title: Therapeutic chorale for persons with chronic mental illness: a descriptive survey of participant experiences.
abstract: The purpose of this survey was to assess the relationship between participation in a bilingual therapeutic performance choir and the reported quality of life for persons living with a chronic psychiatric illness. The participants were 16 volunteers who ranged in age from 32-65, had a diagnosis of a major mental illness, and were members of an existing choir within a psychiatric outpatient department of a large urban general hospital. Participants completed a self-reported quality of life questionnaire designed by the researcher using Likert scales, a check list, and qualitative questions. Results demonstrated that aspects of participants' lives that they perceived were most positively affected by choir membership included self-esteem, emotional expression, mood alteration, coping with stress, comfort level within in the group, and the establishment of a regular routine. Implications for the use of choirs as a therapeutic medium and limitations of the study were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Immaculata University.
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eyre
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires