M.A.TH.I.S. is an acronym for Music-Assisted THerapeutic Intervention Strategies developed by Dr. Stephen Mathis. As the name implies, this is a musically-based program that uses a variety of therapeutic paradigms in a group setting to help adolescents and young adults come to terms with the myriad of issues facing them and their peers, friends, relationships, families, and primary care-givers. While this program was originally conceived as an in-patient treatment package, out-patient groups run at several private practices, public treatment centers, hospital-based day treatment centers, and special classrooms have demonstrated that M.A.TH.I.S. can be used to enhance these programs as well.

        Since this particular use of music as a therapeutic medium is quite atypical of most other already-existing forms of therapy involving music (so-called "music therapy"…MT…programs), coupled with the fact that many mental health professionals are usually unfamiliar with even the most common applications, this introduction is designed to educate them in its proper use. Past applications involving either individual or group uses of MT have employed various forms of music in order to alter such things as social behaviors (Michel & Martin, 1970), academic responses (Madsen & Forsythe, 1973), schizophrenic behaviors (Hauck & Martin, 1970), miscellaneous disruptive behaviors (Hanser, 1974), geriatric patients’ functioning (Palmer, 1977), stress reactions (Kibler & Rider, 1983), out-of-seat bus behaviors (Ritschl, Mongrella, & Presbie, 1972), and stereotypic behaviors (Steele & Jorgenson, 1971). Although these (and many other) MT-based programs have used the contingent application and/or removal of music to change immediate behaviors within specific settings, none have done so by directly influencing either the emotions or thoughts leading to more permanent self-enhancing behaviors.

Apart from the aforementioned studies, a select few persons (Maultsby, 1977; Mazza, 1981) have attempted to change some of the cognitions leading to the performance of more adaptive behaviors. Maultsby (1977) used rational therapy-based, therapist-generated lyrics (which actually replaced the original lyrics) that were incorporated into classical, semi-classical, and easy-listening songs in order to achieve desired cognitive changes in his patients, while Mazza (1981) experimentally used the words only from various poems and a few popular songs to assist with the treatment of alcoholic patients. Neither, however, utilized any of the following: (a) an organized, systematic use of the lyrics in a packaged, sequenced, systematized, or programmed approach, (b) teaching their approaches to professional, paraprofessional, and/or nonprofessional others so that they might use their techniques in a self-administered manner, (c) formalizing their approaches in any way, shape, or form, (d) using a combination of cognitive, behavioral, and affective

resources,(e) applying the principles to a broad range of concerns to the specific target populations of adolescents, young adults, or families, (f) individualizing the techniques for each therapeutic setting and its particular population’s concerns, (g) using a group-based approach that is equally adaptable to individuals, (h) combining prescribed and well-defined role play and social skills training exercises with the musical interventions, (i) giving predetermined sets of group questions for directional discussion on specific topics for perspective group leaders, (j) categorizing the music and accompanying lyrics into groups of affective and cognitive themes, (k) offering a therapeutic approach with music that can be adapted to a variety of settings (e.g., academic, in-patient, out-patient), (l) possessing the ability to be used with a wide variety of therapeutic schools of thought, (m) attempting to involve the patients’ significant others in the treatment, or (n) incorporating an adjunctive, musically-based treatment mode with already-existing individual and group-based therapies in a treatment facility.

        As opposed to the aforementioned studies, the primary rationale underlying this program is that the carefully programmed use of adjunctive group MT will prove to be an aid to improving and increasing appropriate attitudes, emotions, and behaviors of adolescents and young adults. Similar to Maultsby (1977) and Mazza (1981), M.A.TH.I.S. emphasizes the lyrics in various songs to effect desired patient changes. Unlike these, M.A.TH.I.S. uses a variety of already-written, intact songs for the following advantages: (a) the original, intact lyrics embedded in familiar, popular, vocal songs are used that reflect important dilemmas facing this age cohort, (b) almost always, the lyrical and the emotive aspects of popular pieces are employed in an attempt to change both cognitions and emotions, and (c) in a group therapy setting, there is an opportunity for the growth-enhancing, socio-interpersonal aspects so important to young people to be maximized through group unity, trust, cohesiveness, input, problem-solving, and social support. It is felt that this, in turn, will result in a more appropriate and constructive life-style for the patients, both while in a therapeutic setting and when they return to their day-to-day lives. In addition, since this is to be used as an adjunct to (not a replacement for) other therapeutic activities carried out in miscellaneous settings, other positive gains to be made from M.A.TH.I.S. would include the patients becoming accustomed to talking about themselves more freely (thus making the work undertaken in the patients’ respective individual psychotherapy sessions move quicker and smoother with less defenses) for the betterment of all. Since the young persons’ family group can also be of great assistance on the road back to a fuller life, parents and significant others/caregivers are made as much a part of the M.A.TH.I.S. treatment process as possible. Further, since many in-patient treatment programs are based on a cognitive, behavioral, or cognitive-behavioral re-educative model, most therapeutic activities are geared towards decreasing patients’ "deficits" and increasing their "assets". Such therapeutic activities include academic enhancement via the classroom setting, individual "talk" sessions with respective therapists, group therapy, some form of group athletic/physical activities, and remedial group encounters (i.e., social skills training). M.A.TH.I.S. fits well into this model of treatment (or any other treatment modality that seeks to decrease the "negative" and increase the "positive"), since it, too, seeks to increase patient gains by replacing self-destructive, self-defeating, self-limiting, and "negative" thoughts, feelings, and actions with more self-enhancing, "positive" ones. Also, since this is an individually tailored, preprogrammed, and preselected set of songs and accompanying activities, each facility has a music program that is uniquely its own. Coupled with this is the fact that M.A.TH.I.S. is designed to be self-administering and self-perpetuating, such that the lower-level staff (i.e., those without Master’s or Doctoral degrees of any kind) may successfully run the sessions (once trained to do so by Dr. Mathis). This makes M.A.TH.I.S. an extremely good program in terms of a facility’s efficacious use of staff, resources, time, and finances. Finally, it is felt that the use of music is a particularly powerful therapeutic medium for adolescents and young adults, because of the high degree of importance that music in general (and its associated genre) holds for this population as a whole.

        Although the characteristics of and circumstances surrounding troubled youth are mixed, there are many similarities across settings. Many problematic youth come from malfunctioning, broken, one-parent, or blended families and have frequently experienced numerous assorted problems both at home and at school. For these reasons, while the main area of focus will be on changing the patient's beliefs, feelings, and behaviors concerning the primary issue(s) for which he/she was referred, other related concerns that often contribute to the overall clinical picture are addressed. These include such things as peer pressure, familial conflict, patterns &/or methods of communication, relationships, social issues, locus of control, existential concerns, substance use, abuse, and addiction, sexual matters, and self-responsibility.

relatively simple for them to "get a feel for" those persons for whom this may not be the best approach.

        Likewise, certain patients are considered especially amenable to this form of treatment. While one need not limit his/her patient repertoire to the suggestions listed herein, the following is a list of patients for whom this program has been found to be helpful: (a) persons for whom music (especially the forms used in this program) plays an important part in their lives, (b) adolescents, (c) young adults, (d) Vietnam-era Veterans (e) mood-disordered patients, (f) suicidal persons, (g) persons suffering from a variety of existential issues, (h) substance abusers, users, and/or addicts, (i) victims of child abuse, (j) persons having Disruptive Behavior Disorders, (k) people having interpersonal relationship difficulties, (l) identity-disordered patients, and (m) families and significant others of those in treatment. As with those deemed inappropriate for this form of treatment, the clinician who becomes familiar with M.A.TH.I.S. will be able to detect those persons who will likely benefit the most.

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(770) 645 - 1800.