“Create and Sing for You” – Songwriting as a Music Therapy Technique Supporting Mothers and Prematurely Born Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Abstract
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to explore the subjective meanings embedded in the lyrics of songs created by mothers of preterm infants during their child’s hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit or neonatal ward. The focus was placed on the emotional and relational aspects of songwriting as a therapeutic tool.
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The study was conducted using a qualitative approach and hermeneutic analysis. The empirical material consisted of three songs created during individual music therapy sessions conducted in hospital settings. The interpretative procedure allowed to identify the meanings present in the lyrics of the songs.
THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The analysis included data preparation, preliminary understanding, detailed interpretation of selected lyrical fragments, and exploration of hidden meanings. The interpretative process was iterative and took into account the emotional and situational context in which the mothers created the songs. Attention was given to how songwriting supported meaning-making in the experience of early motherhood within a hospital environment.
RESEARCH RESULTS: Three key thematic areas were identified: (1) building the bonds with the child, (2) emotional self-regulation through music, and (3) strengthening the parent’s sense of agency. These areas formed a coherent structure of meaning that reflects the experience of early motherhood under conditions of stress and uncertainty.
CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND APPLICABLE VALUE OF RESEARCH: The findings suggest that songwriting can serve as an important form of emotional support for mothers of preterm infants. It facilitates building the bonds with the child and supports the integration of difficult experiences. Songwriting encourages emotional expression and fosters a renewed sense of agency during the hospitalization of a newborn.
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