Date of Award

12-1999

Degree Name

Master of Music

Department

Music

First Advisor

Brian Wilson

Second Advisor

David Smith

Third Advisor

Ellen GriggsDrane

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Music therapists who work in hospice/palliative care settings are susceptible to burnout as well as others who work in health care settings. In this descriptive correlation study, the components of occupational stress or burnout among music therapists working in hospice/palliative care settings were studied. A mail survey was sent to 300 music therapists who worked in hospice/palliative care settings and were members of the American Music Therapy Association. Of the 181 surveys that were returned, 106 were acceptable for use in this study. Their responses to the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Work Environment Scale, as well as information from the demographic data form revealed moderate to low levels of burnout in the three subgroups of Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishments. Some respondents reported experiencing stress and work environment concerns while others found personal stress release from the music therapy interventions provided for their patients. Comments from a number of respondents indicated that the music may have acted as a buffer to burnout along with the use of facility support programs, and support from family as helpful coping measures.

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