Music as a healing methodology amongst adolescents in a disadvantaged community, in South Africa

Abstract

Music is one of the most relatable things for adolescents. They listen to music almost every day without realising its therapeutic potential. This study aimed to investigate music's healing properties and its usefulness in helping adolescents with psycho-social challenges. Listening to music is an activity that provides a range of physical and psychological advantages (e.g. stress reduction, relaxation, depression reduction) to people of various cultures and ages. It is a type of healing methodology that everyone, regardless of financial status, can obtain. The study explored the use of music as a healing and developmental intervention with adolescents from troubled backgrounds. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach with 15 adolescents from Sweetwaters, a disadvantaged community in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. The study followed the process of thematic analysis. Themes that emerged from the data focused on the personal meaning of music in adolescents' lives and the benefits of music. The findings from the study revealed a multitude of benefits for distressed adolescents who were dealing with a variety of psycho-social issues.