Experience of recovery-oriented group music therapy for psychiatry service users with severe and enduring mental...

Music therapy has been shown to maintain well-being, aid mental health recovery, and improve outcomes in psychiatric conditions. However, it is not generally offered in public psychiatry services in Ireland.

This study aimed to explore the experiences of a recovery-oriented group music therapy programme for psychiatry service users (SUs) with severe and enduring mental illness.

Ten weekly sessions of group music therapy were provided to SUs. Quantitative measures were collected at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention (Meaning in Life, Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire). SUs were interviewed about their experience post-intervention. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Eighteen SUs participated across three centres. Quantitative tests found no statistically significant differences pre- and post-intervention. Qualitative analysis identified five themes within SU interviews relating to a sense of connection, music as emotional expression and a form of communication, joy and relaxation, learning and growth and challenges such as triggering unpleasant memories.

Quantitative results utilised a small sample and were contextual; however, the qualitative results provided preliminary evidence that music therapy was perceived as beneficial by SUs. Group music therapy has the potential to aid recovery for SUs with severe and enduring mental illness.