Art Work(s)

IImprovisational music therapy may be valuable for persons with intensive support needs because of its possibilities to connect to preferences and abilities. This study aims to explore the form, use, and active elements of improvisational music therapy for a person with intensive support needs by describing the application of this therapy in detail. A case study was conducted in which an improvisational music therapy session was recorded with a young woman with intensive support needs. Two interviews were conducted with the music therapist (MT). The interviews were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed. The case was described based on four themes: behavior and interaction, the course and application of music therapy, the rationale behind the choices made, and the MT's reflection. Distinctive features of improvisational music therapy were the multiplicity of sounds, timbre, and the versatile use of the voice. Other features included its multi-sensory nature, repetition, adaptability, and focus on interaction. The music therapy followed a clear structure with fixed elements enhancing recognizability and familiarity, the improvisation facilitated continuous attunement to the person with intensive support needs. Besides distinctive elements of improvisational music therapy, other elements (e.g., repetition) are more frequently seen in interventions aimed at persons with similar support needs.