The effect of music therapy interventions on assessment and behavior changes in the number of coping skills and social adequacy on newly admitted forensic psychiatric patients in the Netherlands

INTERVENTION: During a number of (defined) musical assignments and improvisations the patient will be confronted with stress enhancing situations, like rejection, powerlessness, incompetence, personal border‐crossing and boredom. These are some of the stressors patients refer to as triggers to their crimes. A number of these assignments are described in Hakvoort (2004, 2007). During the musical observation patients initial social as well as coping reactions are observed and if possible discussed. During treatment the patients in the experimental group are offered a cognitive‐behavioral music therapy method well‐tailored to the needs of forensic patients and atuned to angemanagment with protocol led music therapy interventions (Hakvoort 2002, 2006). During the music therapy assessment after the treatment period the assignments are repeated and elaborated to aessess differences in social reactions as well as coping skills. CONDITION: ; Personality disorder ; ; PRIMARY OUTCOME: Effectiveness of musical observation as a diagnostic tool and music therapy as treatment procedure for social adequacy, coping skills and impulse regulation as measured by: ; ; 1. Number of (negative) coping skills;; ; 2. Social skills;; ; 3. Impulse regulation skills.; ; 4. HKT‐30; Diagnostic data (DSM‐IV‐TR criteria, offence, treatment goals, social skills, IQ (WAIS/Raven), relapses during research);; ; 5. Social skills Socio‐therapy (FP40);; ; 6. Atascadero Skills Profile NV (sociotherapy/psychologist; music therapist; ; 7. Coping skills Socio‐therapy (FP40) SDAS (social dysfunction and aggression scales) (MTh and sociotherapy);; ; 8. Coping reactions during music therapy (FP 40 Music Therapy Coping List);; ; 9. General Therapeutic treatment Form;; ; 10. Background form music therapists;; ; 11. Video or participating observation of coping reactions during music therapy.; ; ; SECONDARY OUTCOME: Possibility of validation of the FP40 music therapy coping list. ; ; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Subjects for the present study are male forensic psychiatric patients who are within the first 6 months of first admittance in the Dutch forensic psychiatric system.