Ariana Olshan UW20_M04 Professor Riley 3/10/11 Final Preliminary Research Proposal Introduction Music therapy, as defined by the

American Music Therapy Association, is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Music therapy is a technique used as a method of treatment for a wide variety of diagnoses and disorders that has been used throughout history. Today, with the growing acceptance of alternative and holistic treatments, music therapy is gaining acceptance in the therapeutic world, gaining recognition with doctors, insurers, and with the general public. Not only is it gaining recognition as an alternative health technique used in treatment for terminally ill patients and patients suffering from diseases that require extensive and harsh medical treatments, but it is also being used in the treatment of less severe disorders like substance abuse. Because music targets specific neurotransmitters and certain regions within the brain just like alcohol does, it is an effective alternative treatment option for those struggling with substance abuse that should be used more often as the primary source of treatment. Statement of Problem The topic that I will be addressing is how music therapy acts as an alternative way to treat substance abuse in patients. I will be discussing how alcohol affects the brain and how dependence is characterized. I will then explore how music affects the brain and show the similarities of the

neurotransmitters and brain regions affected. I will argue that music therapy is an alternative therapy that deserves more attention within the medical field. Statement of Purpose and Rationale for Intended Audience The purpose of this essay will be to teach the reader about the different ways in which music affects the brain, and in turn how it can effectively and economically be used to treat pain. Substance abuse is something that affects a large amount of people, and many people know people or know of people who have struggled with these addictions. I will direct this essay towards providing an example of an alternative way to treat substance abuse than pharmaceutical treatments. I will provide examples of how the brain works and how certain regions and certain neurotransmitters are affected by both alcohol and music. Additionally, I will touch on how this could be a better treatment than others due to the fact that it poses no side effects or risks and how the fact that it is gaining acceptance opens the door for this type of therapy to emerge as a leading therapy treatment for substance abuse.

Rationale for Selecting an Analytical Method I will be using psychology, medicine, and business for my analytical methods. I will focus on psychology to explain how music affects the brain, how substances affect the brain, and how music can be used as a treatment for substance abuse. I will be using medicine to talk about the brain, neurotransmitters, and how the two interact. I will also talk about different therapy options to treat substance abuse. I will touch on business briefly to talk about how insurers are becoming more accepting of music therapy and are beginning to cover it as a treatment plan. I will talk about

how this acceptance has the potential to forward the treatment and to make it a more mainstream option for people suffering from substance abuse. Discussion of Available Source Material and Major Essay Divisions After exploring many major databases, I have found an acceptable amount of source material for this topic. Because there havent been too many studies conducted or research papers written on this topic in particular due to its recent popularization, the amount of sources wasnt extremely plentiful. However there were definitely enough sources to write my paper on. I have found many sources that discuss how music and alcohol affect the brain. Other sources discuss insurance companies that are beginning to recognize music therapy as an alternative therapy which they cover. My essay will contain sections discussing what music therapy is and how it works, how the brain is affected by both alcohol and by music, and how it is growing in popularity within the field. It will also contain sections on how the brain works especially in regards to brain regions and neurotransmitters.