ד"ר אילת דסה

In press

Dassa, A. (in press). Navigating research challenges with people living with dementia: Reflections from music therapy research practice. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy.

2026

Laurie, S. & Dassa, A. (2026). "From story to song": Translating narrative interventions into family music therapy through songwriting. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 98, 102436.

2025

Spector-Mersel, G. & Dassa, A. (2025). 'The point isn’t that we’re old, but that we’re the founders': A generational perspective on older adults’ socio-political activism. Journal of Aging Studies, 76, 101395.

2024

Kantor, J., Weiss, C., Dassa, A., Gilboa, A., Jiaoli, L., Brotons, M., Bleckwedel, E., Kaczynski, E., Roelcke, B. & Sabbatella, P. (2024). Music therapists' job satisfaction and related factors: A cross-sectional survey in five European countries and Israel. Journal of Music Therapy, thae016.

2023

Dassa, A. (2023). The music must play on: The music therapy sessions that should not have stopped. Journal of Trial & Error, 3(2).

Rosenbach, M., Dassa, A. & Gilboa, A. (2023). Home-based music therapy for persons with dementia and their spouses as primary caregivers. Frontiers in Public Health, 11:1250689.

Dassa, A. (2023). "Meeting through music" – Online music therapy sessions for people with dementia and their spouses. GeroPsych - The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry.

Rabinovich, T., Dassa, A., Trichner, A., & Sweid, A. (2023). Cancer patients' experiences following an online music therapy 'Balance-Space' intervention: A mixed-methods study. Arts in Psychotherapy, 82, 101998.

2022

Gilboa, A., Wiess, C., Dassa, A., Bleckwedel, E., Mercadal Brotons, M., Kaczynski, E., Kantor, J., Roelcke, B., & Sabbatella, P. (2022). Why music therapists choose to work with a clinical population: An international pilot survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 9463.

Gum, A. M., Green, O., Dassa, A., Klausner, K., Gewirtz-Meydan, A. & Ayalon, L. (2022). Behavioral activation for live-in migrant home care workers and care recipients in Israel: a pilot study. Home Health Care Services Quarterly.

Cohen, L., Sher-Censor, E., Oppenheim, D., Dassa, A., Ayalon, L., & Palgi, Y. (2022). Nursing Aides’ Mentalization, Expressed Emotion, and Observed Interaction with Residents with Dementia: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Geriatric Nursing, 45, 100-107.

Cohen, L., Sher-Censor, E., Oppenheim, D., Dassa, A., Ayalon, L., & Palgi, Y. (2022). Emotional availability in dyads of nursing aide – Person with dementia: Old tool, new perspective. Dementia.

Riabzev, A., Dassa, A., & Bodner, E. (2022). "My voice is who I am" – Vocal improvisation group work with 'healthy' community-dwelling older adults. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 22(1).

2021

Dassa, A., Kay, R., & Clements-Cortes, A. (2021). Reflections on the challenges of the new music therapy setting for people with dementia. Music & Medicine – Special issue.

Dassa, A., & Amir, D. (2021). The impact of singing on language abilities of people with Alzheimer's disease in moderate-severe stage. Music & Medicine – Special issue.

Ray, K., Girija, K., Dassa, A., Slaughter-Acey, J., & Mittelman, M. (2021). Evaluating the use of music-assisted caregiving interventions by certified nursing assistants caring for nursing home residents with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders and depressive symptoms: A mixed-methods study. Music & Medicine, 13(3), 184-200.

2020

Dassa, A., Rosenbach, M., & Gilboa, A. (2020). Towards sustainable implementation of music in daily care of people with dementia and their spouses. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 71.

Dassa, A. (2020). Music therapy in dementia and end-of-life care – A report from Israel. Approaches – Special feature: Music therapy in dementia and end-of-life care: Mediterranean perspectives, 1-11.

Allalouf, M., Cohen, A., Sabban-Cohen, L., Dassa, A., Marciano, S., & Melnitzer-Beris, S. (2020). Music recommendation system for old people with dementia and other age-related conditions. HEALTHINF 2020 - Conference Proceedings.

2019

Dassa, A., & Harel, D. (2019). People with dementia as ‘Spect-Actors’ in a musical theatre group with performing arts students from the community. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 65:101592.

Dassa, A., & Harel, D. (2019). Side-by-side on stage – Music and drama form a bridge between acting students and people with dementia in an intergenerational group work. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 18(2).

2018

Dassa, A. (2018). “Opening our time capsule” – Creating an individualized music and other memory cues database to promote communication between spouses and people with dementia during visits to a nursing home. Frontiers in Medicine, 5:215.

Dassa, A. (2018). Musical Auto-Biography Interview (MABI) as promoting self-identity and well-being in the elderly thorough music and reminiscence. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy.

2017

Kavé, G., & Dassa, A. (2017). Severity of Alzheimer’s disease and language features in picture descriptions. Aphasiology.

Weiss, C., Dassa, A., & Gilboa, A. (2017). The clinical and theoretical trends of music therapists: The Israeli case. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 17(1).

2016

Ray, K., Dassa, A., Maeir, J., Davis, R., & Ogunlade, O. (2016). Caring for individuals with dementia on a continuum: An interdisciplinary approach between music therapy and nursing. In Update on Dementia, InTech Publisher.

Dassa, A. & Blum, N. (2016). A project training caregivers and relatives to incorporate music in the daily care of a person with dementia (Hebrew). Gerontology & Geriatrics – Journal of Aging Studies, 43(1), 11-28.

2015

Dassa, A. & Amir, D. (2015). The impact of singing in music therapy group on language abilities of Alzheimer’s patients in moderate to severe stages – Mixed methods research (Hebrew). Gerontology & Geriatrics – Journal of Aging Studies, 42(3), 19-46.

Dassa, A. (2015). Jewish-Israeli folklore songs. In Creative explorations and resources for music therapists, Barcelona Publishers.

2014

Dassa, A. & Amir, D. (2014). The role of singing familiar songs in encouraging conversation among people with middle to late stage Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Music Therapy, 51(2), 131-153.

2013

Dassa, A., Even-Zahav, A., Berg, Y., & Snir, G. (2013). The impact of background music during lunchtime on behavioral problems of Alzheimer's patients (Hebrew). ISRAELI Nursing Updates, 5, 3-9.

2012

Dassa, A. (2012). The narrative of female music therapists regarding their choice to work with Alzheimer's patients. In Listen to my voice: New research studies in music therapy (Hebrew), Ach Books.

2008

Dassa, A. (2008). Music therapy with the elderly. Adult Education in Israel, 11, 131-144.

2007

Ziv, N., Granot, A., Hai, S., Dassa, A., & Haimov, I. (2007). The effect of background stimulative music on behavior in Alzheimer's patients. Journal of Music Therapy, 44(4), 329-343.