Music Matters - A Qualitative Evaluation of a Nurse-Led, Group-Based Music Program Complementary to Early Intervention for First-Episode Psychosis

First-episode psychosis is a significant mental health condition that can have a profound and lasting effect on an individual's functional abilities and overall quality of life. While music therapy has shown promise in improving these areas, there is a lack of research exploring the impact of music groups led by mental health professionals without formal music therapy training in the context of early intervention in psychosis. This study aimed to conduct a qualitative evaluation of a once-weekly, 12-week, nurse-led music group, offered as an adjunct to early intervention in young people with first-episode psychosis. The specific objectives were to explore social interaction and experiences of participants and instructors in relation to the music group and provide focus points for implementation in clinical practice. The study utilized Interpretive Description, collecting data through participant observation (6 sessions × 1.5 hrs; 9 hrs in total), key informant interviews (n = 1), and group (n = 4) and email-based (n = 2) interviews. The data was transcribed, thematized, and analyzed using NVivo12 and Interpretive Description inductive analysis resulting in three main themes: Practicalities of the music group, Restored identity, and Music as medicine reflecting the potential of the music group to contribute to a sense of non-patient identity, decreasing symptoms related to mental illness, foster social relationships and a feeling of belonging to a musical community. This study highligts how participation in music groups can be a possible promoter of recovery. However, sustainability appears contingent on the skills and resources of the facilitator (i.e., nurse). Suggestions for a program theory and clinical implications are presented and discussed.