Mapping resilience: Analyses of measures and suggested uses in music therapy — Varvara Pasiali, Laree Schoolmeesters & Rebecca Engen

Volume 10 (1) 2018 – Article (first published on 20 September 2016)

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Mapping resilience: Analyses of measures and suggested uses in music therapy

Varvara Pasiali, Laree Schoolmeesters & Rebecca Engen

Abstract

Resilience – which is a process and capacity for adaptation when experiencing adverse life circumstances or cumulative stress – seems to be a particularly relevant for music therapists. However, there are challenges when assessing resilience. We screened sources (N=307) and identified seven scales that provide a quantitative measure of the degree of resilience: Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM), Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), Dispositional Resilience Scale (DRS), Resilience Scale (RS), Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ). We reviewed each scale, identified salient psychometric properties, and drew conclusions about practical uses in music therapy (screening, profiling for intervention, and measuring effects of treatment). Music therapists strive to promote clients’ wellbeing and resilience measurement instruments may provide a way of screening, profiling for intervention, or establishing specific research protocols that target strength-based competencies. These measures, however, may only provide a snapshot of the total variables that may affect responses to treatment since adaptation is only relevant within the broad community systems in which each individual belongs.

Keywords

resilience measures, assessment, screening, psychometric review

Biographies

Varvara Pasiali, PhD, MT-BC, is an Associate Professor of Music Therapy at Queens University of Charlotte.
Email: pasialiv@queens.edu

Laree Schoolmeesters, PhD, RN, CNL is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Queens University of Charlotte.
Email: schoolmeestersl@queens.edu

Rebecca Engen, PhD, MT-BC is a Professor of Music Therapy and Director of the Music Therapy Programme at Queens University of Charlotte.
Email: engenr@queens.edu