Using Songs with Groups of Teenagers: How Does It Work?

This article was downloaded by: [Ams/Girona*barri Lib]On: 08 October 2014, At: 08:17Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Social Work with GroupsPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wswg20

Using Songs with Groups of Teenagers: How Does ItWork?Katrina McFerran-Skewes PhD a ba University of Melbourne , Victoria, 3010, Australiab Very Special Kids Children's Hospice , MelbournePublished online: 08 Sep 2008.

To cite this article: Katrina McFerran-Skewes PhD (2005) Using Songs with Groups of Teenagers: How Does It Work?, SocialWork with Groups, 27:2-3, 143-157, DOI: 10.1300/J009v27n02_10

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J009v27n02_10

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) containedin the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make norepresentations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of theContent. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, andare not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon andshould be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable forany losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoeveror howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use ofthe Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematicreproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in anyform to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wswg20

http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1300/J009v27n02_10

http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J009v27n02_10

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Using Songs with Groups of Teenagers:How Does It Work?

Katrina McFerran-Skewes

ABSTRACT. This article discusses the value of using music in groupwork with adolescents. The article outlines the “reflective” relationshipbetween teenagers and music, allaying fears about the possible negative“causative” impact of music listening. It highlights the ability of musicto facilitate authentic self-expression and promote the achievement ofgroup cohesion. The article concludes with descriptions of three musictherapy techniques that may be relevant for social workers who chooseto incorporate songs into their group work with adolescents. [Articlecopies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service:1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <[email protected]> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]

KEYWORDS. Music, adolescents, group work

The music pours from the stereo system in the corner of the room.The pulsating bass lines seem to make the walls shudder, similarto a passing car with music blaring. Somehow the teenagers in theroom appear to be chatting over the top of the noise, sitting backoccasionally to focus more intently on the musical material. As the

Katrina McFerran-Skewes, PhD, is Lecturer, University of Melbourne, Victoria3010, Australia, and Registered Music Therapist, Very Special Kids Children’s Hos-pice, Melbourne.

The author would like to thank Andrew Malekoff for the inspiration he provided inhis book, Group Work with Adolescents.

Social Work with Groups, Vol. 27(2/3) 2004http://www.haworthpress.com/web/SWG

2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.Digital Object Identifier: 10.1300/J009v27n02_10 143

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

song reaches its frenetic conclusion, smiles are exchanged and thegroup members nod at one another and to the group leader.“Yeah, like that, I wanna write a song like that!”

Although this vignette describes a music therapy group that tookplace in Australia, this same scenario could be familiar to a group socialworker in North America. After all, it describes a homogeneous groupof young people gathered together to achieve a goal, with an adultleader to guide the process. In fact, this was a group of younger teenag-ers with social and school difficulties, but similar scenes have occurredin work with clients who are chronically ill, bereaved, misusing sub-stances, or mentally ill. Because of the broad applications possible inusing music with teenagers, the following article aims to communicatesome of the key ideas underpinning the practice of music therapy withadolescents. Social workers have a long history of using activities to fa-cilitate group processes. This article aims to encourage the use of musicby addressing some frequently held misconceptions about the relation-ship between teenagers and music, briefly highlighting some key dy-namics and aims, and providing descriptions of three music therapymethods. It is hoped that readers with various relationships to musicwill find this information accessible and familiar, perhaps even some-thing of a reminder of their own connection with music as a teenager.

MUSIC AND TEENAGERS: A POWERFUL RELATIONSHIP

Music elicits intense responses from many people, and adolescents’passionate relationship with music is certainly no exception. Within theteenage world, individuals and groups advocate a powerful commit-ment towards the style of music that they have expressed their alle-giance to. In fact, within most naturally-formed adolescent groups,there is a tendency toward a particular genre of music that the groupidentifies with, and waves like a flag of identity. Research tells us that indoing this, adolescents choose music that reflects their life experience(Roe, 1987). For example, if they feel isolated from the norm, adoles-cents prefer music that expresses that isolation and identifies them asdifferent. If they feel frustrated by what life seems to have on offer, orby the raging hormones that ravage their bodies, their musical choiceswill likely reflect this level of intensity. If they feel relatively normaland comfortable, then the simplicity of pop is an obvious choice thatstays within the boundaries of conformatism and parental approval.

144 SOCIAL WORK WITH GROUPS

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

This relationship between teenagers and music is often perceived ashaving the opposite effect. The direction is seen to be causative ratherthan reflective. For example, adults frequently propose that if adolescentslisten to Rap music they will be convinced to go and murder their moth-ers–because the lyrics describe such an event. Or that those who listen toHeavy Rock will be so “stirred up” by the drums and distorted guitar thatthey will go out and rob a liquor store. When asked, teenagers find thisposition incomprehensible. They say that lyrics are only one part of thesong and that bass lines, drum beats, singing style and image are equallyimportant. Adolescents appear to be clear about the difference betweenfantasy and reality. They do relate to the images portrayed in the musicalmaterial, not literally but metaphorically. After all, rock/pop music is theonly medium where the conflicts of the age are outlined (Lull, 1987). Is-sues of relationships, loss, death and betrayal are frequent themes (Noppeand Noppe, 1991) and these are the very issues that teenagers are grap-pling with as they begin to take responsibility for their own lives.

Despite positing this firm stance, the content of the musical materialshared in therapy groups sometimes elicits a nervous response evenfrom the most experienced music therapist. For example, while runninga day-long workshop with one group of adolescents whose parentsdeaths had been associated with drug misuse, this posited faith in the di-rectional influence of music was challenged. One of the songs played bya 15-year-old girl detailed a man berating his girlfriend, blaming her forthe difficulties in his life before eventually kicking her out of the houseand celebrating with his peers while she moaned outside the door! Thegroup loved it and unanimously decided that they wanted to write a Rapsong similar to this one. The spontaneous lyrics that they began to gen-erate incorporated aggressive banter, with the girls taking on stereotypi-cal roles and responding with whining attacks on the male characterswho flaunted guns and knives. What benefit did this offer the group? Asfacilitator, the author chose to trust the group process and continue inher role as scribe for the song-writing process, making only occasionalcomments about the level of fantasy that was evident–probably for herown benefit rather than any influence it was having on the teens.

After the completion of this song, the group moved to a second songand this time members were prepared to incorporate some aspects oftheir own life experiences in response to the facilitator’s plea to “keep itreal.” They agreed to write a song that would explain to others a littleabout what they had lived through. Having completed the chorus first,the group began to struggle with the lyrics for the first verse. Unfortu-nately, one of the volunteers assisting for the day could control herself

Katrina McFerran-Skewes 145

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

no longer and suggested a more positive interpretation of the life experi-ences of the young people. The acceptance of the previous Gangsta Raphad been a challenge for all the adults in the room and this competentvolunteer clearly wanted to make people feel better. Although theyoung people accepted the idea of “being strong” as a result of theircomplicated lives, the momentum was lost and the tone of the song wasno longer relevant to the group.

It was in this moment that the author re-discovered her belief in thedirection of young people’s relationship with music. They needed theirmusic to reflect their lives in a way that art can do so, a non-literal way.Even if they did not tote guns and bad-mouth their women, they under-stood the personal frustration that underpins these behaviors and gainedbenefit from sharing their feelings with others in this safe way. They ap-preciated the lack of censorship in the confronting lyrics, not becausethey wanted to act in those ways but because they wanted the freedom toexpress themselves however they chose to. The lyrics below give a tasteof where the young people began and where they stopped.

Chorus

Everybody’s always complainingAbout how their families going wrong

But some people ain’t even got oneAnd they’re still gettin’ on

You say you hate your mumYou say you hate your dad

You should be thankful that you’ve got themCause without them you’d be sad

Verse 1

Some things may really try youAnd get you down when you are youngBut it may turn out when you’re olderTo be the thing that makes you strong

BUT WHAT BENEFIT?

If the reader is able to accept that music itself is not harmful for ado-lescents, then the next question quickly becomes “but why use it ingroups, what is it good for?” This article highlights the potent andpre-existing relationship between teenagers and their music as the fac-


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

tor that substantiates the use of music in group work. In traditional mu-sic therapy practice, the therapist would provide a range of songs whoselyrics were relevant to the experiences of the group members in order toutilize the members’ relationship with music and facilitate a group pro-cess (Erdonmez, 1977). The group would listen to the material and thendiscuss their responses to it. While this is a worthy strategy, it becameapparent over time that this technique was also flawed at a number oflevels, particularly in its application with teenagers.

First, it assumed that all group members would “hear” the messagethat the therapist felt was relevant. Clearly, this can lead to a great dealof projection on the part of the therapist, whose own issues and beliefsmay be unconsciously relayed to the group (Butler, 1966). Second, itdid not utilize the potency of each person’s pre-existing relationshipwith music; it provided a new relationship instead. On reflection, thisseems unnecessary. As evidenced in the example above, it is significantto adolescents that they are able to authentically express themselveswithin the group context, without the censorship of the therapist. Manytherapists would not have selected the song shared above because thetypical adult reaction is of fear and horror, yet it did ultimately lead tothe goals for the day–the facilitation of authentic self-expression andgroup cohesion.

The value of activities to promote self expression is frequently docu-mented within the current social work literature. Northen and Kurland(2001) dedicate an entire chapter to exploring the value of non-discus-sion based group work, emphasizing the importance of pleasure andcreativity as well as the communication of feelings, ideas and experi-ences. In contrast to music therapists, who work primarily with the mo-dality of music and verbal processing of issues, social workers exhibit avast array of skills in the creative and leisure realms. Malekoff (1997,2002) has frequently outlined the role of poetry as a form of creative ex-pression that promotes sharing through self expression in prose as wellas other creative art forms. Kaplan (2001) describes the inclusion ofperformance as a significant aspect of group process and Wright (2002)challenges the concept of activities-based groups as non-verbal, giventhe amount of verbal material that is stimulated. She generates theorythat links the use of activities to stages of group development, a strategyused in this author’s own research as she grappled with how the musicalmaterial reflected the group process (Skewes, 2001).

Although the use of activities to promote communication has beendiscussed from many angles in the social work literature, it is importantto reiterate the validity of self-expression as a goal for group work with


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

teenagers. Why is it helpful for adolescents to be encouraged to commu-nicate honestly within a group forum? The task of identity formation(Erikson, 1965) provides one significant answer to this query. In mak-ing the transition to adulthood, adolescents work through a process ofself-discovery and realization about who they are and what makes themunique. This process does not occur in isolation, but rather through acomparison of who they consider themselves to be in contrast to thefeedback they receive from others. The closeness of match betweentheir self-perception and the perception of others is considered crucialfor the achievement of this developmental task. Too great a differencein perception can lead to a crisis in identity and an increased sense ofisolation. A close perceptive match indicates healthy growth, accordingto Erikson’s model. Therefore, it is important to have the opportunity toexpress oneself to peers and to receive their feedback, the basis ofself-expression in groups.

But this is a risky process and adolescents are not well situated for itcognitively, particularly younger teenagers who are making the transi-tion between more concrete and abstract ways of thinking (Piaget andInhelder, 1955). This is where artistic expression can play a powerfulrole. Its reliance on non-verbal communication is perfectly matched tothose who have difficulty in expressing themselves in words–whetherfor cognitive, psychological or safety reasons. In music therapy prac-tice, pure instrumental playing is frequently used as one technique forexpression. However, in broader groups that are incorporating the po-tency of music into an otherwise verbal forum, songs can provide a use-ful bridge between the world of artistic metaphor and that of language.

In a group for teenage boys with Muscular Dystrophy, this use of cre-ativity to facilitate self-expression was particularly potent. MuscularDystrophy is a degenerative illness where boys gradually lose controlover their muscles, with average length of life being approximately 20years. The six young men present on this day ranged in age between 11and 15 years. The idea of playing feelings on instruments was acceptedby the group to begin the session, so drums and other forms of percus-sion were selected to play happy, angry, frustrated and sad. Having con-nected with these emotions in a contained manner, the group facilitatorthen suggested that we try some song writing, with the intention of ver-balizing some of the feelings underpinning their playing without relyingon an insight oriented discussion (as promoted by Yalom, 1995). Theidea of Rap was again popular with this group and different roles wereassigned to the group members depending on their level of comfort withboth verbal and musical expression. Three boys volunteered to rap,


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

while another two chose to manipulate the beats on the keyboard andanother chose to work the recording gear that would lead to the creationof a CD. As the group brainstormed the lyrics for the song, it regularlymoved back and forward between the musical and verbal focus, provid-ing opportunities to break from the material that was emerging.

The lyrics to the song “How Would You Like It?” outlined the youngmens’ frustration with the general public, who either pitied them or ig-nored them. They discussed their irritation at trying to access buildingsthat supposedly had wheelchair access, but actually involved a two-miledetour in order to reach a secluded back door that would sometimes belocked! As an adult, it may seem likely that these men share these frus-trated discussions with one another frequently, but in fact they did not.Bravado is common in the young men with this disorder and more timeis spent in jest and playing Playstation than in discussing issues relatedto their illness. For this group it was particularly potent for some of theyounger boys to hear the stories of their less able peers and to developthe realization that they were not alone in facing the issues that were be-ginning to confront them.

The clear relationship between self-expression and identity forma-tion during adolescence is important; however the ability to foster thesegoals is reliant on one further achievement–that of group cohesion.Northen and Kurland (2001) explain that group cohesion manifests inindividual group members as “feelings of belongingness and attractionto the group” (p. 42). This is considered to be important to group pro-cess because “cohesive groups satisfy members needs for affiliation”(Toseland and Rivas, 1998, p. 75). Newmann (2002) explores this fur-ther, comparing images of a struggling discussion group with a vibrantand well attended bell choir. She notes the significance of activities inpromoting positive group norms and encouraging a sense of identity forthose involved. Although the importance of this positive commitmentvaries over the development of the group, it is particularly crucial in theearly stages.

The ability of music to facilitate this affiliation is linked with the at-tractiveness of music for the group members and their perception ofthemselves as a musical group. Because the achievement of trust isbased on achieving a level of affiliation, music can play a role in pro-moting this. Once achieved, the group members begin to act more natu-rally, which with teenagers involves verbal banter, horsing around, andother non-verbal interactions, as Malekoff describes (1997, p. 21).

If used effectively, music aids group development. It promotes amore “normal” social environment that is closer in style to the outside


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

world. By having young people contribute their own music, the envi-ronment is immediately owned by them, rather than by the group facili-tator. In addition, discussions of preferred music reveals a great dealabout the individual. Yet teenagers feel comparatively comfortablewhen describing themselves in this context. Obviously this has to bewell facilitated, as teenagers will be quick to criticize unusual musicalpreferences unless well primed for acceptance by others.

THREE MUSIC THERAPY TECHNIQUES

In contemplating the relevance of songs to social work groups withadolescents, three music therapy techniques appear relevant. This rangeof techniques applies to facilitators who have no personal musical expe-rience (musical contributions), as well as to those who may have welldeveloped music skills (song writing), or perhaps just musical confi-dence (lyric substitution). In utilizing these techniques, it is important ofnote that music can evoke strong and unpredictable reactions in groupmembers. Sometimes individuals are surprised by the intensity of theirown reaction or by the reaction of others and it is essential that the facili-tator anticipate and process these. The relationship between music andemotions is personal and a song that represents joy to one group mem-ber may elicit powerful and negative associations for another.

Musical Contributions

“Who would like to play their song next” prompts the group facili-tator. After a moment of silence one of the young women stands upand moves towards the CD player. “I bought in ”Beautiful" byChristina Aguilera" she states, before hitting the play button. Thegroup members smile and nod at one another, but also start to looka little less comfortable in their chairs as the song plays and theylisten attentively. As the song comes to an end, the group facilita-tor chooses to be very directive in her opening question becausethe nature of the participants’ illness often results in many covertgroup processes that feed into their negative perceptions of them-selves. She is aware that this song may have triggered a range ofresponses from various participants and wants to make sure theyare processed. “So Jane, did you choose that song because itseems relevant to having anorexia, or because of another rea-son?” Attempting to anticipate why music is important to an indi-


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

vidual relies on a certain level of trust within the group, and thatparticipants will disagree with the interpretation if it is not true forthem. “Well, there was lots of reasons really. . . .” Jane begins.

Musical contributions involve asking participants to bring songs ormusic to the group that is “significant” to them. It is essential in pre-paring for this intervention that the facilitator does not anticipate whatkind of meaning the material may have for the contributor, as this canstimulate a cognitive process in the individuals’ musical selection.Over-thinking may result with the group member sitting in front oftheir collection trying to choose the most appropriate, or most pleas-ing, piece to share with the group. Although some individuals may dothis anyway, the authenticity of expression is more likely to be en-hanced if sub-conscious processes are promoted. This is in keepingwith the non-verbal/non-intellectual processes that are supported bycreative process, rather than the intellectual processes of verbalgroups.

In sharing the musical material in the group, it is essential that a cer-tain level of respect is established for each individual’s contributions.Although adolescents are unlikely to remain quiet during the playingof music, it does need to remain the focus of that period of time. It isalso important that the contributor has the opportunity to share theirthoughts on why the song is significant before other group membershave the opportunity to comment, as this will most certainly affect thenature of the discussion. Depending on the level of verbal skills withinthe group, this process can take from 5 minutes per contributor to 30minutes, so it is worth warning group members that they may not havetheir turn to play a piece on the first day. Alternately, a lack of verbalprocessing does not imply a failed process, but should be interpretedas the music having spoken for itself and not requiring further discus-sion. In my own doctoral research with a group of bereaved adoles-cents, I was initially disappointed in the level of verbal processing thatoccurred in response to some very powerful musical contributions.However, in undertaking in-depth interviews with the participants atthe end of the process, it was commonly acknowledged that the songshad facilitated access to memories and associated feelings, as well asopportunities for altruism and empathy (Skewes, 2001, pp. 123, 131),despite the lack of verbal sharing.


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

Lyric Substitution

The group of bereaved teenagers had decided that they wanted towrite a song that represented their experience of grief, and thatthey would change the words to Greenday’s “Time of Your Life.”The discussion that had led to this point had been on the topic ofpeers and their seeming lack of interest in talking about the loss.“They just never ask me about my mum.” “She’s my best friend,but she didn’t even notice that it was a year since Billy died. Shejust got annoyed at me’ coz I was in a bad mood.” “It’s not fair.”The group leader asked the young people to decide what the mostimportant message was from their discussion, because this shouldbe used in the chorus. “Lack of understanding,” “Selfishness,”“Talk to me,” were popular suggestions. The group leader pickedup her guitar and sang them back to the group in the structure ofthe chorus.

It’s something hard to understandYou need to talk to me

Instead, you just behave so selfishly

“How does that sound,” she asked the group. After some discus-sion they changed the second line to a question, “Why don’t youtalk to me?” followed by, “Instead of just behaving selfishly.”“Excellent,” exclaimed a group member, “I know what I want theverse to start with!”

This method is considered to be active, rather than receptive, in mu-sic therapy practice. It encourages actual participation in the creation ofthe musical material, rather than reflecting on pre-composed songs ormusic. It is a process of changing the lyrics of a pre-existing song so thatthey more accurately reflect the experience of the group participants. Inselecting the song to be used for this process, it is once again importantto recall the unpredictable associations that group members may havewith songs. Ideally, the group itself will come to an agreement on thesong to be used through a process of discussion and, usually, compro-mise. However, the result of such a free process can be challenging for anon-musician who does not have the skills to “hear” the underlying har-monies of a song and to be able to reproduce it in an instant. For this rea-son, it may be important to direct the group towards a repertoire that isknown by the group facilitator. Although some of the ownership of the


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

material is lost in doing so, it is important that the group leader be confi-dent in modeling participation in lyric substitution. The group is goingto take part in the production of a song, either through singing, playingof musical instruments or even dancing, and the group leader must beable to encourage relaxed participation. The tradition of sing-a-longshas currently disappeared from our culture and many teenagers will feelvulnerable about singing or rapping unless the group leader models en-joyment and pleasure in the act of music making.

In developing the lyrical material for the song, the rhythms andphrases of the original piece need to be honored, but not perfectlymatched. If the content of the new words requires extra beats, it is a sim-ple process to incorporate additional beats into each line. An example is“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,” can turn into “I wish that youwere still here, and I could see you smiling.” The first phrase now con-tains eight rather than six pulses, but with some syncopation and an ear-lier entry, this can be facilitated. This capacity for variation is essentialbecause the content of the lyrics in this method takes priority over themusical expression, which is pre-composed. It is important to accept allcontributions made by group members, even if they do not seem to“work,” because this is the symbolic acceptance of that person’s emo-tional experience. Most group members are surprisingly willing tosqueeze the words in because they understand the importance of thiscontent. Those group members who are determined to do things cor-rectly can usually be persuaded by an explanation of the process, suchas “Ahhh yes Steven, you are right of course, but do you think it is moreimportant that this song expresses our ideas honestly, or that we get therhythms correct?” The compromises and decision making inherent inthis process provide wonderful material for group dynamics.

Song Writing

Having decided to write a Rap song and generated a stream of lyr-ics telling the story of a young man diagnosed with cancer, thegroup was ready by week four to consider how they would performtheir song. They debated between the creation of a video clip, alive performance or making a CD. Each performance medium hadpositives and negatives, which had also been discussed, such aslevel of embarrassment, difficulties in production and possible au-dience for their original song. The group leader brought topics tolight as appropriate, such as feasibility, and then allowed thegroup to take ownership for the decision that was to be made. At


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

moments where the discussion stalled, she suggested a rehearsalof the material in order to take a break from the verbal interaction.Alternately, if issues of relevance to the group’s purpose were be-ing brushed over, she highlighted the underlying process and en-couraged further discussion. Eventually, the group decided on thecreation of a video clip, with full editing rights so that they wereable to be sure they approved of their image and the representa-tion of the song itself. Logistics were negotiated and the group fa-cilitator was given a list of options to follow up and report back tothe group the following week.

The composition of an original song for the purposes of therapeuticgroup work is a complex task that can last over a number of sessions, al-though it is possible to facilitate it more swiftly if there is greater musi-cal input from the leader. In combining the expressive potential of lyricsand music, this method activates a number of group processes that re-quire careful facilitation and attention to detail. O’Callaghan (1997) hasdiscussed a specific method for song writing with palliative care pa-tients that is used frequently in individual work in music therapy. Thefollowing series of steps was developed from this description, withguidance from the work of O’Brien (2003), and broadly describes a pro-cess for group song writing as it is used in music therapy. The use of theterm “brainstorming” is based on the social work method identified byOsborn (1963) and understanding of its application is assumed in thiscontext.

1. Introduction to Idea of Song Writing–identifying what is suc-cessful in preferred songs.

2. Selecting Song Style–group decision making process regardinggenre of song.

3. Identifying Musical Roles–who will play, who will sing, otherroles?

4. Brainstorming Song Concept–gathering together all ideas forsong and then selecting a focus.

5. Brainstorming Lyrics–generating pages of ideas related to thesong concept without trying to shape them into any kind of lyri-cal framework.

6. Selecting Ideas for Inclusion–where possible, including allideas, but often going back over proposals and identifying thosefor inclusion.


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

7. Determining Song Structure–does this material have one coreidea that would suit a chorus and the rest can be fitted intoverses/bridge, or is it through-composed?

8. To Rhyme or not to Rhyme–Important decision because of peo-ple’s preconceived ideas of how a good song “should” sound.

9. Creating Lyrics–Involving group in process of creating lyricsand making decisions about length of phrases and meter.

10. Creating Melody and Harmony–Asking group to “sing” or “rap”the words as they hear them. Alternately, offering choices ofmelodies or rhythms for group to choose from.

11. Finalizing Musical Features–checking tempo, accompanimentstyles, musical roles, dynamics and other musical nuance.

12. Rehearsing–playing through the song on a number of occasions,and recording rough drafts, particularly if process is occurringover a number of weeks.

13. Final Performance–this can occur within the group process,sometimes as the final group activity, be recorded to CD, or evenperformed to a select audience depending on confidence levelsand aims of group.

On many occasions a different order of events actually occurs in cre-ating the original song and this outline should not be considered as arigid set of rules to be followed. Similarly, some groups may be moreinterested in the musical material and spend very little time on the lyricsdevelopment, or vice versa. In this case, the skills of the group facilita-tor to improvise the remaining elements are crucial so that the process ofthe group proceeds unhampered.

CONCLUSION

The use of music in group work with adolescents has great potentialin promoting authentic self-expression and the achievement of groupcohesion. However, it is often neglected because of the very strong re-sponses that group members and group leaders have to the musical ma-terial and preferences of others. This article promotes the inclusion ofmusic as both an active and receptive method for working with this cli-ent group, but also acknowledges the powerful and unpredictable re-sponses that people may have to music. Even the most innocentexperience of singing known songs can result in tears if the associationsto different pieces are not acknowledged. This is true of work with any


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

age group. War veterans may recall prison-camp experiences, familymembers may have used a song as part of a funeral, and teenagers willmost certainly have strong associations with both the genre of musicand to specific songs. This potency is the basis for the use of music in fa-cilitating group processes. When used effectively, music can have apowerful effect on the level of honest and authentic sharing within agroup.

REFERENCES

Butler, B. (1966). Music group psychotherapy. Journal of Music Therapy, 3 (2), 53-56.Erdonmez, D. (1977). Music as a projective technique. Proceedings of the Third Na-

tional Conference of the Australian Music Therapy Association, pp. 11-16.Erikson, E. H. (1965). Childhood and society. London: Penguin Books Ltd.Kaplan, C. (2001). The purposeful use of performance in groups: A new look at the bal-

ance of task and process. Social Work with Groups, 24 (2), 47-68.Lull, J. (1987). An introduction. In Lull, J. (Ed.), Popular music and communication

(pp. 10-35). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications.Malekoff, A. (1997). Group work with adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.Malekoff, A. (2002). “What could happen and what couldn’t happen”: A poetry club

for kids. Families in Society, 83 (1), 29-34.Newmann, E.W. (2002). Bell choir, somersaults and cucumber sandwiches: A journey

in understanding the importance of positive group norms. Social Work with Groups,25 (1), 45-52.

Noppe, L. D. and Noppe, I. C. (1991). Dialectical themes in adolescent conceptions ofdeath. Journal of Adolescent Research, 6, 28-42.

Northen, H. and Kurland, R. (2001). Social work with groups (3rd ed.). New York: Co-lumbia University Press.

O’Brien, E. (2003). The nature of the interactions between patient and therapist whenwriting a song on a Bone Marrow Transplant Ward. Unpublished Master’s thesis.Melbourne: The University of Melbourne.

O’Callaghan, C. (1997). Therapeutic opportunities associated with the music when us-ing song writing in palliative care, Music Therapy Perspectives, 15, 13-38.

Osborn, A. (1963). Applied imagination: Principles and procedures of creative prob-lem solving (3rd ed.). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Piaget, J. and Inhelder, B. (1958). The growth of logical thinking from childhood to ad-olescence (A. Parsons and S. Seagrin, Trans.). New York, NY: Basic Books.

Roe, K. (1987). The school and music in adolescent socialization. In J. Lull (Ed.), Pop-ular music and communication (pp. 212-230). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publica-tions.

Skewes, K. (2001). The experience of group music therapy for six bereaved adoles-cents. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Melbourne, Australia(available at www.musictherapyworld.de).


Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

Toseland, R.W. and Rivas, R.F. (1998). An introduction to group work practice (3rded.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Wright, W. (2002). But I want to do a real group: A personal journey from snubbing toloving to theorizing to demanding activity based group work. Social Work withGroups, 25 (1), 107-112.

Yalom, I. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York,NY: Basic Books.

MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED: 02/16/04MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED: 03/15/04


For FACULTY/PROFESSIONALS with journal subscriptionrecommendation authority for their institutional library . . .

Please send me a complimentary sample of this journal:

(please write complete journal title here–do not leave blank)

If you have read a reprint or photocopy of this article, would you like tomake sure that your library also subscribes to this journal? If you havethe authority to recommend subscriptions to your library, we will send youa free complete (print edition) sample copy for review with your librarian.

1. Fill out the form below and make sure that you type or write out clearly both the nameof the journal and your own name and address. Or send your request via e-mail [email protected] including in the subject line “Sample Copy Request”and the title of this journal.

2. Make sure to include your name and complete postal mailing address as well as yourinstitutional/agency library name in the text of your e-mail.

[Please note: we cannot mail specific journal samples, such as the issue in which a specific article appears.Sample issues are provided with the hope that you might review a possible subscription/e-subscription withyour institution's librarian. There is no charge for an institution/campus-wide electronic subscriptionconcurrent with the archival print edition subscription.]

I will show this journal to our institutional or agency library for a possible subscription.Institution/Agency Library: ______________________________________________

Name: _____________________________________________________________

Institution: __________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________

City: ____________________Return to: Sample Copy Department,The Haworth Press, Inc.,

10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580

State: __________ Zip: ____________________

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Am

s/G

iron

a*ba

rri L

ib]

at 0

8:17

08

Oct

ober

201

4

Documents

Using Songs with Groups of Teenagers: How Does It Work?