Quality of Life for People who Sing

An Exploration of Participant Experiences Singing in Neurological and Community Choirs Across New Zealand

Autores/as

  • Jordyn Danielle Thompson School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland
  • Alison Talmage School of Music, Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • Brieonie Jenkins School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland
  • Suzanne Purdy School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v22i2.3185

Palabras clave:

choral singing, Quality of Life (QOL), neurological condition, community choir

Resumen

Background: A growing ageing population in New Zealand and worldwide poses a number of challenges, including the predicted strain on public health services due to a consequential increase in neurological conditions, which tend to occur later in life. Diagnosis with a neurological condition is associated with negative psychosocial and quality of life (QOL) outcomes, which medical interventions do not address. There is growing interest in the role of music and singing in improving some of these negative outcomes that provides a rationale for the present research.

Methods: This mixed methods research explores the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of 90 choir singers who sing in neurological choirs (social singing groups offering choral singing therapy) and community choirs in New Zealand. HRQOL data were obtained using the NZ WHOQOL-BREF and choir involvement perspectives were obtained using a choir participation questionnaire (CPQ). Non-parametric statistical tests were used to explore the NZ WHOQOL-BREF and visual analogue scale (VAS) responses in the CPQ. Qualitative measures were used to explore open-ended responses in the CPQ.

Results: HRQOL was similar across participants on the psychological, social relationships, and environmental domains, and lower for neurological choir members on the physical domain. Choir involvement perspectives showed that choir members perceived several positive benefits associated with choral singing that were often identified under the psychological, social relationships, and environmental domains.

Biografía del autor/a

Jordyn Danielle Thompson, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland

Jordyn Thompson (she/her) completed her BA (Hons) in Psychology at the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau, Aotearoa New Zealand in 2018. Her research explored quality of life for people who sing in neurological and community choirs in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She is currently completing a Master of Arts at the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau, Aotearoa New Zealand with research in the field of child and adolescent wellbeing exploring school-wide strategies that support positive mental health outcomes in adulthood and reduce the impact of childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences. Jordyn has an interest in holistic, person-centred approaches to mental health and wellbeing.

Alison Talmage, School of Music, Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, New Zealand

Alison Talmage (she/her) is a music therapist, teacher, and doctoral candidate at the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau, Aotearoa New Zealand. She has worked with people with diverse needs across the lifespan. She co-founded the CeleBRation Choir at the University’s Centre for Brain Research (2009), and the Sing Up Rodney community music therapy group (2017). Her current action research study focuses on neurological choirs, that address the social and communication needs of adults with acquired neurogenic communication difficulties.

Brieonie Jenkins, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland

Brieonie Jenkins (she/her) completed her BA (Hons) in Psychology at the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau, Aotearoa New Zealand in 2017. Her research focussed on choir participation for people with neurological conditions. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Massey University – Te Kunenga ki Pūehuroa, Aotearoa New Zealand. Her current research centres on people who care for loved ones with dementia and how aspects of this caregiving role may contribute to quality of life outcomes.

Suzanne Purdy, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, and Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland

Suzanne Purdy (she/her) is Head of School of Psychology at the University of Auckland – Waipapa Taumata Rau, Aotearoa New Zealand. She has a background in neuroscience, clinical audiology and hearing and speech sciences. Her research interests include community-based therapies for people with neurological conditions and communication disorders. She is a Principal Investigator with the University’s Centre for Brain Research which supports the CeleBRation Choir.

Photo of the four authors Thompson, Talmage, Purdy and Jenkins

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Publicado

2022-07-01

Cómo citar

Thompson, J. D., Talmage, A., Jenkins, B., & Purdy, S. (2022). Quality of Life for People who Sing: An Exploration of Participant Experiences Singing in Neurological and Community Choirs Across New Zealand. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v22i2.3185

Número

Vol. 22 Núm. 2 (2022)

Sección

Research

Licencia

Derechos de autor 2022 Jordyn Danielle Thompson, Suzanne Purdy, Alison Talmage, Brieonie Jenkins

Creative Commons License

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.

Articles published prior to 2019 are subject to the following license, see: https://voices.no/index.php/voices/copyright