The evolution of music therapy and its parallels to the published articles of Donald E. Michel
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Abstract
The purposes of this study were: (1) to provide an analysis of the published articles of Donald E. Michel written between 1951 and 1995 and (2) to provide a comparison of observed trends in his writings with those in the music therapy profession. Several published content analyses of journals were examined and used as models for the analysis in this study. Previous historical studies, surveys, newsletters, and relevant articles were examined to determine trends in music therapy. Results were compared to observed trends in Michel's research; parallels and differences were detailed. Results of the analysis indicated that Michel's articles were primarily descriptive in nature and covered a wide variety of topics. Results of the comparison indicated that Michel's research frequently foreshadowed trends in the profession. The researcher concluded that Michel's research revealed him as both a leader and a visionary in the field.