This study focuses on the first stage of instrument development, content validity, and provides guidance on what steps should be taken when designing and evaluating content through the development of an instrument to reflect a recent theory concerning emotional episodes. To establish this instrument, we (1) operationalized the theory, identifying 25 sub-constructs for topics such as listening attention, meaning generation, preferences, familiarity, reward, and functions attributed to the use of music to regulate affectual states; (2) proposed a set of items (N = 495) to represent the relevant constructs operationalized here from the Episode Model; (3) analyzed and reduced the item pool with natural language processing (NLP); (4) assessed whether items were indeed reflective of their assumed construct and would garner appropriate responses using feedback supplied by subject matter experts; (5) refined the item pool based on expert feedback; (6) reassessed the revised items which resulted in a reduced item sample (N = 168). Through this collaborative content validity process, experts supported the theoretical positioning of the Episode Model through their agreement with the operationalized constructs. Expert insight shaped the implementation of theory from loosely associated items into a more tightly interrelated set of items, comprising fewer and more distinct constructs. We conclude by discussing the purpose of these content validity processes and outline the next stages of instrument development to construct a robust instrument which contextualizes emotional episodes experienced with music.

When live music paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, people looked for other opportunities to engage with music. The present case study explored a group of cycling enthusiasts who engaged in a collaborative playlist-making activity during COVID-19, called "Song of the Day." Our two research questions asked: (1) What does the group's collaborative playlisting process entail? and (2) What were the outcomes of engaging in collaborative playlist-making during the COVID-19 pandemic? Using an exploratory, qualitative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with group members (N = 4 Australian residents; M-age = 63). Five overarching themes were identified via Thematic Analysis: inspiration and ongoing participation, promoting emotional well-being, bonding, shared and expanded musical engagement, and song selection. Although initially motivated by a simple premise of sharing one song a day to lighten the mood and keep in touch during lockdowns, the playlisting activity guidelines evolved over time. A shift to selecting songs that met stated thematic parameters made the activity challenging and elicited competitiveness and conversation, which fostered continued participation and deepened existing friendships. Engaging in this form of collaborative playlisting sparked enjoyment and nostalgia, fostered group conversation, created opportunities for bonding, and prompted the exploration and discovery of new music and artists. As lockdowns ended, the activity continued, and group members also began attending live, in-person music events together. The group's use of multiple technologies to share, listen, and discuss extend previous research on collaborative playlist-making and further our understanding of how creative music engagement promotes social connection and well-being.

Understanding why children want to learn a musical instrument and the meanings they make from their initial interest can inform pedagogical approaches that enhance music education programmes and support sustained student learning. Research has focused on musicians’ motivations, with less attention given to children’s perspectives during early learning. This study applied Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Participatory Action Research, a combination of methodologies rarely used in music education research, to investigate the initial interests of 14 seven-year-old beginner cellists. As lessons commenced, the children and their mothers participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Analysis revealed rich and novel idiographic insights into the development of children’s musical motivation. Thematic findings indicated that children were primed for learning through prior musical enjoyment, exposure to stringed instrument classes, and a newfound affinity for the cello. Intrapersonal factors included four key motivations: a desire to be creative or musical, the pursuit of a hobby, curiosity about learning, and mood regulation. Interpersonal influences encompassed children’s desires to connect with family members, form peer friendships, including through orchestra participation, and build a relationship with the teacher-researcher. Each child had a unique configuration of motives, suggesting the value of personalised pedagogy in the earliest stages of learning.

The evolution of digital listening technologies continues to impact the way we think about music consumption and music listening practices. Krause and North's (2016) findings suggest that, in addition to demographic characteristics, psychological constructs should be considered when investigating listening practices and technology use. The present study used latent profile analysis (LPA), a statistical technique that identifies latent subgroups within a population, to explore profiles of music listening in younger adults. We drew on data collected from 584 adults aged 17-35 (Mage = 19.61) residing in Australia (74.1% female and 23.3% male). Participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographics questions and established measures of musicianship, music engagement, music identity and format use. LPA identified four distinct profiles of listeners: disengaged consumers (5.8% of the sample), enthusiasts (14.2%) and two mainstream listening profiles differentiated by paid (52.6%) versus free streaming use (27.4%). Format use, music identity and music engagement were relevant differentiators of the listener profiles. Our findings indicate heterogeneity in young adult music listeners, pointing to how the constellation of these indicators shapes distinct patterns of engagement with music. Study findings further our theoretical understanding of how individuals consume music in everyday life with implications for future research aiming to unpack the distinct psychological and behavioural characteristics that shape different listeners.

Extending Fischoff, we used vignettes to examine people's perceptions of a hypothetical rap fan accused of murder. Study 1 (N = 300) used a 2 (murder accusation) & times; 2 (inclusion of rap lyrics) & times; 2 (fan gender) experiment, asking participants to judge how capable of murder and sexually aggressive they found the fan. The presentation of lyrics and murder accusation were associated with the fan being more capable of murder, while rap lyrics and participants' rap attitudes were associated with the fan being more sexually aggressive. Thematic analysis revealed that, in conditions containing both the lyrics and the murder accusation, participants reported greater consideration of the rap lyrics than the murder accusation when rating the fan. Then, Study 2 (N = 504) used a 3 (criminal accusation) & times; 5 (genre label) experiment to separate the influence of the lyrics from the genre label and further interrogate criminal stereotypes. Holding more positive rap attitudes was associated with the fan being less capable of murder and less sexually aggressive. Importantly, a content analysis revealed that 86% of participants ascribed the lyrics as rap, even with a different label. These findings demonstrate the pervasiveness and salience of rap-related stereotypes on character judgements.

HYPOTHESIS:Due to upward social comparison, we hypothesized that exposure to reality television singing (a technically demanding style of contemporary commercial music singing) would negatively influence singing self-concept compared to hearing amateur singers or plain, unembellished singing by professionals. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:A between-subjects, online experiment was used. A sample of 212 individuals (Mage = 33.14; 69.30% female) participated in the study. After completing a background section, participants were randomly allocated into one of the experimental conditions (hearing one of four versions of a well-known song: a control version with piano and no singing, amateur singing, professional plain singing, and professional singing in the style of reality television singing). Participants were then asked to judge the performance they heard and to respond to items concerning their singing self-concept (including singing ability). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:A series of ANCOVAs was used to examine the impact of the experimental condition on the participants' performance judgments and singing self-concept. The amateur singing was judged as the lowest quality. While there was no significant difference by experimental condition regarding possessing good singing ability, the experimental condition did affect people's singing aspirations and perceived ability to sing along with the performers. The pattern of results suggests that exposure to reality television-style singing may have negative impacts on people's singing self-concept via upward social comparison. Self-concept has been identified as an important predictor of musical engagement and participation and plays a role in motivating action. These results encourage music educators, singing voice pedagogues, and community musicians seeking to promote musical and singing participation to be aware of cultural influences on an individual's singing self-concept.

Music performance is a demanding activity requiring complex coordination of abilities from diverse domains. It can be perceived as a form of artistic expression and communication but experienced as a demonstration of personal competency with emotional ramifications that affect musicians’ ongoing interest and motivations. Participating in music performance is often a key part of musical development; however, children’s perspectives on formative experiences of music performance during early learning are largely unknown. Given the broad range of interacting factors and significant implications, understanding musicians’ performance experiences, particularly for child learners, is vital to support sustained engagement. The present study investigated 14 seven-year-old beginner cellists’ experiences of music performance during the first 18 months of tuition via a novel combination of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Participatory Action Research methodologies. Three superordinate themes emerged: (1) feelings of arousal and emotional valence during performance, (2) the identification of four distinct performance environments, and (3) the impact of performance experiences in each environment on children’s personal development, including fostering autonomy, agency, confidence, altruism, and social connection. The findings have pedagogical implications for how educators and parents of novice musicians in middle childhood can provide safe music learning environments with varied means of engaging in a range of supportive performance opportunities.

Motherhood can be characterized by psychological distress, negatively impacting familial relationships and mothers’ well-being. A growing body of research supports the use of music listening for well-being. The present scoping review aimed to (1) consolidate evidence-based knowledge on the role of music listening for maternal well-being prenatally and during birth, and (2) examine the features of the music resources used in the published research. Following PRISMA guidelines for Scoping Reviews, a database search using three search terms (versions of music, listen*, and prenatal or birth) resulted in analyzing 55 articles. Thematic analysis identified the well-being benefits of music listening during pregnancy (three sub-themes: psychological well-being, attachment, and physiological well-being) and birth (three sub-themes: pain management, psychological well-being, and labor progression). During pregnancy, music listening significantly improves psychological well-being, fosters maternal-fetal attachment, and improves physiological well-being (e.g., sleep, blood pressure, heart rate). During labor, music listening significantly reduces labor duration and pain, accelerates labor progression, increases the likelihood of vaginal delivery. Details about the music were often missing; however, when provided, most studies implemented a single session lasting 15 to 30 minutes with experimenter-selected music. These findings have implications for using music listening as an accessible, non-pharmacological, evidence-based tool to support maternal well-being.

The factors influencing wellbeing for musicians, audience members, and concert venue staff in professional chamber music performance contexts are considered using exploratory data collected from a major Australian concert venue. Preliminary analysis of interview and survey data revealed a key topic of wellbeing, amongst other emergent themes. The wellbeing-relevant data were explored from a critical realist/contextualist approach using thematic analysis and directed qualitative content analysis. The data were also examined from the perspective of Martin Seligman's PERMA model of wellbeing. Results indicate that in chamber music contexts, musician wellbeing was enhanced by a sense of meaningfulness and joy, and influenced by concerns about preparation, reputation, and environment. Audience data revealed nine key areas that influence wellbeing although the thematic profile was distinctly different between innovative and traditional ensembles. Venue staff revealed both eudaimonic attitudes of service and empathy and hedonic responses to the musical performances. The results provide useful frameworks for further study or when considering ways to develop new and existing forms of chamber musicking to enhance wellbeing. Further investigation of the ensemble-music-audience relationship that aims to understand the potential for interactions mediated by live music to influence wellbeing is likely to generate rich data of broad interest.

OBJECTIVE:As Australia boasts large radio listening audiences with high engagement among older adults, we examined Australian radio personnel's perceptions of their role in delivering radio and how it facilitates listener well-being. METHOD:Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 16 radio personnel affiliated with music- and talk-based community and public stations broadcasting in Melbourne, Victoria. RESULTS:Thematic analysis indicated two main themes: communication style (e.g. making listeners a part of the conversation, speaking to one'person and strong listening skills) and authenticity. Presenters focused on both creating and maintaining relationships as well as promoting community through their on-air actions and programming. This inherently fostered connection and facilitated listener well-being. CONCLUSIONS:The findings have implications for considering how the radio can be used as a tool for enhancing quality of life and for how radio stations manage presenter training and programming changes to support listener connection.

BACKGROUND:Insufficient social support for mothers in the perinatal period greatly increases their vulnerability to mental health challenges. Peer support programs are an effective strategy for preventing postpartum depression and addressing various mental health concerns during the perinatal period. However, these programs are not without their limitations, with research required to enhance peer relationships within them. This study aimed to explore mothers' preferences for peer support to facilitate positive and supportive relationships within perinatal peer support programs. METHODS:A total of 14 Australian mothers participated in semi-structured focus groups or individual interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify common patterns within the data. RESULTS:Two higher-order categories of maternal peer support preferences were identified: personal and interpersonal qualities, and similar background factors. Themes (and subthemes) within personal and interpersonal qualities comprised of: an affable person (warm traits, trustworthy); values (cultural values, parenting values); able to provide adequate emotional support (emotionally supportive, listening); and support expectations (helping boundaries, availability). Similar background factors included: age related factors (age of mentor, age of youngest child); social support systems; socioeconomic status (household income; working arrangement); location (region, proximity); and perinatal experience (conception and pregnancy, birth). CONCLUSIONS:The findings of this study provide valuable insight into mothers' preferences for peer support, enhancing the development of meaningful relationships within maternal peer support programs. Results may be useful in guiding the design of peer support programs for perinatal women.

This brief report describes a small-scale feasibility study investigating the use of mobile Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) for collecting data on intentionality in music listening for well-being. Sixteen university students used the MuPsych app (Randall and Rickard, 2012) for a 2-week pilot study (resulting in 263 music listening episode responses), with seven participating in semi-structured follow-up interviews. Data was collected at baseline and then triggered by mobile music listening episodes at 0, 5 and 20 min. Baseline measures were of wellbeing; and listening episode data included music choice, purpose, context, and mood. After assigning listeners to languishing, moderate, or flourishing wellbeing categories, differences became apparent in participants’ experiences of listening to music. Several challenges to feasibility were experienced in self-selection and biased reporting by participants as well as technological limitations of data collection techniques. Recommendations for future ESM studies of everyday music listening are offered.

Many people do not seek mental health support due to self-stigma; however, music can assist people in seeking support. Therefore, the present study explored how attending a focused music listening event might promote self-compassion and mindfulness and, in turn, how experiencing these might promote mental health help-seeking intentions. This case study focused on the Indigo Project’s Listen Up event, in which participants engage with a curated music playlist (drawing on soundtrack, ambient and experimental music) along with oral guidance provided by a psychologist. After attending Listen Up , participants ( N = 270, 85.90% female, M age = 37.05) completed an online survey, including their attendance motivations and standardised measures of mindfulness, self-compassion, self-stigma of help-seeking, and help-seeking intentions. A subset of 18 participants were subsequently interviewed about their experience. Results indicated that attendees experienced feelings of mindfulness and self-compassion, processed challenging emotions during the event, and were prompted to practice self-care and connect with others following the event. Additionally, participants experiencing mindfulness during the event buffered the relationship between self-stigma of help-seeking and future help-seeking intentions. Study findings have implications for our understanding of the ways that music and mindfulness can be used in practices to promote mental health and well-being.

This study considers if, and how, the value people place in music listening changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, by comparing findings with pre-COVID data. A sample of 296 Australian university students ( M age = 19.32) completed an online survey in which they provided a short response to an open-ended question, “has the value you place in music listening changed during the pandemic? If so, how?” Of the 67.20% of respondents who indicated that their perceived value of music listening had changed, 99.50% expressed that the value had increased. A thematic analysis resulted in seven themes characterizing how people's value in listening had increased: emotion regulation, exploration, social connection, uses, listening more, self-connection, and reliance. Relative to pre-COVID value themes, emotion regulation remained the most frequently endorsed value. In the COVID context, many more people highlighted music's ability to combat loneliness, promote social connection, and provide solace, comfort, and companionship during difficult times. Our findings highlight that people's perception of the value of music is malleable and influenced by context. Future research will reveal whether the increased value of music listening seen in the present study is long-lasting.

Music listening can impact emotional well-being. However, self-compassion, an aspect strongly related to emotional well-being, is rarely discussed in music listening literature. Therefore, this study explored self-compassionate and uncompassionate music listening experiences within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two hundred and ninety-six Australian university students ( M age = 19.32) completed a mixed-methods music listening and self-compassion questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Self-Compassion Short Form Scale along with an author-adapted version exploring the influence of music listening. Additional, open-ended questions probed self-compassionate and uncompassionate music listening experiences. Most participants (81.76%) reported self-compassionate experiences through listening to music during the pandemic. Template analysis examining people’s self-compassionate and uncompassionate music listening experiences resulted in an overlap of themes including emotional experience, connection , and music styles . Distinct patterns were found, such as positive outcomes in self-compassionate responses and negative outcomes in uncompassionate experiences. The inclusion of emotional release within uncompassionate responses demonstrates the complexity of the relationship between music listening and self-compassion. These findings highlight the need for further exploration into music listening and self-compassion, particularly in an everyday context beyond the pandemic.

Today, most everyday music listening is an accompaniment to other activities; it is far less common that listening is someone’s primary activity, receiving most of their attention. In this article, we present a case study, Listen Up, run by Indigo Project, a mental health organization in Sydney, Australia, in which we explored relationships between participants’ responses to the experience and their demographics and styles of music engagement. A sample of 187 Australian residents (aged 20–64 years) who attended Listen Up completed a survey measuring music engagement; emotional responses to the experience; perceived outcomes of the session; pre- and post-measures of stress, mood, and anxiety; and free-text responses to questions concerning their experiences of listening mindfully and any thoughts or feelings that arose during the session. Participants experienced an increased mood and decreased levels of stress and arousal after taking part in Listen Up. Their focused-listening experiences were not simply characterized by enjoying the music; rather, the emotions evoked were varied and complex. We characterized their emotional responses as negative, positive, evocative and expressive, and sad; in addition, participants characterized their own experiences as a cathartic journey resolving into a positive, peaceful, and calm state. Reported outcomes of participating in Listen Up included experiences described as being emotionally challenging, therapeutic, and physically uncomfortable. An affective music engagement style was positively associated with evocative and expressive and sad emotional experiences, and therapeutic outcomes. As a focused-listening experience, Listen Up provides participants with the opportunity not only to attend to music but also to reflect on and process their personal thoughts and feelings. This research provides evidence for the emotional and mental health benefits of focused music listening, such that, focused listening reflects opportunities for strong experiences with music in today’s listening landscape.

Practice is essential to the acquisition and development of musical skills, requiring musicians’ time, investment, application, motivation, metacognitive strategies, and ability to self-regulate. Research in children’s music practice indicates the type, quality, and duration of practice, along with adult support, contributes to fluency in musical development; and when progress occurs, children invest in further practice. However, nuances in children’s lived experiences of musical practice that influence these critical factors are largely unknown. To understand the complex issues in children’s practice, this study employed a unique pairing of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Participatory Action Research to investigate 14 seven-year-old beginner cellists’ practice during early learning and explored how their thoughts and experiences evolved over the first 18 months of lessons. Providing rare insight into children’s perceptions of musical development and the vital role of parents and teachers in nurturing engagement, three superordinate themes emerged: (a) four approaches to practice, characterized by practice structure, learner behavior, and family support, (b) a three-phase practice process, and (c) perfection ideation. Positive experiences, including creative activities, within these thematic contexts fostered children’s enjoyment in early musical development, supported productive learning interactions, and sustained engagement. Together, the findings have meaningful pedagogical implications for instrumental music teaching practice.

Professional musicians with strong identities in music may also have a high degree of music in their identities. Accordingly, a rigid identification with work may be problematic for musicians, particularly when forces beyond their control change their work circumstances. In this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 singing teachers, representing a subset of professional musicians, and used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the ways in which they enacted music in their identities. The framework of musical identities in action was used to interpret the findings, revealing the dynamic, embodied, and situated complexity of music in participants' identities. Music had existential salience in the accounts of nine participants. Its salience resulted from the dynamic and situated presence of music across the lifespan, the literal embodiment of the singing voice, and the metaphorical embodiment of the presence of music in participants' experiences. While a strong sense of music in people's identities can promote lifelong engagement with music, if the emphasis on music is existential, the identity of a professional musician may be at risk when they are faced with an external threat to their livelihood. This is important knowledge for music educators and professional musicians' career thinking.

Abstract Fostering group singing as a means of improving social connectivity within socially marginalized groups is now a well-established and widely reported practice. Investigating well-being related aspects of how such choirs function internally and in interaction with the broader community, this chapter purposefully expands the scope of the existing discourse on music and well-being. It emphasizes the powerful role of emotion in a choir’s expansion and growth and explores the singing group as a forum—a conceptual, specifically musical, emotional, and physical refuge—within which to build confidence and express voice. Two case study choirs are presented: a chorus of same-sex-attracted and gender-diverse young adults, and a community choir for older people. Interview data highlight the importance of in-group and community-focused experiences and the potential for such choirs to affirm personal and social experiences and provide opportunities for growth.

Although research literacy is necessary for the competent delivery of psychological services, many psychology students hold negative attitudes toward research subjects. The current study explored undergraduate students' perceptions of research subjects relative to nonresearch subjects. A sample of 249 Australian (45.4%) and Singaporean (54.6%) first-year university students (Mage = 21.27, SDage = 5.14, females = 75.9%) indicated their interest in, and perceived value of, 32 psychology subjects (based on title and a short description). They also nominated their most/least interested and valued subject and provided a free-text explanation for their selections. Participants perceived research subjects as significantly less interesting and valuable relative to nonresearch subjects (d values were indicative of a large difference for interest and a small-to-medium different for value). Cluster analysis indicated that research subjects are seen as distinct, forming their own cluster. This finding was supported by thematic analysis of participants' open-ended responses. Students considered research subjects to be especially difficult, requiring skills they did not possess or enjoy using (e.g., mathematics), and lacking relevance to their future studies and intended careers. The findings suggest that research methods instructors should aim to emphasize the relevance of research to practice in high interest areas (e.g., psychopathology).