Abstract
Patients in psychiatric facilities with severe mental health symptoms may endanger the safety of
themselves or others. Healthcare staff may utilize de-escalation techniques and crisis
management skills to resolve the conflict. However, if these methods are ineffective physical
restraints are used to restrict the patient’s movement and prevent further injury. The use of
physical restraints in psychiatric facilities has raised ethical concerns. Recent studies have shown
that restraints may be traumatic and countertherapeutic for the patient. The purpose of this study
was to demonstrate how music therapy influences the process of de-escalation for adults
receiving care on inpatient mental health units. Three music therapists described their
experiences of using music to de-escalate a psychiatric patient in one individual interview.
Transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using the procedures and techniques of Interpretative
Phenomenological Analysis. These interviews provided detailed and insightful accounts
demonstrating the successful use of music therapy as a de-escalation technique. The participants
described a de-escalation scenario from their clinical work including patient symptoms, music
therapy techniques, and the patient’s response to music therapy. Thematic material related to the
interaction between each participant and their patient, benefits of rapport, and the musical
behaviors of each patient were extracted from the data. The results revealed that music therapy
can significantly improve the process of de-escalation. Music therapy allowed the patients to
play an active role in the de-escalation process. Each patient was encouraged to participate in
musical interactions that promoted self-regulation and self-expression. The effectiveness of
music therapy as a de-escalation technique can be used to reduce the use of physical restraints.
