Autonomy, sheltered street children and group music therapy

Abstract

The context of this study is a street shelter, situated in the inner city of Pretoria. This was the first time that music therapy sessions were conducted at the shelter. This study is conducted within a qualitative research paradigm. The primary data source is five video and one audio excerpt. The secondary data source is session notes. The data is coded, categorised and organised into emergent themes. The emergent themes highlight five aspects of group music therapy that enabled autonomy in a group of children living in the street shelter. These five emergent themes are the basis of the discussion addressing the two research questions of this study. This study shows that group music therapy is an effective and appropriate way in which these sheltered street children are able to experience autonomy, including improved self-esteem and feelings of achievement and mastery. To my knowledge, there has been no music therapy literature published with regards to group music therapy with sheltered street children within the South African context as well as internationally.