The Resilience Songwriting Program for Adolescent Bereavement: A Mixed Methods Exploratory Study
In highlighting prior research on health and safety risks of unmanaged grief symptoms, as well as that on benefits of general music therapy for grief reduction, researchers from Drexel University made a case for exploring the impacts of specific music therapy intervention on adolescent bereavement. The preliminary study from Myers-Coffman et al. (2019) examined effects of an 8 session songwriting program on 10 adolescents who had experienced loss of a loved one. Participants engaged in intervention led by credentialed music therapists involving the creation and recording of original songs. Qualitative data trends suggested the songwriting intervention may have aided grief reduction and self-esteem improvement, with individuals reporting a sense of togetherness, support, and accomplishment.
Reference
Myers-Coffman, K., Baker, F. A., Daly, B. P., Palisano, R., & Bradt, J. (2019). The resilience songwriting program for adolescent bereavement: A mixed methods exploratory study. Journal of Music Therapy, 56(4), 348-380. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/thz011
