Effects of community singing program on mental health outcomes of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: A meditative approach

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a meditative singing program on the health outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Design: The study used a prospective intervention design. Setting: The study took place in six Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and Community Controlled Health Services in Queensland, Australia. Subjects: Study participants were 210 Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 18 to 71 years, of which 108 were in a singing intervention group and 102 in a comparison group. Intervention: A participative community-based community singing program involving weekly singing rehearsals was conducted over an 18-month period. Measures: Standardized measures in depression, resilience, sense of connectedness, social support, and singing related quality of life were used. Analysis: The general linear model was used to compare differences pre- and postintervention on outcome variables, and structural equation modeling was used to examine the pathway of the intervention effect. Results: Results revealed a significant reduction in the proportion of adults in the singing group classified as depressed and a concomitant significant increase in resilience levels, quality of life, sense of connectedness, and social support among this group. There were no significant changes for these variables in the comparison group. Conclusions: The participatory community singing approach linked to preventative health services was associated with improved health, resilience, sense of connectedness, social support, and mental health status among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults.