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Music Therapy in Iran

by voices | Sat, 07/31/2004 - 23:00

A Brief Historical Introduction

In Iran some scattered activities about the applications of music have occurred in the form of graduate and undergraduate theses, and also individualized researches or studies have been conducted over the past three decades.

These studies did not place much emphasis on academic or organized structures until the year 2000 when a professional team of university professors in various related fields such as composers, neuroscientists, neuroanatomists, physicians, and psychologists decided to centralise these activities, and establish a structural organization/association. However, there was no actual music therapist in the panel due to this field being novel in our country and in an embryonic status in Iran. The association was founded in 2001 and was named MAMPHA (Music Application in Mental and Physical Health Association). MAMPHA is the pioneer and the sole active organization in the field and provides a wide range of services including consultation, work shops, annual congresses, and actual music therapy. MAMPHA team comprises:

  1. Dr. Hassan Ashayeri (Neuroscientist)
  2. Dr. Kiyanoosh Hashemian (Psychologist)
  3. Dr. Saeed Sharifian (Composer)
  4. Dr. Mohammad Taghi Joghataee (Neuroanatomist)
  5. Dr. Masoud Nematian (MD)
  6. Mohammad Reza Abdollahnejad (Psychologist)

The Professional Status of Music Therapy

Following the establishment of MAMPHA, this association set about compiling texts and research works conducted in the field of music therapy. Subsequently, MAMPHA started holding weekly workshops, training sessions, and treatments.

  1. Work Shops: In order to familiarize interested students and researchers, MAMPHA holds weekly workshops with the help of researchers and experienced professors. The subjects covered in these workshops include mental health, physical health, and the like.
  2. Training Sessions: MAMPHA has so far organized training sessions for medical, music, and psychology students in order to acquaint them with music therapy and its application in their studies.
  3. Treatment: Benefiting from the research works conducted in this field and the assistance of experts/university professors, inside and outside of the country including Ms Roia Rafieyan, Dr Jeorg Fachner, Dr Ted Ficken, and others, MAMPHA provides treatments to Autistic children, children with Down Syndrome, CP, and substance abusers.
  4. Congresses: MAMPHA has so far conducted four nation-wide congresses on music therapy development and introduction in Iran. The fourth congress held recently on 26th May 2004, was by far much more successful compared to the previous ones, in so far as number of participants and number of presented articles via public notice are concerned. This is an indication that music therapy is really growing and gaining popularity amongst researchers, university students, and the public.

The goal of MAMPHA is to further promote above items so as to develop music therapy into a university study major in the near future. In line with the afore-mentioned goal, we need the assistance and back up of researchers and experts to provide us with their knowledge and experiences.

Where and How Music Therapists Work

For the time being, music therapy is being practiced in rehabilitation centres and therapeutic community centres. In these centres, music therapy is being exercised along with speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychology. Unfortunately, due to the fact that there are no professional music therapists in Iran, the practice is not extended to hospitals and care centres, but is limited to very few places.

How Social and Cultural Factors Have Influenced in the Development of Music Therapy

Music has a historical heritage of over 1000 years in Iran. Some of the present Western musical instruments have been copied from Iranian instruments, and Iranian music styles are known all over the eastern part of the globe. Music here is interwoven with peoples' lives, customs, and our poems. Our scientists have also emphasized on the effect of music on mental and physical health. Our people nowadays pay a lot of attention to music and especially the younger generation, who are taking a serious role in developing their music skills.

With respect to current cultural restrictions, part of the government relevant department is looking at this development from a pessimistic perspective, doubting whether or not this therapy can be of true medical result or not. In addition, there are certain basic influences and disagreements with music itself.

As far as potentials in music therapy development in Iran are concerned, it can be noted that there has been a rising attention and a growing participation rate in the music therapy congresses held in annually. On the other hand, the practicing of this sort of therapy by other medical specialists and psychologists has resulted in the decision made by the officials of higher education in Iran to develop it as a major to be taught and studied in universities. MAMPHA is currently working out a tentative scheme to be presented to the officials for further processing and implementation.

How to cite this page

Abdollahnejad, M.Reza (2004). Music Therapy in Iran. Voices Resources. Retrieved January 15, 2015, from http://testvoices.uib.no/community/?q=country/monthiran_august2004