Traditional music, recovery-oriented psychological functioning, and psychological resilience among ethnic minority...

Traditional music is an integral component of cultural identity, collective participation, emotional expression, and social relationships among ethnic minority communities in Southwest China. However, the pathways through which Traditional Music Engagement (TME) may relate to recovery-oriented psychological functioning (ROPF), Perceived Social Support (PSS), and Psychological Resilience (PR) remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the associations among TME, Cultural Identity (CI), Community Participation (CP), Emotional Expression through Music (EEM), ROPF, PSS, and PR among members of the Dai, Yi, Miao, and Dong communities.

A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 503 participants and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), and bias-corrected bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples. Subsequently, 32 adult participants were interviewed to contextualize and elaborate on the quantitative findings. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, and the quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated during interpretation.

The measurement model demonstrated satisfactory fit (CFI = 0.961, TLI = 0.956, RMSEA = 0.051), and the structural model showed good fit (CFI = 0.955, TLI = 0.951, RMSEA = 0.054). TME, CI, CP, and EEM were positively associated with ROPF and PSS. ROPF (β = 0.421, p < 0.001) and PSS (β = 0.288, p < 0.001) were positively associated with PR, with the model explaining 73.4% of the variance in PR. The qualitative analysis generated four interrelated themes: emotional expression and regulation; cultural continuity and meaning; collective support and community cohesion; and adaptive resilience and future orientation.

Integrated findings suggest that traditional music may function as a culturally embedded emotional, cultural, and relational resource associated with recovery-oriented psychological functioning, perceived social support, and psychological resilience among ethnic minority communities in Southwest China. The qualitative findings further indicate that music engagement may support emotional regulation, cultural continuity, collective connectedness, and adaptive orientations toward the future. Nevertheless, the cross-sectional and self-reported nature of the quantitative data limits causal interpretation. Future longitudinal and multimethod research is warranted to examine the temporal and causal pathways underlying these associations.