Abstract
Research Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of musical instrument performance on self-esteem and aggression in Korean male middle school students with maladjustment problems.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study design was employed with the experimental group receiving weekly group music intervention program (n = 30) and a control group receiving weekly group counseling provided by a school counselor on a regular basis (n = 31). Self-esteem and aggression were evaluated using a questionnaire and were measured twice over 24 weeks.
Results: A statistically significant within-group change was observed for the experimental group’s score of total self-esteem, whereas the control group showed only change in the score of general self-esteem. In between-groups comparison, there was a statistically significant mean difference in total score of self-esteem, whereas there was no significant mean difference in total score of aggression at the post-test.
Discussion and Implications: The research suggests that music intervention can be used effectively to mental health improvement for children and adolescents.
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The Power of Music
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Cretien van Campen, PhD
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The Netherlands Institute for Social Research,
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Hague, The Netherlands
The results from the study into the effects of a music program on self-esteem and aggression deserve wider applications than adolescent studies. Working with artists in elderly care projects this study inspired me to new approaches in the care for people with dementia in particular. In my book The Proust Effect (2014) I have described the power of music and other sensory stimulation in evoking meaningful memories in older persons. For instance, in musical projects where people with dementia were invited to sing and play old folk tunes from their youth, artists in collaboration with healthcare professionals have succeeded in activating people who were spending their days in passivity and loneliness. The artists and nurses inspired the older frail people to sing along, share stories with others, and swing their bodies. They came alive and suddenly found joy and pleasure in their boring and detached lives.
Dementia in its different forms and stages of development has horrible effects on people. They lose their sense of identity, change personality, suffer from mood swings, some become aggressive now and then, some become sad and feel lost and lonely. Their worlds are shattering and they feel they are losing grip. At least that is what can be observed and sometimes taken from personal interviews when they are cognitively in a temporary better state.
How can we enhance the quality of life of people with dementia? The effects of medicines and in particular good care is known and reported in scientific studies. But the medical approach has its limitations. What can we do to make people happier? I do not believe that drugging them into a state of oblivion is a good choice. I would look out to additional artistic approaches that can lift their well-being.
In this respect the study by Hyun-Sil Kim and Hun-Soo Kim inspired me. Their study shows that a musical intervention has a positive effect on the self-esteem of adolescents but no effect on their aggressive behavior. People with dementia also suffer from low self-esteem and aggressive behavior. I would encourage scientists to follow the approach by the authors and investigate the effects of musical interventions on positive and negative aspects of well-being in other populations. It would be highly appreciated if a follow-up study could be started in the growing population of people with dementia. Not only for scientific reasons; there is a wide societal challenge to activate and inspire frail older persons to come alive.
Acknowledgments We thank the Korean male middle school students who participated in this study, as well as the research assistants and music teachers who helped with data collection.
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Kim, HS., Kim, HS., van Campen, C. (2018). The Effect of a Music Intervention Program on Self-Esteem and Aggression in Korean Male Middle School Students with Maladjustment Problems. In: Pashang, S., Khanlou, N., Clarke, J. (eds) Today’s Youth and Mental Health. Advances in Mental Health and Addiction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64838-5_13
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