“Finding Rhythms Made Me Find My Rhythm in Prison”: The Role of a Music Program in Promoting Social Engagement and Psychological Well-being Among Inmates

• Date: 01 September 2020
• Published date: 01 September 2020
• DOI: 10.1177/0032885520939316
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885520939316

The Prison Journal

2020, Vol. 100(4) 531 –554

© 2020 SAGE Publications

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DOI: 10.1177/0032885520939316

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Article

“Finding Rhythms Made

Me Find My Rhythm

in Prison”: The Role

of a Music Program

in Promoting Social

Engagement and

Psychological Well-being

Among Inmates

Arabella Kyprianides1

and Matthew J. Easterbrook2

Abstract

This article presents a mixed-methods evaluation of the Finding Rhythms (FR)

charity music program in U.K. prisons. Results across two studies indicate

that FR group activities and the development of a shared FR identity lead

to a positive well-being outcome. Furthermore, FR involvement dissolves

rivalries between prisoners and provides them with a sense of purpose that

extends into prison life and beyond. We provide evidence for the social cure

properties of the FR group and the music program that promotes social

engagement and psychological well-being among inmates.

Keywords

Finding Rhythms, prison arts, inmate well-being, social identity approach

1University College London, UK

2University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

Corresponding Author:

Arabella Kyprianides, Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science, University College

London, Shropshire House (4th floor), 11-20 Capper Street, London, WC1E6JA, UK.

Email: a.kyprianides@ucl.ac.uk

939316TPJXXX10.1177/0032885520939316The Prison JournalKyprianides and Easterbrook

research-article2020

532 The Prison Journal 100(4)

Introduction

Inmates, for whom mental health problems are very common (National Audit

Office [NAO], 2017), are at high risk of social isolation and suffer as a result

of minimal social contacts and supports. To empower vulnerable individuals,

it has been argued that it is important to increase their social connectedness

because one’s social life can have a profound impact upon mental health and

well-being. Research known collectively as the social cure has found that

group-based activities can profoundly benefit members’ well-being (Cruwys

et al., 2015; Haslam et al., 2009). Importantly, however, these benefits are only

found if group members come to personally value or identify with the group,

partly because this can satisfy psychological needs (Greenaway et al., 2016).

In this article, we adopt a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the social

cure properties of the activities of Finding Rhythms (FR), a charity that runs

music projects over a 6-week period in U.K. prisons. We designed question-

naires and interview schedules based on existing research (outlined in the

following) to evaluate the social and well-being aspects of the FR program

and provide a robust and comprehensive evaluation of the impact of FR

activities that include a quantitative analysis and a parallel qualitative

component.

Social Disconnection and Ill-Being Among Inmates in the

United Kingdom

Social disconnection arises for many reasons but, arguably, the most extreme

reason is imprisonment. Threats to social connectedness have been shown to

be detrimental to survival, and reduced social contact has negative effects on

physical and mental health, raising the risk of ill-health and mortality (Holt-

Lunstad et al., 2010). Governmental research on prisons in the United

Kingdom has shown that the negative mental health effects of social isola-

tion are particularly pronounced for individuals who are incarcerated (e.g.,

NAO, 2017). Notably, social isolation is often coupled with complex per-

sonal issues, such as substance misuse or trauma and social issues, such as a

history of unemployment, which are common among the prison population

(NAO, 2017).

In contrast, there is considerable evidence that highlights the range of

positive consequences for health that stem from social interaction and

engagement (for a review, see Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010). In particular, the

association between perceived social support and better physical and psycho-

logical health is one of the most robust in health psychology (Beals et al.,

2009). Findings from the few (qualitative) studies that have been conducted