Graduation Year
2015
Date of Submission
4-2015
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Psychology
Reader 1
Piercarlo Valdesolo
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2015 Andrew P. Levihn-Coon
Abstract
The widespread prevalence of depression throughout the world, across a variety of demographics, stresses the importance of examining different ways of coping with the affliction. This paper provides a background of different theories of coping with depression and it reviews how therapeutic songwriting, a form of active music therapy, can work as a highly effective method of coping with depression. The review indicates that therapeutic songwriting can be a successful coping mechanism through its positive influence as a primary and secondary control engagement coping strategy. Furthermore, songwriting acts as an adaptive distractor and emotion regulator, and has a positive impact on self-esteem and subsequently self-compassion. Additional benefits of therapeutic songwriting are discussed such as its time effectiveness and its ability to act as a therapy motivator and a psychoeducational tool. The findings indicate a need for future research to examine original therapeutic songwriting, in which the therapy-participant creates both original music and lyrics with the guidance of the therapist, as a potentially successful treatment for depression.
Recommended Citation
Levihn-Coon, Andrew, "Singing the Blues Away: Songwriting as a Coping Mechanism for Depression" (2015). CMC Senior Theses. 1173.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1173
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
