An exploration of how adult patients in a private mental health care facility experience singing in a group music therapy intervention in relation to their well-being

Abstract

This study was situated in a private mental health care facility in South Africa. It explored the participants' experience of being sung to and actively singing in a group music therapy setting. It also explored the impact of singing on the well-being of adult mental health care patients. This study used secondary data to analyse the responses to two questions from a qualitative questionnaire anonymously completed by 134 participants. The data were analysed by using thematic analysis and nine themes were identified: presence and voice of therapist; experience of song choice and content; experience of collective singing during adapted GIM; freedom of participation; strengthening and upliftment; relaxation and grounding; emotional regulation and expression; self-reflection and introspection; and a new experience. The emerging themes from the data source highlighted how the participants experienced the act of singing as influencing their physical, emotional/psychological, social, and spiritual areas of well-being. It also emphasised the importance of a well-trained and skilled music therapist. The analysis further revealed how carefully chosen songs and lyrical content can bring about an experience of strengthening, upliftment, relaxation, emotional regulation, expression, and enjoyment, all of which are powerful and profound affordances towards the well-being of patients with mental illness.