Mothers in online songwriting groups who interpret what happened more similarly feel more connected
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Spiro, Neta
Schober, Michael F
Harkness, AC
Waddell, George
Perkins, Rosie
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
To what extent does thinking more like other participants about what happened in a multimodal group musical activity predict feeling more connected with the group? We ask this question as an add-on to a UK randomised controlled trial on how online group songwriting affected feelings of loneliness and social connectedness among mothers with symptoms of postnatal depression. The collaborative songwriting sessions, carried out in four separate synchronous Zoom groups over six consecutive weeks, included group members’ singing individually and together, talking, and listening to short live musical performances by workshop leaders. After the fourth session, group members independently listed three things that had struck them about the session and rated their level of closeness with the group using the Inclusion of Other in Self scale. Before the next session all members rated their agreement with anonymised versions of the statements made by everyone in their group. Levels of agreement with statements by others predicted feelings of connectedness with the group, which were not predicted by feelings about the leader or participants’ general levels of loneliness, social connectedness, or postnatal depression symptoms. Overlapping cognition about specific content of an interaction can predict feelings about musical collaborators.
Date Acceptance
2026-06-11
Citation
Psychology of Music
ISSN
0305-7356
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Journal / Book Title
Psychology of Music
Copyright Statement
Copyright This paper is embargoed until publication. Once published the Version of Record (VoR) will be available on immediate open access.
License URL
Publication Status
Accepted