Therapeutic Chorale for Persons with Chronic Mental Illness: A Descriptive Survey of Participant Experiences

Abstract

The purpose of this survey was to assess the relationship between participation in a bilingual therapeutic performance choir and the reported quality of life for persons living with a chronic psychiatric illness. The participants were 16 volunteers who ranged in age from 32-65, had a diagnosis of a major mental illness, and were members of an existing choir within a psychiatric outpatient department of a large urban general hospital. Participants completed a self-reported quality of life questionnaire designed by the researcher using Likert scales, a check list, and qualitative questions. Results demonstrated that aspects of participants' lives that they perceived were most positively affected by choir membership included self-esteem, emotional expression, mood alteration, coping with stress, comfort level within in the group, and the establishment of a regular routine. Implications for the use of choirs as a therapeutic medium and limitations of the study were discussed.

Sound practice: Exploring the benefits of establishing a music group on an acute mental health inpatient unit

“…Finally, these results compare with the study by Eyre (), where mental health consumers were asked about their experiences of music therapy via the use of a questionnaire, as opposed to focus groups used in this present study, and similarly identified benefits in mood, self‐esteem and social interaction.…”

“…; Hayashi et al . ), mood (Eyre ; Silverman & Marcionetti ; Silverman & Rosenow ), evoking a sense of enjoyment and having fun (Solli et al . ), enhanced self‐esteem (Covington ; Eyre ; Grocke et al .…”

“…), mood (Eyre ; Silverman & Marcionetti ; Silverman & Rosenow ), evoking a sense of enjoyment and having fun (Solli et al . ), enhanced self‐esteem (Covington ; Eyre ; Grocke et al . ; Silverman & Marcionetti ) and feeling socially included or connected through participation (Covington ; Eyre ; Hayashi et al .…”

“…), enhanced self‐esteem (Covington ; Eyre ; Grocke et al . ; Silverman & Marcionetti ) and feeling socially included or connected through participation (Covington ; Eyre ; Hayashi et al . ; Solli et al .…”

“The Opposite of Treatment”: A qualitative study of how patients diagnosed with psychosis experience music therapy

“…Some surveys and questionnaires have been conducted (e.g. Baines, 2003; Baines & Danko, 2010; Choi, 1997; Eyre, 2011; Reker, 1991; Silverman, 2006), but their predetermined focus has resulted in limited opportunities for exploring service users’ own perspectives. A few personal narratives written by users can also be found (Hibben, 1999; Tyson, 1981).…”