Research Short: Trauma-Informed Positive Music Education

This week, I spoke with Dr Jason Goopy about his article, “Young people healing and growing in trauma-informed positive music education,” in Music Education Research. His study brings together theory and practices from music education, trauma-informed education, and positive psychology to examine how youth use music to be their best selves in an Australian community music education setting. 

Sponsored by an Australian record label, the annual programme caters to young people with a variety of adverse circumstances, including mental illness, trauma, substance abuse, homelessness, unemployment, social exclusion, and/or disengagement. 

Jason presents young people’s stories, including drawings and music, that detail how youth participating in a trauma-informed, positive music education programme use music, particularly songwriting, to increase self-regulation, develop relational capabilities, and serve as a psychological resource for wellbeing.  

 One participant spoke about her experience: 

 ‘[The programme] has helped me connect because we all have the same musical love … . They’ve provided us something that everybody can talk about in different ways … . If it was anywhere else, I wouldn’t know what to do and I’d just sit down and do nothing … . Now I’m actually acknowledging why I’m sad.’ 

Jason explained that trauma-informed positive music education disrupts traditional learning models and provides a powerful platform for supporting youth through life’s challenges. The author calls for recalibrating school music to facilitate musical flourishing and music-wellbeing literacy using strength-based practices. He believes that teacher education courses should prepare future educators to be healthy, musical, and life models.  

 Jason’s interdisciplinary research at the intersection of music, education, and wellbeing sciences investigates how music engagement and learning positively transform lives. He is currently undertaking a Fulbright research project hosted at Teachers College, Columbia University, examining how music education in New York City supports the well-being of young people. 

 Where can we find out more?  

• Read more about Jason’s work on his staff page.  
• Follow Jason on LinkedIn. 
• Read the full article ‘Young people healing and growing in trauma-informed positive music education’ in Music Education Research here.  

Written by Kerry Bunkhall – Research Manager for Music Mark

See the full list of Music Mark’s research.