Authors
Introduction: The vital role that music can play in the lives of those lacing death or the loss of a loved one is a noteworthy subject lor those seeking insight into the human encounter with death. Music can provide a powerful tool lor the "re-ritualisation" of grief and lor facilitating personal expressions of grief. In the funeral itself, the bereaved are able to celebrate and memorialise the life of the deceased in a very individual way through their choice of music. Beyond the funeral, music can be a powerful part of the formation of rituals lor coping with loss.
Objectives: To investigate music choices lor funerals and the psychological functions it can serve.
Approach: This research followed a mixed method research paradigm, using a sequential exploratory design. An initial study involved qualitative analysis of interview data and a second study comprised quantitative analysis of data from an online survey.
Practice Implications: The results reveal the potential that music has to form a useful tool within the grieving process, both in anticipatory grief and in adjusting to loss postbereavement.
Conclusions: It is proposed that music can serve eight important psychological functions in coping with loss of a loved one alter death.
- Sandra Garrido1,
- Jane Davidson1
- University of Western Australia (UWA)1
2014
ExcerptIntroduction: The vital role that music can play in the lives of those lacing death or the loss of a loved one is a noteworthy subject lor those seeking insight into the human encounter with death. Music can provide a powerful tool lor the "re-ritualisation" of grief and lor facilitating personal expressions of grief. In the funeral itself, the bereaved are able to celebrate and memorialise the life of the deceased in a very individual way through their choice of music. Beyond the funeral, music can be a powerful part of the formation of rituals lor coping with loss.
Objectives: To investigate music choices lor funerals and the psychological functions it can serve.
Approach: This research followed a mixed method research paradigm, using a sequential exploratory design. An initial study involved qualitative analysis of interview data and a second study comprised quantitative analysis of data from an online survey.
Practice Implications: The results reveal the potential that music has to form a useful tool within the grieving process, both in anticipatory grief and in adjusting to loss postbereavement.
Conclusions: It is proposed that music can serve eight important psychological functions in coping with loss of a loved one alter death.