SOUND ALTERNATIVE ASSOCIATES,

The framework of a cognitive-behavioral approach, structured on Irvin Yalom’s (1983) guidelines for inpatient group treatment, along with biopsychosocial data, com bine asvaluable clinical resources for music therapists who work in acute care settings. This article is a discussion of these resources as adapted for music therapy interventions in an acute care psychiatric hospital for adults. Clinical tools for facilitating treatment interventions that will help patients develop the interpersonal skills necessary to cope with their hospitalization, and at the same time empower them to be engaged in their own treatment, are described. Group treatment strategies used in conventional verbal group therapy and their relevance to music therapy group interventions in adult acute care are briefly outlined. Two casevignettes are presented in which music therapy interventions played a significant role. Combined with a biopsychosocial data base for concise and immediate information to help the therapist cope in formulating treatment planning and delivery, a model framework for music therapy in short-term inpatient clinical practice is suggested