Job satisfaction among music therapists

Job satisfaction surveys were mailed to 2,371 registered and certified members from the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) and the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT). Materials included a 36-item questionnaire and a stamped, return addressed envelope. Of the questionnaires distributed, 1,344 (57%) were returned. Reliability analysis of the job satisfaction scale, performed as a measure of internal consistency on 885 cases, revealed an alpha coefficient of .85. The measure of job satisfaction used in this study is therefore accepted as highly reliable. The present study suggests that music therapists indeed report a pleasurable emotional state as they evaluate their jobs. The nature of music therapists' work and other conditions of their employment contribute to high job satisfaction.