Music Therapy Research, 2nd Edition, is a complete revision of Music Therapy Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives. This second edition of the book, including 41 chapters by 30 authors updates, topics from the first edition and adds numerous new chapters and topics. Authors are from nine countries, with broad expertise on music therapy research.

The book is arranged into five parts, each covering a different aspect of music therapy research. Examples of music therapy research are provided throughout the book.

Part 1, Music Therapy Research: Overview and Issues, addresses the diversity of music therapy practice and research and the complexity of music therapy research, including its many overlapping areas. It also deals with some considerations in making a distinction between quantitative and qualitative research and includes a historical overview of music therapy research, a presentation of the philosophy and theory of science, overviews of both quantitative and qualitative music therapy research, and information on funding research. This section can be read alone by those who want only a brief overview of music therapy research, using the overviews of quantitative and qualitative research rather than the more detailed coverage included in the later chapters.

Part 2, The Research Process, is intended to cover all aspects of music therapy research and be the focus of reading for undergraduate music therapy research courses. It begins with an overview of topics and questions, then goes on to include chapters on developing a topic, reviewing the literature, designing research, data analysis and computer programs, writing reports of the research, ethical precautions, and evaluating research. Portions of Part 1 plus this section may be all that is read by some undergraduate students, as it is possible to read this section and understand much about research in general and also about quantitative and qualitative research.

Part 3, Types of Quantitative Research, describes experimental research, survey research, meta-analysis, and two types of single-subject designs: quantitative case studies and applied behavior analysis. Chapters are illustrated with both real and hypothetical examples.

Part 4, Types of Qualitative Research, provides detailed descriptions of numerous qualitative research methods and includes examples. Its chapters, illustrated with examples, cover phenomenological inquiry, hermeneutic inquiry, naturalistic inquiry, grounded theory, first-person research, ethnography and ethnographically informed research, participatory action research, narrative inquiry, morphological research, qualitative case study research, arts-based research, and Personal Construct Psychology and the repertory grid technique.

Part 5, Types of Other Research, includes chapters on researching music, philosophical inquiry, developing theory, and historical research.

Parts 3 through 5 provide a wealth of information on music therapy research employing 21 diverse methods and should be read by those wanting more information on any of them. Each chapter details an approach to research; many of them develop this information in ways that has not been done before in the music therapy literature.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of music therapy research and will become a standard reference for students and professionals in the field. (ISBN: 1-891278-26-6
Hard-back: $72)