Promoting music engagement: findings from the Musical Investment project

A growing body of research has begun to examine music investment and well-being; yet very little has considered how best to promote life-long investment in music. This presentation will present findings from an Australian Research Council funded discovery project that focused on generating knowledge about how and why we should invest in music-making to promote well-being. In particular, by drawing on quantitative and qualitative analyses, these findings concern differentiating the psychosocial variables related to continuing versus ceasing musical participation, exploring the reasons why people cease their participation and how to re-engage them in participating, and how participating in musical activities influences perceived well-being

The role and impact of radio listening practices in older adults' everyday lives

Previous research has indicated older adults value listening to music as a leisure activity. Yet, recent research into listening practices broadly has often focused on younger adults and the use of newer, digital listening technologies. Nonetheless, the radio, which is familiar to older people who grew up with it at the forefront of family life, is important to consider with regard to listening practices and the potential associated well-being benefits. This research investigated older adults’ everyday radio listening practices, in order to begin to understand how the radio fits into their daily lives and how it might influence their sense of well-being. Twenty-five Australian residents (aged 66–87; 56% female, 44% male) participated in semi-structured, one-to-one interviews. The results of a qualitative thematic analysis revealed themes concerning listening preferences, listening routines, access, and motivations/outcomes. While personal preferences (concerning content, stations, and presenters) were diverse, individuals clearly communicated these as well as their established listening routines and habits. Listener motivations varied: some people focused on the enjoyment that listening to the radio creates while some noted benefits to their well-being, such as relaxation, modifying their mood, and feelings of comfort and community. Radio listening practices can be defined in terms of differing engagement styles, as characterized using continua ranging from passive to active, or focused, listening as well as generalized or specific listening. Based on participants’ experiences, a proposed engagement space model links how people engage with the radio to the possible outcomes mentioned. Importantly, benefits to well-being can result from varied engagement styles. The findings presented provide an in-depth understanding of how the radio fits into older adults' everyday life, with implications for considering how the radio might be used as a widely accessed, low-cost tool for maintaining and enhancing quality of later life

Implications of radio persona characteristics on listener well-being

Community radio is known to promote psychosocial well-being for individual presenters, listeners, and their communities. While previous studies highlight the benefits to volunteers getting involved in presenting, research has not examined presenter behaviours and how they might correspond with listener well-being. To better understand this, it is important to consider if presenters take into account how their approach to presenting radio may be received by their listeners. Our present research focuses on radio presenters and their backgrounds, specifically their individual differences (e.g., gender), how and why they got into radio, and what they perceive the purpose of radio to be. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 radio personnel from six stations broadcasting in Melbourne, Australia. Thematic analysis of the transcribed interview data indicates that radio presenters are often male which potentially correlates with the dominance of male presenters over previous generations. Program managers also noted a discrepancy in the gender of their presenters, commenting that they have actively sought out females in order to encourage station and listener diversity. While there was no singular or common process that led to a career in radio, male presenters commented that they always wanted to get into radio, or gave examples of other males they listened to when growing up. Females, on the other hand, often said they got into presenting in a more roundabout way. Presenting styles appeared to align with station foci; moreover, such an alignment appeared to underpin the purpose of their show and understanding of their listening audience. This presentation will contextualize how the presenters’ backgrounds and motivations have implications for how they develop and promote relationships with their listening audience and community. Broader implications regarding how these presenters play a role in promoting individual and community well-being will also be discussed

Music technologies: ppportunities for social connection

Strategies to support psychosocial well-being in older adults are desperately needed. A developing body of research points to the relationship between continued engagement with the arts and maintaining mental health and quality of life (Wang, et al., 2020). Music is an effective, non-pharmacological tool with many social and emotional benefits particularly for older adults (Creech, et al., 2014),and technology is posited to play a role in making music interventions more accessible and cost-effective (Garrido, et al., 2018). In addition to a brief overview of how musical engagement can support older Australians' psychosocial well-being, this presentation will discuss technologies for both consuming and making music. This will focus on recent empirical research findings comparing the impact and benefit of technology-driven music opportunities designed to promote social connection. Because technologies continue to develop, it is important to consider the underpinning principles corresponding to use and engagement. These principles can guide the purchase and implementation of these technologies in aged care. We will focus on fostering musical engagement through technologies for social connection and well-being. Through this lens, we will explore: 1. Technology Types – what equipment is needed, considering price, availability, and levels of user interaction? 2. Skills & Education – how to make use of existing staff and resident knowledge, and sourcing relevant education & training. 3. Flexibility & Accessibility – how easy is it to mould or modify music technology activities to residents’ personal choices as well as their physical/ cognitive abilities? 4. Sustainability – what is reproducible and sustainable in the face of staff/resident changes? I.e. how to make sure the newly purchased technology doesn’t end up in the cupboard?! Addressing aspects of implementation relevant to practitioners creates the link between increasing awareness of the benefits of music consumption and creation and being able to translate these empirical research findings into everyday use

Radio listeners' perspectives on its purpose and potential to support older wellbeing

According to Order (2017, p. 244), community radio broadcasting is “perfectly placed to tackle the far-reaching social issue of loneliness”. This is important to note in consideration of older adult well-being. Thus, we have undertaken a program of mixed-methods research to investigate: 1) radio listeners’ considerations of the purpose of radio; and 2) the potential role of radio in promoting listener well-being. With data collection still underway, preliminary analyses drawing on semi-structured focus groups with radio listeners suggest that listeners engage with radio for entertainment (e.g., music), information (e.g., news), and connection. Listeners indicate that radio presenters act as a surrogate friend in their home, whereby the listener feels that they are part of a conversation taking place. They establish perceived relationships with presenters such that a change of presenter or program is met with mourning or an adjustment period. Having consistent engagement with presenters and programs of choice appear to be associated with listener enjoyment and comfort. Project findings will be contextualised against data collected via interviews with radio presenters to consider what synergies exist. Additionally, broader implications regarding radio listening for well-being in aged-care settings and healthy ageing policies will be discussed

Radio relationships and well-being in older age

Community radio is known to promote psychosocial well-being for individuals and their communities. Specifically, community radio broadcasting is “perfectly placed to tackle the far-reaching social issue of loneliness” (Order, 2017, p. 244) which is important as older adults, in particular, experience loneliness due to low levels of community connection. Thus, a better understanding of the social connections established between radio presenters and listeners could identify specific ways in which community and well-being in older life may be supported. This AAG-supported program of mixed-methods research investigated radio presenter behaviours to consider how their practices may be designed to facilitate their listenership’s sense of well-being. With data collection still underway, preliminary analyses suggest that radio presenters are not only recipients of well-being benefits, but are also conduits. They work with the listener in mind – scripting and delivering their presentation and content selections according to perceived audience preference. Findings will address how the behaviours of presenters relate to efforts to connect with, retain, and support the well-being of their listeners. Project findings provide an in-depth understanding of how radio relationships can promote well-being, leading to the creation of an evidence-based, user-friendly resource, designed to assist individuals and radio providers in promoting individual and community well-being. Broader implications regarding how the radio might be used in aged-care settings and healthy ageing policies will be discussed

Music as a mirror?: popular music lyrics and the COVID-19 health pandemic

Research on the relationship between significant global, socioeconomic developments and lyrical themes in pop music have indicated that deteriorating conditions are associated with an increase in negative emotional content and reproductive themes. The present research considers the presence of lyrical themes in charting pop music during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesise that top-ranked weekly singles on the USA, UK and Australian charts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic would contain more negatively valenced lyrics than the charting songs during corresponding periods in previous years. Diction 7.0 software, a text analysis program designed to analyse content of a wide variety of social discourse, was used to analyse the song lyrics. A dataset was created based on the song lyrics of the top 5 weekly songs in the USA, UK and Australia from March-August 2020 and the songs charting between March-August of 2015-2019. Results from statistical analyses that consider the hypotheses will be discussed in the presentation. The findings are expected to broaden our understanding of the relationship between significant global events (i.e., health pandemics) and trends in popular music. Moreover, implications concerning how people use music as a comforting tool will be considered

Music selection behaviors in everyday listening

Data on everyday music listening obtained via the Experience Sampling Method indicated that selection method was related to liking for and emotional response to the music, attention paid to the music, and perceived consequences of hearing the music. Individual listener’s characteristics (e.g., age and level of engagement with music) were associated with selection behaviors. Negative effects resulted when individuals perceived they did not have control over music selection. In contrast, possessing control led to positive consequences such as enjoyment and motivation. These results indicate that control is an important aspect of one’s everyday music experiences

How music listening can support perinatal maternal well-being

Introduction: The transition period to motherhood for first-time mothers can be characterized by psychological distress, negatively impacting maternal-infant bonding, familial relationships, infant development, and mothers’ functional ability and well-being. Inadequate support during the perinatal period increases mothers’ risk of psychological distress, as a result of limited support from health services, financial barriers to paid services, and limited accessibility in rural and remote areas. What type of music listening resources might support maternal well-being in the perinatal period? The present scoping review aimed to consolidate evidence-based knowledge on the role of music listening for maternal well-being during the intrapartum period. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) protocol was used (Tricco, et al., 2018). The search, conducted in March 2023, used PsycArticles, PsycInfo, Pubmed, Sage journals, Web of Science, Wiley, Medline, Scopus, Emcare on OVID, JStor, CINAHL, and EBSCO online library databases. Keywords for the search included: music AND listen*, AND perinatal OR peri natal OR perinatal OR prenatal OR pre natal OR pre-natal OR pregnan* OR labour OR labor OR birth OR intrapartum OR antepartum. English language, peer-reviewed publications between 2002 and 2022 about research specifically related to mothers’ during the intrapartum period were included. To focus on music listening, articles focused on studies and interventions other than music listening (e.g., group music lessons, singing) were excluded. Additionally, articles focused only on fertility, contraception, neonatal outcomes, or child outcomes were excluded in order to focus on the mother’s experiences during the intrapartum period. Results: Analysis of the scoping review is currently underway. Preliminary results suggest that results concerning music listening can be grouped under three themes: while pregnant (e.g., reducing stress, anxiety and depression and improving sleep quality; while in labour (reducing mothers’ stress, anxiety, and fears, providing a distraction, reducing pain/medication), and regarding longer-term consequences (increasing maternal-infant bonding and self-efficacy, decreasing the risk of postanal depression). As Robb et al. (2018) found, there is varied reporting regarding the stimuli or resources used in these studies; however, we anticipate that resulting resources might include specific songs (e.g., Spotify playlists, CDs) as well as activity parameters (e.g., instructions to listen for certain lengths/intervals or when undergoing specific activities). Discussion: By establishing the evidence base for music listening during the intrapartum period, our study has identified (the types of) music listening resources that can be added to an online resource centre for mothers. Doing so affords expectant mothers access to low-cost, evidence-based resources, aimed at reducing their likelihood of anxiety and depression pre-/post-natally. In particular, online resources provided by the scoping review enable expectant mothers within rural and remote communities who are physically isolated and face challenges accessing services the opportunity to improve their maternal self-efficacy and psychological well-being