study explored the effect of music therapy on the issues associated with the bereavement in 3 adults with intellectual disability (ID). Adapted from the work of Hilliard (2007), it employed a 9-week group music therapy protocol designed to educate individuals about death and how to deal with feelings that arise when a loved one dies. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for Developmental Disabilities (BPRS-DD; Bodfish, 1995) was administered at weeks 1, 9, and 13 to assess any behavioral changes as observed by staff psychologists. Following the series of music therapy sessions, 1 of the 3 individuals exhibited a reduced level of negative behaviors, as measured by the BPRS-DD, which was maintained through the follow-up measure. The other 2 participants’ BPRS-DD scores remained static. Of the 3 participants, 2 demonstrated improved social skills in the group music therapy.