The Psychoanalysis of Music Improvisation: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

Abstract

Research shows that clinicians use music, either as music therapy or as an adjunct to talk therapy, in providing treatment to patients with a history of trauma, ones struggling with depression and anxiety, as well as in treating patients whose diseases have organic etiologies. However, the endopsychic structural permutations as the result of encountering music are understudied. The unique qualities of psychoanalysis mean researchers can use it as a tool to study unconscious transmutations and processes. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research was to understand the endopsychic structure changes during and after music improvisation based on the subjective experiences of 20 adult individuals. The researcher used unstructured interviews. The results show that participants moved toward partial ego positions during improvisation and felt whole after the intense moments of improvisation that involved the experience of heightened emotions. The research result can help inform treating patients with an array of psychological disorders including personality disorders and eating disorders.