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Dissertation
Therapeutic Songwriting with People Experiencing Homelessness: Exploring the Impact on Participants and Their Surrounding Communities
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Mar 2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001376
Abstract
The experience of homelessness is multifaceted, goes beyond being unhoused, and is accompanied by joys and challenges. Individual challenges are exacerbated by society through stigmatization and marginalization, and hegemonic systems that propagate homelessness. Community Music Therapy is an approach whereby individuals and communities can reveal and disrupt oppressive practices and systems. This article style dissertation includes a research proposal followed by a narrative review of the scant extant music therapy literature with people experiencing homelessness. The narrative review (a) shows that people experiencing homelessness may benefit from music therapy services, (b) describes considerations for music therapy practice with people experiencing homelessness, and (c) makes recommendations for future research, including reimagining research with people experiencing homelessness to better ensure anti-oppressive practice and research. Following the narrative review is a study description of the exploration of a therapeutic songwriting program with people experiencing homelessness and their surrounding communities. The cross-case analysis of three participants experiencing homelessness shows the positive impacts of a therapeutic songwriting program to include agency, reconnecting with and expanding musical skills, future possibilities. The experience of sharing songs with an audience was reciprocal where participants and audience participants exchanged gifts of joy, encouragement, connection, affirmation, and caring. Audience participants reported that the experience differed from their expectations, they connected in humanness, and positively shifted their perspectives about people experiencing homelessness. A potential harm aspect of the study was participants developing possibly unrealistic future expectations that, beyond the therapeutic songwriting program, could lead to later disappointments. While this study begins to address a gap in the research as the first study to explore the impact of music therapy on the surrounding communities of people experiencing homelessness, further research is warranted. A primary recommendation for future music therapy research with people experiencing homelessness is the use of deep reflexivity to better align with anti-oppressive values.
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Details
- Title
- Therapeutic Songwriting with People Experiencing Homelessness
- Creators
- Bronwen M. Landless
- Contributors
- Joke Bradt (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xiii, 198 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Creative Arts Therapies; College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991017495592404721