Elizabethtown College alumna Monica Caluda received the Music Therapy Perspectives 2013 Undergraduate Research Award for her honors in the discipline research project: “Thematic Guide of Songs for Adolescents with Antepartum Depression.” Caluda graduated from Etown in 2013 and is currently working as an intern at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.
Caluda, as well as other Etown music therapy students, submitted abstracts from their honors projects to the American Music Therapy Association Research Committee for review. Along with Caluda, Josh Stevenson and Kate Holsopple were also accepted to present their findings during the research poster session at the national conference.
Josh Stevenson began his project titled, “A Comparative Analysis of Older Adult’s and Adolescents’ Rhythmic Improvisations” in the fall of 2012 and completed it in the spring of 2013.
Stevenson said that because of financial reasons and commitments at his internship, he is not able to attend the national conference but is excited for people to see and comment on his work. He also said that he would love to do further research on this topic in the future. Stevenson is currently interning at a psychiatric hospital, practicing music therapy with the residents. Music therapy students with a 3.5 GPA or higher have the option to take the honors in the discipline music therapy class at Etown. This class is not a requirement within the program but is optional and highly recommended by the professors.
“The purpose of my research was to collect, analyze and synthesize a collection of popular songs that can be used in music therapy with pregnant adolescents diagnosed with antepartum depression. I wanted to see if themes that appeared in popular songs, ones you hear on the radio, would be relevant. In addition to looking at the lyrics, I also looked at the musical components to see if there were any defining characteristics in the type of songs that were relevant,” Caluda said. Director of Music Therapy and Professor of Music Dr. Gene Behrens advised Caluda through the entirety of her project and specifically helped Caluda with various aspects: creating, developing and refining its overall purpose. Dr. Kevin Shorner-Johnson, assistant professor of music education, also assisted Caluda through the developmental stage by including a methodology for coding the various songs used throughout the project.
Caluda’s research poster will be up for display at the conference along with the other posters that were accepted. During the research poster session, Caluda will be able to answer any questions people may have about her project or the specific research she conducted. An extended abstract of her research project will be printed in the winter 2014 volume of “Music Therapy Perspectives,” one of two main research journals for music therapists. Caluda graduated from Etown with all of her undergraduate requirements, completing another step to becoming a board certified music therapist.
“I am currently completing the internship requirement with Fairfax County Public Schools and will finish in early March. My particular internship is a lot like being a student teacher; I have been gradually taking over my supervisor’s classes. Currently, I am responsible for two self-contained classes for children with emotional disabilities, several general education music classes and several individual sessions. Once I successfully complete the internship, I can take the board exam and hopefully get my credentials to become a music therapist,” Caluda said.
Caluda and her supervisor at Fairfax County Public Schools are looking into completing a project together that targets first graders who need extra attention with their academics by using music interventions. After taking the board exam, Caluda hopes to continue working as a music therapist either at Fairfax County Public Schools or at another school district. Caluda will accept her award and present her research at the National Music Therapy Conference in Jacksonville, Fla. on Nov. 21 through 24.
