Brian Yell, The Effect of Song Collage Creation on the Self-Concepts of Adults with HIV

Despite improvements in medical treatment, persons living with HIV (PLH) continue to face a multitude of challenges that diminish quality of life and reduce psychosocial and emotional health. Common challenges faced by PLH include social stigmatization, fear of rejection, substance abuse, lack of social support, and damage to self-concept, which occur after diagnosis (Kalichman et al., 2003; Levine et al., 1991; Skinta et al., 2018; Keith, 2013). Participation in music therapy provides opportunities for PLH to express their inner world in a meaningful way (Aldridge, 1993). Musical creation through therapeutic songwriting has been identified as an effective method when working with PLH (Cordobes, 1997; Hatcher, 2007). Composition and therapeutic songwriting have also been documented as effective music therapy techniques for influencing self-concept and identity exploration (Johnson, 1981; Clarkson & Robey, 2000; Colwell et al., 2005; Tamplin et al., 2016; Baker et al., 2017). Song collage is a therapeutic songwriting technique in which lyrics from pre-existing songs are selected and then collated to create a new song that represents a theme or tells a coherent story (Tamplin, 2006). The song collage technique can be an effective approach in a group therapeutic context. By having group members contribute lyrics from pre-existing songs based on a theme, the lyrics can be arranged to create a group song (Schmidt, 1983). This pilot study is among the first to investigate the effect of therapeutic songwriting, specifically the use of the song collage technique, on the individual self-concepts of adults living with HIV. The purpose of this pilot study was to 1) investigate the effect of group therapeutic songwriting, specifically the use of the song collage technique, on the individual self-concepts of adults living with HIV; and 2) determine the feasibility of conducting such a study in a transitional housing facility for adults living with HIV/AIDS
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