Date of Award
Spring 5-16-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA - Master of Arts
Department
Expressive Therapies
Advisor
Annette Whitehead-Pleaux, MA, MT-BC
Abstract
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes manic and depressive symptoms and is characterized by mood episodes that could last for days to months. The diagnosis of bipolar disorder has various social, emotional, and practical consequences. Among the impacts of the diagnosis of bipolar disorder on individuals are self-concept and social identity. The discovery of a mental illness can cause one to struggle with accepting who they were before the illness and who they have become after being diagnosed with the disorder. The conflict can cause individuals to lose their identity and self-image. When this happens, they may require treatment to aid in rehabilitation and self-acceptance. Music therapy has been a commonly used form of treatment with people who have mental illnesses. Songwriting allows individuals to express their feelings and emotions and reflect on their past, present and future. In the end, the diagnosis and process of songwriting work towards reconciling their image and identity. The focus of further research should be on the specific areas of impact of songwriting in bipolar disorder patients and how the intervention promotes self-acceptance, self-esteem, and identity development at the individual and society level.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Marese, Barbara Rose, "The Effect of Songwriting on Identity Formation After a Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder" (2020). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 338.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/338
Rights
The author owns the copyright to this work.
