The music therapist as qualitative researcher

In recent years music therapy clinicians and researchers have been asserting that traditional approaches to research have serious deficiencies in illuminating important as pects of their clinical practice. These authors have turned to various types of qualitative research with the intention of preserving the musical and other inherent aspects of their practice. In this article the author investigates as sumptions and procedures common to both qualitative research and creative music therapy practice. The intent is to inform creative music therapists of a research approach consonant with their clinical beliefs and methods, and to demonstrate that prominent approaches to music therapy practice have incorporated analogues to procedures and beliefs characteristic of qualitative research. The choice between paradigms in any inquiry or evalu ation ought to be made on the basis of the best fit between the assumptions and postures of a paradigm and the phenomenonbeing studied or evaluated. (Guba & Lincoln, 1981, p. 56) The lack of relevance of traditional research to clinical practice in music therapy has been noted by prominent authors and surveys of practicing music therapists (Nicholas & Gilbert, 1980; bonny