The role of musical possible selves in supporting subjective well-being in later life

Abstract

There is now an accepted need for initiatives that support older people's well-being.There is increasing evidence that active engagement with music has the potential to contribute to this. This paper explores the relationship between musical possible selves and subjective well-being in later life. The research reported here formed part of a larger project that focused on how active music-making could support positive cognitive, social and emotional outcomes. The research comprised three UK case study sites, each offering diverse musical activities. A sample aged 50+ (total N = 398), some of whom were novices and others who are more experienced, was recruited to complete questionnaires that included open questions and measures of well-being. In addition, individual interviews (n = 29) and focus groups (n = 15) were carried out, where participants in musical activities reflected on the meaning and function of musicmaking in their lives. The interpretation presented here suggests that through music many older people found a means by which they were able to formulate well understood and highly esteemed versions of their possible future selves. This, in turn, may have been a significant factor in helping to navigate the process of ageing in later life with enhanced subjective well-being, including a sense of purpose, a significant degree of autonomy and a strong sense of social affirmation. Varvarigou, M. (in press). The role of musical possible selves in supporting subjective well-being in later life. Music Education Research.

Perspectives of European boys about their voice change and school choral singing: developing the possible selves of adolescent male singers

“…These factors include gender, age, peer influence, stereotypes, and the presence of role models (Raider-Roth, Albert, Bircann-Barkey, Gidseg & Murray, 2008;Shepard, Nicpon, Haley, Lind & Ming Liu, 2011;Frazier, 2012;Henry, 2013;Miranda, 2013;Way, Hernandez, Rogers & Hughes, 2013). Research confirms the strong relationship between musical skill and identity 4 development during the school years and subsequent reengagement in musical activity during the adult years (Creech, Hallam, Varvarigou, Gaunt, McQueen & Pincas, 2013;Paparo, 2013).Other research has explored how adolescents, and adolescent boys in particular, develop conceptions of their future possible selves. These studies suggest that the development of possible selves is developmental and sequential, with six stages that progress from conception of an envisioned future self to realisation of that future self (see Hock, Deshler & Schumaker, 2006;Freer, 2009b).…”

Critical geragogy: A framework for facilitating older learners in community music

“…Indeed, Withnall and Percy (1994) caution that any prescriptive statements about older learners risk underestimating the rich diversity to be found among our older population. However, our research suggests that a critical-geragogy framework may have particular applications in music, providing key messages that support facilitators in developing musical activities that foster the positive benefits of music and learning (Creech, Hallam, McQueen et al, 2013).…”

“…The first phase of the Music for Life Project had explored the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of participation in music among older people (Creech, Hallam, Varvarigou et al, 2013;Hallam et al, 2014). In accordance with the general literature concerned with teaching older learners, the Music for Life Project found that facilitators played a key role in fostering effective outcomes for participants.…”

“…Although it was developed in a different context of institutional care for older people, the framework proposed by Maderer and Skiba (2006), which focuses on personcentred, fellow-centred and matter-centred goals, to some extent mirrors the dimensions of control/autonomy, social affirmation, and sense of purpose that had been identified as positive and significant benefits of engagement with musical learning in later life (Figure 1). Thus, before analysing the data we established a coding structure that modelled the principles of Maderer and Skiba's 'integrative geragogy', mapping these against the dimensions of personal and social quality of life that had been conceptualized as the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of engagement in music for older learners (Creech, Hallam, Varvarigou et al, 2013). As our aim was to consider whether and how professional practice within an informal teaching and learning context (music) may be understood through the critical-geragogy lens, it must be acknowledged that the theoretical perspective of critical geragogy was modelled in such a way as to frame our reading of the text.…”

“…Nevertheless, a growing body of compelling evidence demonstrates the potential for musical development in later life (Gembris, 2012) as well as demonstrating the wider benefits of music for later-life learners with regard to social, emotional, physical, and cognitive wellbeing Creech, Hallam, McQueen et al, 2013). In particular, Creech, Hallam, Varvarigou et al (2013) proposed a conceptual framework, demonstrating how later-life music-makers benefitted with regard to enhanced autonomy and control over their lives, a greater sense of social affirmation in being valued by others, and a renewed sense of purpose and confidence in meeting new challenges. It is clear that the issue of how to maximize these benefits of musical opportunities for older people is critical.…”