A study of stakeholder perceptions of Noise Solutions practices

Faculty of Education

Master of Education Thesis

A study of stakeholder perceptions of Noise Solution's practices: measuring impact on the well-being of youth facing challenging circumstances Name: Simon Glenister Route: Researching Practice 2016-17 College: Darwin Supervisor: Professor Pam Burnard Submission date: 2017 Wordcount: 19,984

Declaration of Originality This dissertation is the result of my own work and includes nothing which is the outcome of work done in collaboration except where specifically indicated in the text.

This thesis does not exceed 20,000 words in length.

Signature………………………………………………………………………

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Positioned in the fields of Community music, Education and well-being, this study investigates the social enterprise Noise Solution’s practice of pairing youth in challenging circumstances (YICC) with informal music producers. Inherent in the intervention is the creation of a digital narrative, utilising multi-media, to share highlights of the music-making process. The study addresses academic critique of a lack of methodological rigour in the reporting of projects using music to engage with YICC. This study also aims to gain insight through stakeholder perceptions of the underpinning processes at play within this intervention.

Using a mixed method approach, the Warrick -Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) was answered by participants, pre- and post-intervention. A sample drawn of participants (n35) was analysed for statistical significance. Concurrently nine semi-structured interviews were thematically analysed. The content of three digital narratives, was similarly thematically analysed.

Analysis of WEMWBS data found a high degree of statistical significance (p = 0.000078). Range of change was reported as r = 0.472. All age and gender demographics reported meaningful change. Higher increases were reported in the 16-25 age group. Female participant increases were twice as high as male participants. Stakeholder perceptions cited numerous wider implications (other than musical) with high occurrences of competency, relatedness and changes in identity.

Conclusions are threefold. First, informal musicians have been effective in delivering an intervention with YICC, resulting in statistically significant increases in wellbeing. Second, stakeholder’s perceptions cite increased feelings of autonomy, competency and relatedness. This places Deci and Ryan’s three essential requirements for increasing well-being (2004) firmly within the intervention. Thirdly, by turning musicking sessions into “an object of contemplation” (Kegan, 1994) the digital narration's externalisation encourages reflection, scaffolding a heuristic process for participants.

Keywords: Youth Engagement, Musicking, Wellbeing, Digital Narrative, Underserved youth, Disengaged youth, Marginalised youth, Music Technology, Digital Story telling

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Acknowledgements Oktober Evennett, for unending patience, love and support over the last two years, and for guiding me with encyclopaedic knowledge to topics broadening my understanding of this work, that I simply would not have found without you.

Belinda Bell, whose knowledge of Social Enterprise has been instrumental in establishing Noise Solution on the most stable of business foundations, and whose advice to “start collecting evidence, any evidence, as soon as possible� set me on a fascinating road of capturing impact.

Professor Pam Burnard, for taking a huge risk on an unqualified, itinerant musician.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this work and supporting me through the mysteries of academia.

I would like to thank all those who have contributed to this study, stakeholders especially; your contributions have been both fascinating and illuminating I would also like to thank the dedicated musicians and staff working within Noise Solution who amaze me daily with their dedication, skill, and commitment to the organisation and its outcomes. Thank you.

Last but not least, as promised, all the staff at Giraffe in Bury St Edmunds, for your smiles and copious coffee.

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Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………..iii Declaration…………………………………………………..…….………………………….iv Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………..v Table of contents……………………………………………………………………………..vi List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………….……x List of Tables………………………………………………………………………………….xi

CHAPTER 1. NOISE SOLUTION 1.1

Background and Context ………………………………………………….1 1.1.2

Intervention description……………………………………….…..…3

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………...…..6 2.1

What are the Literature Gaps?………………………….………………....6

2.2

Navigating the Literature …………………………………………………. 7

2.3

Keywords and Literature Search …….…………………………………...8 Summary………………………………..………………………………….…..8

2.4.

On Well-being………………………….………………………………….….9 2.4.1

A theoretical definition …………………………………………....…9

2.4.2

Why is well-being important? ………………………………………10

2.4.3

An exemplar study …………..………..………..…..……………….12

2.4.4

A needs-based perspective …………..……..…………………..…13 Summary……………………………………………………………...14

2.5.

On Approaches to Engagement…………………………………………..14 2.5.1

Musicking: an inclusive paradigm ………………………………….15

2.5.2

A lack of informal music pedagogies……………………………….16

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2.5.3

Themes from engagement literature…………………………….....18

2.5.4 Trust: an interdisciplinary foundation…………………………….…20 Summary………………………………………………………..…….22 2.6.

On ‘Digital Story Telling’……………………………………………….…..23 2.6.1

Digital narrative and identity…………………………………….…..23

2.6.2

A mediator for change?………………………….……………….....25

2.6.3

A more inclusive evidence method?…………………..…………..27 Summary…………………………………………………………..…28

CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY AND METHODS……………………………………….29 3.1

Ontology and Epistemology ………………………………………..…..29

3.2

Mixed Method Design …………………………………………………....30

3.3

Research Questions: An Overview ……………………………………32

3.4

Quantitative: Measuring Well-being…………….………………….….35

3.5

3.6

3.4.1

Issues of trustworthiness……………………………………….…36

3.4.2

Data collection…………………………………………………..…38

3.4.3

Analysis design and procedures……………………………..….39

Stakeholder Perceptions: Interviews ………………………………….40 3.5.1

Research background ………………………………………...…..40

3.5.2

Interview sample ………………………………………………..…41

3.5.3

Pre-existing data……………………………………………………42

3.5.4

Analysis design and procedure………………………………...…42

3.5.5

Coding stakeholder perceptions………………………………..…43

Stakeholder Perceptions: Digital Narratives……………………….…44 3.6.1

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Data sample, collection and analysis………….……………...….44

Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………45

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CHAPTER 4. FINDINGS: ………………………………………..……………………..…..48 4.1 Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale……………………………48 4.1.1

Differences in start and end well-being levels………………..…49

4.1.2

Are the results statistically significant?…………… …………….50

4.1.3

How much do well-being levels change………………………....52

4.1.4

Whose results are changing the most………..…………...…..…52

4.1.5

Distribution……………………………………………………….…53 Quantitative summary ………………………………………….....54

4.2

Qualitative Findings: Semi Structured Interviews…….……………..55 4.2.1

Coding occurrence………………………………………………....55

4.2.2

Coding co-occurrence………………………….….……………….57

4.3 Digital Narrative Findings……………………………………………………..58 4.3.1

Who contributed?…………………………………………..…….…58

4.3.2

Coding occurrence…………………………………………..…...…59

4.3.3

Coding co-occurrence ………………………………………......…63

4.3.4

Combined coding findings………………………………………….66 Summary …………..…………………………………………....…..67

CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION ……………………………………………………………...…68 5.1

5.2

Overview of the Study……………………………………………….…….68 5.1.1

Well-being numbers…………………………………………….......69

5.1.2

Well-being perceptions…………………………………………......70

Engagement…………………………………………………………….…...72

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5.3

Digital Narrative……………………………………………………………77 Summation of discussion………………………………………………..81

CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ……………………………..…...83 6.1

Limitations of the Study …………………………………………………85

6.2

Recommendations for Future Research………..……………………..85

6.3

Concluding Thoughts………..…………………………..……………….86

References………………………………………………………………………………...…88

Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………..96 A: WEMWBS Question.……………………..………………………………………….....96 B: Synopsis of 2016 Information Gathering Study………………….……………….97 C Example of Reduced Digital Narrative, Prepared for Coding to be Applied……………….…………………………….…....100

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LIST OF FIGURES CHAPTER 1 Figure 1.1. Overview of elements within a Noise Solution intervention……………………...4 Fig.1.2 Distribution of the digital narrative……………………………..………………………..5 Fig.1.3 Examples of comments and video reflection from a participant…………….……….5 CHAPTER 2 Fig 2.1 Three area framework to explore the literature. ……………………………………....7 CHAPTER 3 Fig.3.1 Convergent parallel mixed method design …………………………...……………..…30 Fig.3.2 Overview of data flow, analysis leading to the end research question…..………….32 Fig.3.3 A blank example of a WEMWBS questionnaire……………....……………………….35 Fig.3.4 Psychometric testing of WEMWBS ……………………..…..…………..…….………..36 Fig.3.5 Correlation of WEMWBS against other scales ……………………..…..…………..…37 CHAPTER 4 Fig.4.1. Descriptive qualitative data for WEMWBS ……………………….……………...……48 Fig.4.2 Change in assessed levels of well-being pre and post Noise Solution ……………..50 Fig.4.3 Wilcoxon analysis result, within SPSS software. ………………..…………………….51 Fig.4.4 Mean scores for WEMWBS, divided along gender and age lines……………….…..53 Fig.4.5 Box plots demonstrating the range of change …………………..…………………….54 Fig.4.6 Interview transcripts coding count, by stakeholder role results……………………...56 Fig.4.7 Co -occurrence of coding within interviews…………………..…………………......…57 Fig.4.8 Number of posts per contributor (participant A) …………………...………………….58 Fig.4.9 Number of posts per contributor (participant D) ……………………..………………..58 Fig.4.10 Number of posts per contributor (participant G) ……………………..………………59 Fig.4.1.1 Coding count (Participant A), contributor and media type………………………….60 Fig.4.1.2 Coding occurrence (Participant D), contributor and media type…………………...61 Fig.4.1.3 Coding count (Participant G), contributor and media type………………….………62 Fig.4.1.4 Co-occurrence of codings (Participant A) ……………………..…………………….63 Fig.4.1.5 Co-occurrence of codings (Participant D) ……………………..…………………….64

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Fig.4.1.6 Co-occurrence of codings (Participant G) ……………………..………………........65 Fig.4.1.7 Combined digital narrative and interview coding occurrence …………….……….66 Fig.4.1.8 Combined digital narrative and interview co-occurrence of codes…..………...….67 Fig.5.1. 3 E’s, Engagement, Epistemic Trust and Externalisation……………………………81

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER 3 Table 3.1 Quantitative and qualitative research question overview…………………,,.,.……33 Table 3.2. Codes drawn from literature review section summaries……………………..……43 CHAPTER 5 Table.5.1 Synopsis of well-being perceptions, code count and literature…………….….…..70 Table.5.2 Synopsis of ‘engagement’ perceptions, code count and literature……………..…73 Table.5.3 Synopsis of ‘engagement’ perceptions, code count and literature……………..…79

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“Identity is not fixed or immutable but is produced through the available positions which individuals can take up and through individuals’ experiences. Identities are storied, or narrated into being through everyday practices.” (Wyn et al., 2008, p.14)

INTRODUCTION Below is a description of my experiences leading to the development of Noise Solution, this is followed by a description of the intervention itself. The setting out of a structure with which to investigate elements of the intervention follows and, lastly, I shall identify where the study may inform existing gaps in the literature.

1.1

Background and Context

My experience of secondary school educational disengagement, poor attendance and lack of qualifications was offset by the pursuit of my interest in non-formal music making. My journey from unqualified teenager to a professional musician, with multiple record deals and extensive worldwide touring experience, helped foster an accumulation of cultural capital that impacted positively on my levels of confidence, and self-esteem. As Wyn et al. (2008) states in the heading quote, I narrated an alternative identity for myself, through experiences. An identity that stood in direct contrast to feelings of failure that my teenage educational experiences provided.

Over the last twenty years, I have had parallel careers as a professional musician and as a youth worker. The youth work has been within local government organisations, working one-to-one, helping young people facing multiple challenges.

Challenges Like a lack of housing, addiction, offending behaviours and issues around mental health. This work focused on young people outside of mainstream education. Often, I found organisations approaches focused on perceived deficits of young peoples' lives rather than encouraging strengths. Yet, my experience told me that the best outcomes arose when I was able to facilitate a young person feel they were ‘good’ at something they valued.

In 2009 I founded Noise Solution. By synthesising the experience I had gained in youth work and my experiences as a musician I hoped to create an effective way to work with young people in challenging circumstances; an approach informed by

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experiences, where positive musical experiences acted as a counter to feelings of failure.

Noise Solution is a Social Enterprise. The term Social Enterprise denotes a legal company structure meaning the organisation should have a clear social and/or environmental mission set out in their governing documents (Community Southwark, 2016).

Noise Solution, as a social enterprise, has consciously avoided using any grant funding. Instead, the focus has been on operating as a social business, contracting primarily with local government authorities. My focus in running Noise Solution has been on sustainable income through trade, with positive social outcomes for participants being the primary goal. Instead of a grant approach, Noise Solution has adopted a 100% traded income approach. This has been made possible by a strong push to collect data, demonstrating impact to commissioning organisations. The implications for the legal structure and business approach are certainly important, and worthy of further investigation. However, they are outside of the scope of this study.

Noise Solution has had success using music as a focal point around which to work with youth who may have struggled to engage with other services. This is evidenced by this quote, discussing a young person in their care.

“He has not been in education provision for the last two years prior to coming to the home and thanks to the work/support that Noise Solution has put in with him it has given him self-esteem and the confidence to get him back attending mainstream school.“ Jason McMaster, Residential Childcare Worker (Noise Solution, 2015) In my experience, it is not uncommon for arts interventions to be anecdotally attributed as having the kinds of ‘transformative’ effects mentioned above. What can prove problematic is the ability to capture this data in a quantifiable way. This deficit is important to note, because better-evidenced interventions aid advocacy and development.

The terms used by referring professionals to describe Noise Solution participants range from “non participant” (Williams, 2011) “disaffected youth” (Burnard, 2008); “at risk” (S.I.M.,2016) to “underserved” or “hard to reach” (Bevington, Fuggle, &

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Fonagy, 2015). Whilst no term is perfect, many of these labels are, in my opinion, open to problematised interpretation, i.e. with possible implied elements of blame or victimhood embedded within them (Bevington et al, p.160; Cook, 2002, p.523).

For the purposes of this study, I shall use the term ‘Youth In Challenging Circumstances’ (YICC), as this is an all-encompassing descriptor, inclusive and mindful of economic difficulties, life conditions, life circumstances and behavioural issues (Youth Music, 2016, p.24).

1.1.2

Intervention description

Noise Solution pairs individual YICC with what researchers, such as the eminent musicologist Lucy Green, would call an informal musician. A musician and or music technologist, much like myself, who has learned by: “Encountering unsought learning experiences through enculturation in the musical environment; learning through interaction with others such as peers, family, or other musicians who are not acting as teachers in formal capacities; and developing independent learning methods through self-teaching techniques” (Green, 2002, p.16) Noise Solution tutors employ similar methods of enculturation within their sessions to those identified by Green. Information and technique are shared through one-toone project-based tutoring, often centred around the use of music technology. The focus is on quick practical creation of music that the participant identifies as being important to them. The first five sessions occur at participants’ homes with the remaining five occurring, for the most part, at commercial recording studios.

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Figure 1.1. Overview of elements within a Noise Solution intervention During these two-hour sessions of informal music-making, tutor and participant cocreate a digital, web hosted, space utilising multimedia to capture the highlights of each session. These digital narratives encompass text transcriptions of things participants have said; audio examples of music created; photos and video highlighting moments of achievement; hyperlinks to web resources; and videos of participants reflecting on their experiences. All these elements of intervention sessions, boundaried by location, are illustrated in Figure 1.1.

The digital narrative is constructed using web 2 capabilities, exploiting the ease of use of blogging technology platforms (Rathi & Given, 2010). In a study on blogging technology as a qualitative evidence tool, blogging’ was defined as being: “characterised by instant text/graphic publishing, an archive system organised by date and a feedback mechanism in which readers can ‘comment’ on specific posts” (Hookway, 2008, p. 92).

This enables participants to easily construct a narrative within the sessions, with their assigned musician. Participants identify in the first session who they wish to share their digital narrative. Typical stakeholders are family, carers, school staff, or referring professionals. With participant’s permission, and password protected, the digital narrative is distributed via email link to stakeholders. This occurs within 24 hours of each session finishing (See Figure1.2).

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Fig.1.2 Distribution of the digital narrative It is important to note that stakeholders’ communication is a two-way affair. This is illustrated in Figure 1.2, where arrows denote comments coming back into the digital narrative from stakeholders. Examples of comments from stakeholders are shown in Figure 1.3.

Fig.1.3 Examples of comments and video reflection from a participant

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CHAPTER 2.

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 What are the literature gaps?

There is a consensus in the literature that, in some form or other, music ‘helps’ youth in challenging circumstances. There are multiple claims as to what the underlying outcomes for this ‘help’ might be. The most common claims being the shaping of identity (Burland & Magee, 2014, p.187; Daykin et al., 2011, p.5; Hallam, 2002, p.16), increased confidence (Shields, 2001, p. 74) and empowerment (McFerran, Garrido, & Saarikalio. 2013, p.529; O’Neil, 2015, p.389). A recent comprehensive meta analysis of well-being literature and the arts (inclusive of music approaches), highlights the use of well-being as both an outcome and a measurement metric for such approaches (McLellan, Galton, & Walberg, 2015).

This study found that: “Sustained artistic interventions would therefore appear to promote both hedonic and eudaimonic forms of wellbeing" (McLellan, et al., 2015) McLellan et al.’s (2015) work implies there are well-being gains to be had. At the same time, it also raises questions about who delivers this work, and where work should be delivered. This was a reaction to the majority of studies in the meta study being delivered by health professionals, in formal medical environments (McLellan et al., 2015, p.62). McLellan et al.’s (2015) study also raised questions about the quality of the evidence base and they are not alone in this observation. How well evidenced interventions are and who is best placed to deliver them is of importance in the Noise Solution model, where work is often delivered in the community/home by tutors specifically presenting as informal musicians. Can informal musicians deliver effectively?

There appears to be a consensus that music can impact in a wide variety of settings, from mental health to education, and in a variety of ways. Providing evidence is a different matter. Studies have been based on small samples, over reliant on qualitative anecdotal evidence, with evaluations demonstrating a lack of methodological training and rigor (Daykin et al, 2011, p.44; Deane et al., 2015, p.133, McLellan, Galton, & Walberg, 2015. p.44). This seems an obvious gap to

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attempt to fill.

2.2

Navigating the literatures

Whilst acutely conscious of bias given my roles within this study, I feel that eight years experience delivering the intervention gives insight into areas of interest with which to begin an investigation. In Figure 2.1, I propose a framework highlighting three areas relevant as investigative starting points. The proposed areas are wellbeing, engagement and digital narrative. I’m interested in investigating what the inter-relational impacts of engagement and digital narrative are on well-being.

Fig 2.1 Three area framework to explore the literature.

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2.3 Keywords and literature search The following key words were entered into the University of Cambridge library service search engine. These were identified in relation to elements highlighted in 2.2 with a number arising from a previous information gathering study (appendix B).

They include: Youth Engagement, Musicking, Well-being, Digital Narrative, Underserved youth, Disengaged youth, Marginalised youth, Music Technology, Digital Storytelling Accessing 22 separate international peer reviewed book and journal collections. The following results for each individual term were returned: Youth Engagement (1,547 results) well-being (29,347 results); digital narrative (397 results); musicking (472 results); underserved youth (an American terminology, 555 results); disengaged youth (142 results); marginalised youth (98 results) and music technology (29,107 results). In total 62,954 items that related, in some form or manner, to the keywords were identified. To filter results, each keyword was paired, using a boolian ‘and’ term. This identified where search terms overlapped. This provided a total of 52 items. This was a large enough peer-reviewed pool of literature, including as it did a mixture of case study and literature review papers, from which to start the investigation.

Summary (130) Music with YICC appears to be used widely within social/educational and mental health work. The literature features many examples of health professionals delivering in clinical environments. This has led to questions being raised asking if informal delivery would also be effective (McLellan et al.,2015). The literature cites a lack of methodological knowledge being employed when examining projects using music to work with YICC. This has led to exaggerated claims of efficacy, undermining the sector (Daykin et al, 2011, p. 44; Deane et al 2015, p.133, McLellan et al., 2015. p.44).

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A methodologically rigorous examination of Noise Solution’s predominantly informal approach would be an appropriate way in which to address both of these literature gaps. Using Figure 2.1 as our literature map, we shall start by examining the literature on well-being.

2.4

On well-being

Firstly, we shall explore attempts to define what well-being is. Examining established psychological theory, we shall also discuss which psychological ‘needs’ are considered requirements in constituting improved well-being. We shall examine why this might be important in a policy context and finish by examining a study that has already utilised well-being as an outcome and unit of measurement.

2.4.1 A theoretical definition Examining the evidence for well-being, the UK’s chief medical officer, Professor Sally Davies, concluded, “there is no clear consensus on the best way to define and measure well-being within mental health” (Davies, 2013, p.36). However, there are common themes and some researchers are building comprehensive evidence bases for their explanations. In a comprehensive review of the literature around well-being, seminal psychologists Deci and Ryan provide a succinct description of well-being and the orientation of the two perspectives that historically dominated research around it: “…well-being is a complex construct that concerns optimal experience and functioning. Current research on well-being has been derived from two general perspectives: the hedonic approach, which focuses on happiness and defines well-being in terms of pleasure attainment and pain avoidance; and the eudaimonic approach, which focuses on meaning and self-realization and defines well-being in terms of the degree to which a person is fully functioning.”

(Ryan & Deci, 2001, p.1) Subsequent research has eschewed the idea that these schools of thought are mutually exclusive, establishing that both the hedonic aspect of feeling and functioning are required to give a comprehensive measure of well-being (Keyes &

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Annas, 2009, p.197). Therefore, any tool applied to the measurement of well-being should be able to demonstrate an accommodation of both perspectives in its design.

Why should we care?

2.4.2

Why is well-being important?

Cross-party governments have encouraged the measurement of well-being as a more nuanced measurement tool to use alongside GDP. This is an attempt to compensate for GDP’s inability to measure satisfaction in people’s lives (O’Donnell et al., 2014, p.25). It is also intended to provide information that can better inform cost benefit analysis of policy (O’Donnell et al., 2014, p.50).

Underlying this drive to improve well-being is the assumption that improved wellbeing will result in reduced use of services. This will subsequently drive down costs for government. A clear example of the evidence for this line of thinking is Boehm and Kubzansky’s (2012) study examining the association between positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular health. This study made a clear positive link between well-being and health outcomes that have implications for finite health resources (Boehm & Kubansky, 2012).

On a larger scale, a scoping study of 30 longitudinal well-being studies on life expectancy claimed that high rates of well-being had the equal, but positive, effect, acting in the opposite direction, as the negative health effects of smoking (Veenhoven, 2008). Another meta analysis of an even larger 150 experimental ambulatory and longitudinal studies of the effect of well-being on health outcomes demonstrated well-being’s effect as being bi-directional in that, “inductions of well-being lead to healthy functioning, and inductions of ill-being lead to compromised health at similar magnitude”. (Howell, Kern, & Lyubomirsky, 2007, p.83) Good well-being, then, appears to be both a protector against, and tool with which, to combat ill health, both physical and mental.

Positive educational outcomes are also shown to occur where high well-being has been identified. The Department for Education’s report ‘The Impact of Participant Behaviour and Wellbeing on Educational Outcomes states that an examination of

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the literatures found that: “Children with higher levels of emotional, behavioural, social, and school wellbeing, on average, have higher levels of academic achievement and are more engaged in school, both concurrently and in later years.” (Gutman & Vorhaus, 2012, p.3) This plurality of positive outcomes across physical, mental health and educational outcomes (with attendant assumed cost savings over drug treatments) goes a long way to explaining well-being’s popularity as a desired outcome. Of particular interest is the fact that: “..it is possible to bring wellbeing about intentionally, through a combination of will and technique. Its positive charge offers a corrective to tired old problemfocused policy-making, encouraging people to express their aspirations rather than rehearse their deprivations.”(White, 2016, p.5) As potentially exciting as that concept is, it should be noted that the impacts of these types of claims are complicated and open to critique. The subjective nature of wellbeing measurement relies on participants’ own individual perceptions. There is difficulty in drawing causal relationships from such data. It is also important to note that any relationship between well-being and health or educational outcomes cannot simply be viewed through a linear lens, equating low well-being to bad outcomes.

This is because studies suggest that the positive effect of high well-being on health is, in fact, stronger than the negative effect of low well-being (Quick & Abdallah, 2015, p.4).

It is important to note that your own subjective reflection of one’s own well-being will be informed by perceptions of what happiness looks like within your own societal and cultural context. The challenge is to find a means of measurement encompassing hedonic and eudaimonic aspects of well-being, yet retaining an ability to accurately and sensitively track across diverse populations.

It would be interesting to compare what we have learned so far with a pre-existing study, measuring impact on ‘well-being’ using the arts.

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2.4.3

An exemplar study

In a mixed method study, using semi-structured interviews and the validated wellbeing measurement tool, Warwick -Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (see 3.2 and 3.2.1 for an exploration of the reliability of WEMWBS as a tool), van de Venter and Buller looked at the referral of depressive patients to arts interventions to establish their impact on well-being (van de Venter & Buller, 2014, p.148). The study stated it was contributing to a “scarcity of studies offering an understanding of the processes of change underlying arts interventions and well-being.” Findings included high statistical significance between pre- and post-measurement (to a level of p.0001).

This is an impressive figure, suggestive that the intervention was highly impactful on participants. Of note in the findings was that analysis of WEMWBS findings highlighted scores for female and BME participants were considerably higher, postintervention, than male participants. Noise Solution as a part of its work already collates WEMWBS data.

It would be useful to draw on the design of van de Venter and Buller’s (2014) study, where quantitative WEMWBS data has already been interrogated for statistical significance and demographic differences. The following lines of enquiry could provide this study with points of comparison: what are the measurable differences in WEMWBS scores; are results statistically significant; what are the demographic differences in WEMWBS scores; what is the range of change; what is the distribution of WEMWBS scores and is it possible to make any generalisations from these results?

These lines of enquiry will be added to the research questions. The study was keen to state that they “supported the view that not all the benefits of Arts on Prescription (the use of arts to combat depression, anxiety) are quantifiable and that mixed methods are required to improve the validity of findings” (Van De Venter & Buller, 2014, p.148). Qualitative interview evidence supported the quantitative findings of improvements; however, the qualitative findings are subjective and limited by the small sample size, consisting as they do of only six interviews.

Van De Venter and Buller’s (2014) paper, with its use of WEMWBS and semistructured interview data, has a number of parallels with the data available within the present study. Insights drawn from this study include an example of a mix of qualitative data and quantitative measurement. This makes Van De Venter and

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Buller’s (2014) paper an appropriate starting point for this study’s methodological design.

We have examined a definition, a contextualisation of why it might be important and a study intending to impact upon well-being. We still need to examine what are the psychological needs or building blocks needed for participants’ well-being to increase. If we understand this, then there is potential to assess whether an intervention like Noise Solution can facilitate those needs.

2.4.4

A needs-based perspective of well-being

Deci and Ryan’s Self Determination Theory (SDT) forms a corner stone in the evidence base for understanding the underlying psychological requirements for wellbeing (being based, as it is, on extensive empirical evidence1). SDT is an overarching macro theorisation of the factors needed to facilitate intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and to foster that which is needed to enable well-being to flourish. Whilst it has historically been subject to criticism from behaviourist psychologists that extrinsic rewards are motivational (University of Rochester, 2006), an SDT evidence base has countered this argument to such an extent that this critique is not really credible anymore. Indeed, a wide-ranging meta-analytic review of 99 studies covering 119 different samples, examining basic need satisfaction, recently concluded there was very broad support for the theory (van den Broeck, Lance Ferris, Chang, & Rosen, 2016). As such, it is an appropriate lens through which to examine well-being.

SDT postulates that, for human beings to flourish and to achieve well-being, three psychological needs are required to be present. Those three psychological needs are autonomy, competency and relatedness. If any of those needs are missing, then ill-being can occur (Ryan & Deci, 2000, p.61). “…by failing to provide supports for competency, autonomy and relatedness, not only of children but also of students, employees, patients, and athletes, socialising agents and organisations contribute to alienation and ill-being.”

(Ryan & Deci, 2000, p.74)

1 For an extensive list of current research on SDT

http://selfdeterminationtheory.org/domains/theoretical-overviews-and-researchreviews-domain/

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Ryan and Deci’s (2000) empirically evidenced, identification of what needs to be present for well-being to occur has implications for this study. Any examination of the Noise Solution intervention should look for stakeholder perceptions of autonomy, competency and relatedness. These three elements will be added to the research questions.

Summary Well-being is a complicated area, especially in terms of attribution around what specifically impacts on the well-being of individuals. The balance of evidence within the literature seems to suggest that the encouragement of well-being is sensible, given evidence for improvement of health and educational outcomes (Cabinet Office/National Well-being, 2013; Gutman & Vorhaus, 2012; Howell et al., 2007; Veenhoven, 2008).

WEMWBS would appear to be a well-being tool that takes into account eudaimonic and hedonic aspects of well-being (Keyes & Annas, 2009). It would, therefore, provide a useful baseline for more rigorous measurement of Noise Solution’s performance. There will be further evaluation of the tool in Chapter 3. The literature suggests a note of caution. There isn’t a linear causation of low well-being relating to negative outcomes. One study shows that high well-being is more beneficial than low well-being is detrimental (Quick & Abdallah, 2015). An added ability to capture qualitative perceptions from stakeholders would add to a stronger picture of whether the needs identified by Deci and Ryan (2004) are present.

As such, research questions relating to stakeholder perceptions of autonomy, competency and relatedness will be addressed.

2.5 On approaches to engagement Here we examine the use of music as a mediator for engagement, examining Noise Solution’s conceptual approach to the use of music. Specifically, we look at the term ‘Musicking’ and the context of its use in Noise Solution’s work. We then examine the literature for examples of informal pedagogies and how they align with Noise Solution’s musical work. Finally, there is an exploration of the importance of trust.

How do these concepts align with the literature and Noise Solution practice?

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2.5.1 Musicking: an inclusive paradigm In 2011, Christopher Small, an English musicologist, proposed a shift in the usage of the word music from a noun to a verb. His reasoning was that within education the concept of music has become dominated by the concept of the ‘work’ at the expense of anything else. For example, there may be a cultural reverence for Mozart’s Requiem as a work, but the musicians performing can be said to be only interpreting the ‘great work’, even obfuscating the worth of the work through their imperfect human representation of it (Small, 1998).

Small’s contention was that music doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Symbolically, a change of the usage of the word music to a verb could enable a re-evaluation of people’s focus in relation to the act of creating music. Further, Small proposed that it is the community, interactions and relationships stimulated around a performance, that are equally, if not more, of interest than the work itself.

“To music is to take part, in any capacity, in a musical performance, whether by performing, by listening, by rehearsing or practicing, by providing material for a performance (what is called composing), or by dancing….to pay attention in any way to a musical performance is to music.” (Small, 1998, p.9) Understandably, musicologists and educationalists interpreted Small’s proposal as a criticism of their own focus on ‘works’. It was perceived to be an attack on an implied hegemony of classical western art music, laying bare a tension around whether education’s purpose was to be inclusive of music making opportunities or to assess and promote ‘quality’?

Musicologists Dell'Antonio, Elliott and Regelski (Dell’Antonio, 1999, p.884; Odendaal et al., 2014, p.168) countered with a defence of the need for frameworks to assess the quality of music produced. However, I believe Small’s proposal was misinterpreted. Musicking is not intended to diminish the use of assessment in certain circumstances (for instance a conservatoire). Its focus, instead, is of widening understanding of what can occur within the space in which music is made.

“No value judgements are placed on the music created - no framework needed to assess its success within a narrow criteria - not about the music created but the very process and the ripples in relationships that that process creates” (Small, 1998, p. 9)

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Small’s focus is on an inclusive approach to music-making, where the connections between everyone playing, or viewing, are of interest. As such, I believe it would make sense to look for ‘wider implications’ within stakeholder perceptions, to see how this idea may be represented. This line of enquiry will be listed in the summary for this section. What of those formal frameworks?

2.5.2 A lack of informal pedagogies My own ‘formal’ musical experiences were predominantly negative, making me wary of the constraints that formal frameworks impose. I am, however, mindful in myself of the negative outcomes of holding a pejorative view of a ‘formal’ educational world.

Especially one that holds many riches for others.

I’m aware of an uneven split heavily weighted toward the formal end of the music education spectrum. To put this into perspective, a relatively recent US 2013 study looked at eighty-one musical education pedagogical paper approaches, to find the following: “I encountered the actual phrase popular music pedagogy only twice in the entire literature.” (Mantie, 2013, p. 335).

Whilst admittedly US-centric, this was a paper specifically looking to identify popular music pedagogies. This may be a reflection of a value judgement being made about the validity of types of music being studied within music education. An alternative idea is that there is a lack of understanding with which to produce appropriate frameworks encompassing informal music practices.

Any paucity of informal pedagogy is compounded if you then distinguish between rock music approaches as opposed to any utilisation of music technology, such as that often employed by Noise Solution. As Croft states in her chapter on Finding Flow Through Music Technology: “It is remarkably difficult to find explicit references to a link between music technology and particular theories of engagement and learning.” (Croft, 2007, p. 41).

With today’s fast-paced explosion of electronic technology, and genres evolving rapidly, It appears that formal music education environments, such as teaching

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colleges or schools (the forging ground for teachers), continue to be informed by pedagogic research dominated by western art music, (with some exceptions, i.e.

Williams, 2011). This situation is unlikely to inspire, or even make new teachers aware, that other options are available, or provide appropriate frameworks.

There is a small amount of research on transitioning informal, often rock-orientated, methods of working to within more formal school environments (Green, 2006; Hallum et al., 2008; Jaffurs, 2004; Kafai et al., 2006; Narita & Green, 2015; Lamont & Maton, 2010; Shields, 2001; Williams, 2011). There is much less in regards to music technology pedagogies. Thompson (2012), in one of the few studies of learning practices of DJs and producers available, underlines the idea that the problem of adoption of music technologies may be the result of a deeper issue.

Thompson posits that an ill fit between formal educational establishment cultures and processes of enculturation, so prevalent in informal approaches, result in a mismatch of cultures. A mixmatch where: “Musical practice, culture and interaction with other popular electronic musicians is not something that can be readily copied within a formal institution.” (Thompson, 2012, p. 17) Noise Solution’s ability to incorporate an informal approach, disassociating participants from their formal music education experience, may be an engaging factor. Especially for those YICC already experiencing difficulties within formal environments.

One paper supporting a technology approach explores the use of music technology as a democratising force in formal education settings. This paper produces qualitative evidence that “technology based music classes are motivationally beneficial to academic and discipline challenged students" (Williams, 2011, p.132).

Whilst Williams’ statement is loaded with value judgements of an educational institution’s view on behaviour, it does highlight a potential benefit of computer technology. He states that the democratising development of software that enables intuitive manipulation of information, correlating directly to changes in sound, had an effect resulting in: "Students with limited skills in the traditional (formal) instruments of band and orchestra, who may or may not be able to read standard notation, are given the

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opportunity to be creative with the entire sonic palette of the music universe at their beck and call though computers, electronic instruments and software."

(Williams, 2011, p.143) The informal world, removed from classical paradigms of teaching notation, appears, in this instance, to have allowed students, who may have struggled previously, to experience being successfully creative, resulting in improved motivation.

The insight carried forward for this study is that technology can act as a democratising agent, promoting engagement for YICC. However, there is a literature gap concerning informal pedagogies, especially around the use of technologies. If we can’t find pedagogies looking specifically at music technology approaches, what can other literatures tell us about more general approaches to engagement?

2.5.3 Themes from engagement literature Literature concerning informal music-making and engagement has often found that allowing students more control over their learning has improved engagement (Daykin et al., 2011; Deane et al., 2015; Green, 2006; Jaffurs, 2004; Kafai et al., 2006; Lamont & Maton, 2010; Narita & Green, 2015; Shields, 2001; Thompson, 2012; Williams, 2011). This focus on autonomy aligns with Deci and Ryan’s (2004) psychological needs model, where autonomy is one of the three requirements. Lucy Green has conducted extensive, and respected, research in this area. Green lists five characteristics borrowed from informal music practices that she recommends be applied in a classroom environment (Green, 2006, p.106). These are (i) allowing learners to choose the music; (ii) learning by listening and copying recordings; (iii) learning in friendship groups with minimal adult guidance; (iv) learning in personal, often haphazard, ways and (v) integrating listening, playing, singing, improvising and composing. Inherent in this list is an element of participant autonomy, and the absence of overtly hierarchical relationships.

Green and Narita delve deeper into this relationship between teacher and participant in a 2005 study. They note that a shift in student teacher relationship from prescriptive, authoritarian educational approaches (formal) to a dialogical or cocreated approach is conducive to meaningful engagement (Narita and Green, 2015, p.305). Referring back to the introduction section (1.2), there are similarities here

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with Noise Solution’s co-created project goal, driven by learners’ musical preference.

Other researchers focused on engagement also highlight themes of lessened hierarchy and increased autonomy as being significant. Taylor and Parson’s 2011 paper, ‘Improving student engagement’, provides a comprehensive meta study, identifying elements of pedagogical practices that have been evidenced to better engage youth. The paper draws on examples of student engagement in “academic, cognitive, intellectual, emotional, behavioural, social and psychological” settings (Taylor & Parsons, 2011, p.4). The breadth and complexity of their research goes some way to explain their conclusion that they could find no consensus in the literature to “agree upon a definition of what student engagement might be” (Taylor & Parsons, 2014, , p4).

Importantly however, they do draw out what they cite as reoccurring thematic elements across the literatures. These illuminate a “clear pattern of best practices” encouraging student engagement. They conclude that the following five elements of successful practice are evidenced across multiple settings.

“Learning that is relevant, real, and intentionally interdisciplinary - at times moving learning from the classroom into the community; Technologyrich environments; Positive, challenging, and open-sometimes called "transparent" learning climates; Collaboration among respectful "peer to peer" type relationships between students and teachers (horizontal organisation model); and a culture of learning - teachers are learning with students. Language, activities and resources focus on learning and engagement first, and achievement second.” (Taylor & Parsons, 2011, p. 26) We see reference again to a focus on the experience of learning rather than adherence to frameworks of quality (echoes here of Small). We also see mention of hierarchical levelling and what is starting to be a recurrent idea of democratic learning environments, now mentioned by Narita and Green, and Taylor and Parsons, with its ability to promote autonomy and engage YICC. Narita and Green (2015) highlight the theoretical provenance of this idea of democratic learning environments, drawing parallels with the prominent critical

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theorists’ ideas around education as an emancipatory force. For example, Friere, discussing less hierarchical teacher student relationships, states: "…there is no complete knowledge possessed by the educator, but a knowable object which mediates educator and educatee as subjects in the knowing process.” (Friere, 1971, p7) This critical theory lens is something we will examine further in the discussion Chapter 5. Moving forward, the lessons to be drawn from this section are that the following are recurrent themes in successful engagement of students (i) learning occurring away from formal environments; (ii) utilising technology and (iii) democratic peer to peer type relationships (Taylor & Parsons, 2011, Narita & Green, 2015).

These three themes have direct parallels with Noise Solution’s approach. Noise Solution work always occurs outside of formal environments and utilises extensive technology. Of more interest, in terms of this study, is whether stakeholder perceptions reflect an experience of democratic learning. As such, a line of further enquiry centred on perceptions of democratic learning will be included in the research questions.

What of the relationship within that democratic learning environment?

2.5.4 Trust an interdisciplinary foundation Taylor and Parsons and Green and Narita’s work all lean towards the idea that it is the relationship between tutor and participant that plays an important role in engagement. The primacy of relationships is certainly heavily implied in psychological literature: “One of the most consistent findings in the psychotherapy research literature is that the quality of the relationship between the patient and the therapist is a major determinant of psychotherapeutic effectiveness.” (Saunders, Howard,& Orlinsky, 1989) Recent research, building on psychological attachment theory (Bowlby,1969), provides a potential insight into the mechanisms around this ‘connection’ when working with YICC. The research, from Bevington et al. (2015),focuses very

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specifically on the fundamental importance of establishing trust (Bevington et al., 2015). Indeed, this important work has potential to shed light on why the delivery model Noise Solution employs may have success where previous organisations have labelled participants ‘hard to reach’.

Bevington et al.’s (2015) work suggests that the avoidance of help or being ‘hard to reach’, as a behaviour can be characteristic of a symptom, rooted in past traumatic experiences, suggestive of issues of insecure attachment patterns.

"Approaches of help, to those with attachment issues, is likely to activate dismissing, ambivalent, or disorganised attachment behaviours that disrupt delivery of care." (Veale, 2011 as cited in Bevington et al., 2015, p.160) Explaining further, Bevington et al. (2015) state, that at its most basic, infants need grounding in social cues to recognise the pedagogic stance adopted by parents (eye contact, tone of voice, etc.) that implies that information about the social world is about to be imparted. “Social trauma may mean the destruction of trust in social knowledge” (Bevington et al., 2015). This is important to this study, because I believe the majority of those referred to Noise Solution from mental health, education or youth work organisations are struggling to engage, often because of some form of trauma.

Bevington et al. (2015) suggest that the channel by which we, as social animals, communicate may be closed, because of a lack of trust. To remedy this they imply that it is possible we need not only to learn social rules, but we need to learn to recognise the signals, from a trusted source, that indicate social knowledge is about to be transferred.

That process of recognising that important information is Epistemic Trust. Peter Fonagy, the eminent psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist, describes its importance when working with YICC when he states: “…limitations in patients’ capacity to learn from experience (i.e., being “hard to reach”) are generically overcome by specific interventions that make patients feel understood…Feeling understood in therapy restores trust in learning from social experience (Epistemic Trust) but at the same time also serves to regenerate a capacity for social understanding (mentalizing).” Fonagy & Allen, 2014, p.378)

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Bevington et al. (2015) state that Epistemic Trust can be engendered through an attaching relationship, such as that developed between a participant and music tutor, specifically saying that the relationship doesn’t have to be clinical in nature.

More succinctly, Fonagy and Allison state: “In essence, the experience of feeling thought about enables us to learn new things about our social world.” (Fonagy & Allison, 2014, p.377) Therefore, the ability to engage the participant in a way that engenders Epistemic Trust in the relationship opens up the possibility of reflection about the participant’s world.

Summary The term ‘musicking’ conceptually shifts focus from the interpretation of a ‘work’ and to considering the wider impact of the act of making music for participants and listeners. The recording of stakeholder perceptions of these wider implications is of interest to this study.

Other lines of enquiry are (i) learning occurring away from formal environments, (ii) utilising technology and (iii) more democratic peer-to-peer type relationships (Narita & Green, 2015; Taylor, & Parsons, 2011). These can be loosely termed together as elements of democratic learning environments.

Specifically looking toward Noise Solution’s engagement with YICC, participants’ past trauma can lead to a breakdown in social trust. This can potentially trigger ‘hard to reach’ behaviours. These can be countered, if Epistemic Trust can be established, where participants feel ‘understood’ (Bevington et al., 2015; Fonagy & Allen, 2014).

In summary, stakeholder perceptions of the following lines of enquiry will be addressed within the research questions’ wider implications; democratic learning, and Epistemic Trust.

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In this section, I have been concentrating on engagement and the role of trust; the third part of our framework to investigate the literatures, set out in Figure 2.1, relates to digital narrative.

2.6.

‘Digital story telling’

This section commences with the review of an existing use of digital narrative called ‘digital storytelling’. Investigations of that technique highlight potential implications of digital sharing occurring within a session. Lastly, we examine whether digital narrative may lend itself to more inclusive ways of reporting intervention.

2.6.1 Digital narrative and identity Digital storytelling developed from live theatre performances detailing the lived experiences of an orator. It uses digital elements within the performance to support the narrative. Developed by Atchley and Lambert in California in the early 90s (Lambert, 2010) it has now moved away from theatre and into community work, growing into: “A grassroots movement that uses multi-media digital tools to help ordinary people tell their own “true stories.” (Davis & Weinshenker, p.2012).

The use of arts, be it theatre, dance or music, has often provided a mediating ‘experience’ for people facing challenging circumstances. Hallam (2002, p.16), Daykin et al. (2011, p.5), Burland and Magee (2014, p.187), Daniels and Downes (2014) and Tawell et al. (2015) all report a common theme of these projects impacting positively on participant identity.

Impacts on identity have also been attributed as an outcome of digital storytelling, specifically when engaging populations of underserved youth who may not have otherwise engaged (Davis & Weinshenker, p.49, 2012; Niemi & Multisilta, 2015; Wilson et al., 2016, p.427).

Identity change and digital story telling are investigated in some depth in Davis and Weinshenker’s (2012) chapter on ‘Digital Story Telling and Authoring Identity’. This work, specifically aimed at examining the “social context in which digital stories are developed and shared” (Davis & Weinshenker, 2012, p.50), adopts a socio-cultural perspective to explore the way in which digital stories develop ”agency and identity

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for youth facing challenging circumstances” Davis and Weinshenker (2012) state that: “..as we narrate, we interpret what things mean, evaluate their significance, and infer why they happened…. experience is distilled into narrative, and the narrative itself becomes a tool that shapes memory and mediates future experience.” (Davis & Weinshenker, 2012, p.52) This work draws on the seminal psychologist Vygotsky’s view that internalisation of experiences leads to “qualitative transformations of one form of behaviour into another” (Vygotsky, 1934/1978, p,19 as cited in Davis &Weinshenker, 2012, p.50).

In other words, as we process memories of events, they are distilled in our memory and our future behaviours are informed by our memory of these events. As such, our identity, how we view ourselves, has plasticity and can be changed.

It is worth mentioning a critique of this view. Socio-cultural perspectives, wherein Vygotsky’s work resides, arose from within the Communist political system, systemically disregarding the role of differing individual capacities within any given process (Lui & Matthews, 2005, p. 392). In layman terms, although a communist system might encourage a perception that we are a homogenous whole, we do not, in fact, all react in the same way to the same stimuli.

That said, the idea that plasticity of identity exists is referenced in psychological literature. Psychological research, detailing youth work in children’s homes, provides an example. Here, experiences, that become memories, especially those that are positive, are thought to instigate a process called ‘Resignification’.

“Resignification involves the development of new and positive identities as a consequence of relationships and experiences which undermine the pupil’s original negative view of self, by revealing evidence of desirable, positive qualities.” (Cooper, 1993, p.139) Daniels and Downs (2014) posit that this process, noted by Cooper, of ‘renegotiated identity’ can be achieved through arts interaction (Daniels & Downes, 2014, pp. 41-71). The study, based on drama within group settings of young people identified as ‘disadvantaged’, suggests that the activity of drama is not just a means of ‘expressing oneself’, but a place in which one can potentially remove or change the identity or labels ascribed to them (Daniels & Downes, 2014, p. 41). Noise

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Solution, I believe brings this process of changing perceptions of identity into the digital age.

Other attributed outcomes of digital storytelling are impacts on feelings of empathy for those viewing the digital story. These have been said to lead to “changing understanding of and empathy toward lived experiences in mental health” for mental health staff working with participants (De Necchi, , 2016, p 183; Wilson et al., 2015, p.432). The sharing of Noise Solution narratives may have parallels, whereby stakeholders are able to view participants in a new context. There is also a parallel here with Small’s focus on ripples of musicking, mediated through the digital narrative. Indeed, increased empathy made visceral through positive comments such as “you’re good at x” on the digital narrative, could feed into the process of encouraging resignification, building into an immutable record, validating positive qualities of participants.

Seeking stakeholder perceptions of increased empathy would, therefore, seem a reasonable course of action. As such, we shall add empathy to the list stakeholder perception enquires to take forward.

As a caveat, digital storytelling also appears to have some differences to Noise Solution practice that are worth highlighting. A recent meta study of research of the use of digital storytelling (De Nichi et al., 2016, p.185) found that the stories themselves are often reflections of past lived experiences rather than documenting a process moving forward.

An interesting question arises when we consider, what then is the additional value or impact of the use of digital narrative? Is the only wider implication of its use the encouragement of empathy from those who view the digital narrative. Are other implications evident in the literature?

2.6.2 A mediator for change?

One avenue of interest differentiating the ‘live’ arts-based examples here (Daniels & Downes, 2014) and digital storytelling, is that, within traditional arts practice, the experimentation or performance is fleeting and open to reinterpretation over time, it exists only in memory. This is in direct contrast to a digital narrative that:

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“Once it is complete, it’s “telling” does not require the participation of the storyteller: It stands as a work of art a representation apart from the teller, an “object” for reflection and critique” (Davis & Weinshenker, p.50, 2012).

Davis and Weinshenker (2012) suggest that the immutable nature of a digital story enables it to retain a power to influence. The process of others seeing and engaging with the narrative may cement any self-realisations the process may have engendered. In fact they are needed to increase impact.

“Without the on-going support of the community, the self realisations they report and the personal transformations they testify to are likely to fade from consciousness without translation into action.” (Davis &Weinshenker, 2012, p.50).

Meaningful interaction from others may help people internalise more readily the narrative they have created. Davis and Weinshenker (2012) feel this point is explored more fully by Robert Kegan, a constructive-developmental psychologist, discussing the mental health development of adolescents. Kegan (1994) states that, for self reflection and change to occur, adults need to help scaffold experiences for young people where: “Self reflection is a developmental accomplishment…… they must step outside of their immediate categorical reality. Their experience must be transformed into an object of contemplation,” (Kegan, 1994, p.32) An object of contemplation is an apt description for Noise Solution’s digital narratives. It can be said to provide that externalisation can, potentially, play a part in aiding the processing of participants’ experience through reflection. By cementing participants’ re-evaluation of themselves (potentially aiding re-signification) and actively encouraging empathy from other stakeholders, the digital narrative may fulfil multiple roles.

Qualitative evidence for this process of externalisation and reflection comes from a small-scale study exploring links between digital storytelling and health outcomes (Briant et al., 2016) where: " The digital storytelling process also gave them the opportunity to take time to reflect on a significant occurrence around an issue or disease in their lives. In

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turn, they were able to process emotions about their experience” (Briant et al., 2016, p.798) The process of externalisation through reflection is, I believe, potentially an important part of the digital narrative experience for all stakeholders. As such, I shall include stakeholders’ perceptions of reflection as a line of enquiry.

2.6.3 A more inclusive evidence method?

In a critique of over reliance on qualitative methods of impact capture, DeNora (2013) states that, as an approach, this risks producing data that are only an artefact of the situation in which they are collected (DeNora, 2013, p.1). Instead, DeNora expresses a desire for a method capable of capturing the "interrelationship between music activity and concrete outcomes" DeNora (2013) goes on to describe wanting a method that is qualitative based, temporally bounded and focused on how the actual, minute engagements with music, time after time, accumulate in ways that can result in significant forms of transformation (DeNora, 2013, p.11).

The digital narratives employed by Noise Solution could equally fulfil these roles.

They are each individual qualitative, time-bounded entities that enable the capture of ‘moments of flourishing’ within a musical context. Additionally, they encourage wider reflection on the part of stakeholders. The narratives then, with their inclusion of stakeholders’ commentary, might contribute to a wider cultural ecology acceptable to DeNora, reminiscent of Small’s musicking audience (see section 2.2.1), where it is: “...not the music per se that accomplishes this enhancement but rather what is done with, done to and done alongside musical engagement. It is music plus people, plus practice plus other resources that can make a change for the better” (DeNora & Andsell, 2014, p.8) Participant narratives may provide a way to capture moments of flourishing, more representative of non-linear mental health journeys. However, the labour-intensive nature of this data collection is problematic. The data’s subjectivity is unlikely to allay the very criticisms that DeNora states have led to an inappropriate hegemony of quantitative measurement methodologies. This is work that is outside the scope of this study, but further research should be done in this area.

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Summary (115) Literature states that digital stories are considered as contributing to increases in empathy from those viewing them (De Necchi, 2016; Wilson, 2015). Digital narrative has also been attributed to contributing to participant identity change (Davis and Weinshenker, 2012; Nind & Clarke, 2012). The immutable nature of the digital narrative, and its ability to externalise the musicking process, may help facilitate YICCs ability to reflect and process their internal view of themselves (Cooper, 1993, Davis & Weinshenker, 2012; Kegan, 1994). The following lines of enquiry, empathy, identity change and reflection, will be taken forward.

The next stage is the design of a process with which to gather and analyse data to answer these lines of enquiry.

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CHAPTER 3.

METHODOLOGY AND METHODS

In the previous chapter, a rationale for the lines of enquiry was firmly established.

The aims of the present study concern reliable measurement of well-being and a means by which to interpret stakeholder perceptions of their experience with Noise Solution. The following is a discussion of the assumptions underpinning these aims, articulated now as qualitative or quantitative approaches, along with a description of an adopted world view or paradigm. This is the epistemology, or the terms for which knowledge is viewed in this study, and the subsequent rationale for methodological and methods choices in designing and conducting the study. This will inform how we transform those lines of enquiry into research questions by which to interrogate available data.

3.1

Ontology and Epistemology

DeNora’s (2013) study of qualitative methods of studying music’s impact on wellbeing raised issues around the hegemony of objective quantitative methodologies.

Especially when used to measure subjective issues of mental health and well-being, going as far as to call for “new ontologies of health and illness” (DeNora, 2013, p.164). Conversely, there is criticism within the literature (as noted in the musicking section 2.2.1) of a perceived wealth of less than rigorous qualitative evidence, coupled with a lack of empirical evidence to support the use of music with YICC. There is, then, a duality of approaches offering both strengths and weaknesses.

Cole (1996), discussing psychological research approaches, states that any approach ignoring this duality risks ignoring the world we inhabit: “The dual process of shaping and being shaped through culture implies that humans inhabit "intentional" (constituted) worlds within which the traditional dichotomies of subject and object, person and environment, and so on, cannot be analytically separated and temporally ordered into independent and dependent variables." (Cole, 1996, p.103) An approach combining (rather than separating) these two forms of evidence type would seem to make more sense, appealing as it does to my own practical practitioner sensibilities. A fairly recent revival of pragmatism (Creswell 2013, p.207)

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as both an ontological approach and justification for mixed method research methods highlights that: “…pragmatists focus not on whether a proposition fits a particular ontology, but whether it suits a purpose and is capable of creating action (Rorty, 1998 as cited in Grey, 2014, p.28) Such a pragmatic mixed method approach is open to critique that its philosophic foundations are weakened because of eclecticism (Cameron, 2011, p.96).

Conversely and personally, I believe that that very eclecticism of a mixed method approach underpinned/framed by a pragmatic perspective provides a combination intended to address the qualitative and quantitative nature of reality, as highlighted

by Cole above (Cole, 1996, p.103).

3.2

Mixed Method Design

Creswell’s (2013) work on research design offers convergent parallel mixed method methodology as a way of mixing qualitative and quantitative data (see Figure 3.1).

Qualitative and quantitative data, collated at similar times, are compared or related.

Creswell states this approach is advantageous in establishing a better understanding of interventions over time and is, therefore, applicable for this thesis (Creswell, 2013, p.267).

Fig.3.1 Convergent parallel mixed method design (Creswell, 2013, p.270) There are three existing data sets to feed into Creswell’s model; one quantitative and two qualitative. As mentioned in section 2.4.3, Noise Solution collates WEMWBS data (Quantitative i). An early data gathering exercise in 2016 collated nine semi-structured interview transcripts (Qualitative, ii) and, lastly, the stakeholders interviewed revolved around discussion of three digital narratives (Qualitative, iii).

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Data was collated between October 2015 and November 2016, and there are sufficient parallel variables (same demographic base, same time-limited intervention, use of digital narrative, geographic location) to be considered appropriate for the model (Creswell, 2013). Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6 will provide more detail regarding individual collection methods and proposed analysis methodologies.

Tashakkori and Creswell (2007) state that an overarching question to combine mixed method data is essential (Tashakkori & Creswell, 2007, p.207). An overarching question should include clearly interconnected qualitative and quantitative components with distinctly identifiable qualitative and quantitative data.

The thesis title, reiterated below, highlights both the words perception and measurement, giving a focus to the study.

“A study of stakeholders’ perceptions of Noise Solution's practice: measuring impact on the well-being of youth facing challenging circumstances”

However, it is a description rather than a question and requires an over arching research question to help frame conclusions (Creswell, 2013). A question is needed that sits in-between the title and the analysed data. For the process of this study, that combined question is: How do changes in participant WEMWBS scores align with stakeholder perceptions of their Noise Solution experience?

This final research question appears at the bottom of Figure 8, below. This figure is a representation of the data’s journey. It describes four stages that the data passes through: (i) three data set types are described, fulfilling Creswell’s need for defined types of data; (ii) data sets are then analysed using research questions designed to be appropriate for their data sets (an overview of questions and their methodological influence can be seen in section 3.3); (iii) quantitative research findings will be statistically analysed (see section 3.4 for details) and findings from the qualitative data will be thematically analysed (see sections 3.5 and 3.6 for details); and (iv) findings from both quantitative and qualitative data sets are then related to the overarching research question.

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Fig.3.2 Overview of data flow analysis leading to the end research question Turning to the processes of data collection and analysis for each of these three data sets, we shall start by examining the quantitative methods and methodology.

3.3

Research questions: an overview

The literature review summary established ten lines of enquiry. Having committed to a pragmatic outlook, it is now appropriate to turn to existing best practice in question design for a mixed method approach. Tashakkori and Creswell’s (2007) paper on mixed methodology, designing good research questions, suggests that individual aspects of the study are: “…broken down into separate quantitative and qualitative sub questions to answer in each strand or phase of the study.” (Tashakkori & Creswell, 2007, p.207)

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Table 3.1 represents just such a breakdown of this study’s constituent parts. It takes the previously identified lines of quantitative and qualitative enquiry, presenting them in a table as research questions appropriate to the data set they are addressing. It also states appropriate analysis methodology, with details of methodological references.

Table 3.1 Quantitative and qualitative research question overview Data type

Quantitative Data

Research question

Method

Methodology ref

What are the measurable

Use of Warwick -

Hawkins, D. (2009).

differences in WEMWBS

Edinburgh mental

Biomeasurement: a

pre and post scores?

well-being Scale,

student’s guide to

delivered by

biological statistics.

Are the WEMWBS results statistically significant?

questionnaire within the first

What are the demographic

and last session

differences in WEMWBS

(10 week gap in-

scores?

between).

Application of descriptive and inferential

What is the range of

statistical

change?

analysis of

What is the distribution of

WEMWBS

WEMWBS scores?

questionnaire

Is it possible to make

data

Field, A. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS. 3rd ed.

Tashakkori, A., & Creswell, J.W. (2007).

Exploring the Nature of

generalisations from

Research Questions in

these findings?

Mixed Methods Research

Cont.

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Qualitative data

What were stakeholders’

Coding of

Braun, V., & Clarke,

perceptions of participant

qualitative data,

V. (2006). Using

autonomy?

followed by

Thematic Analysis in

thematic analysis,

Psychology. Research

informed by lines

in Psychology, 3 (2),

of enquiry raised

77-101.

What were stakeholders’ perceptions of participant competency?

What were stakeholders’

within the literature review

DeNora, T. &

perceptions of participant

Andsell, G. (2014).

relatedness?

What Can't Music Do?

What were stakeholders’ perceptions of wider consequences?

Psychology of wellbeing: Theory, Research and Practice, 23 (4), 1-10.

Tashakkori, A., & Creswell, J.W. (2007).

What were stakeholders’

Exploring the Nature

perceptions of Noise Solution

of Research Questions

as a democratic learning

in Mixed Methods

environment?

Research

What were stakeholders’ perceptions around the establishment of Epistemic Trust?

What are stakeholders’

Thomas, G. (2013).

perceptions of the role of

How to do your

empathy in the digital

research project.

narrative?

What are stakeholders’ perceptions of any changes in identity?

What are stakeholders’ perceptions of reflection?

Next we examine how best to collect the WEMWBS data, and how reliable it is.

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3.4 Quantitative: Measuring well-being Whilst WEMWBS has been used in a previous study (van de Venter & Buller, 2014) and Noise Solution has already been collecting the data, the accuracy and trustworthiness of the tool are yet to be established. WEMWBS was developed in partnership between NHS Scotland, and Warwick and Edinburgh universities.

WEMWBS is intended to provide a comparison of participants’ self-perception of well-being, collected at two time points. As stated earlier, it captures participants’ perception of both eudemonic and hedonic well-being, and has been assessed as being: “…a short and psychometrically robust scale, with little or nothing in the way of ceiling or floor effects in population samples…..suitable for monitoring mental wellbeing at a population level. WEMWBS is also suitable for measuring change due to interventions or programs.” (Taggart, Stewart-Brown, & Parker, 2015, p.3) The WEMWBS user guide describes the well-being measurement tool as a 14-item questionnaire, covering subjective well-being and psychological functioning, in which all items are worded positively and address aspects of positive mental health.

Fig.3.3 A blank example of a WEMWBS questionnaire

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The scale is scored by summing the responses to each item, answered on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. The minimum scale score is 14 and the maximum is 70. It is validated as effective down to the age of 13 (Taggart et al., 2015, p.3,). A full example of the questionnaire can be found in Appendix A. 3.4.1

Issues of trustworthiness

A 2011 investigation into levels of the reliability of WEMWBS saw a research team from Warwick and Edinburgh universities subject the measurement tool to a battery of psychometric testing (Stewart-Brown et al., 2011). These included confirmatory factor analysis and construct validity amongst many others. For a full list of these tests see Figure 3.4. The conclusion was WEMWBS suitability for use at a population level to measure mental well-being for those aged 13 years and above (Stewart-Brown et al., 2011).

Fig.3.4

Psychometric testing of WEMWBS

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Fig.3.5 Correlation of WEMWBS against other scales Testing WEMWBS reliability in comparison with nine pre-existing tools (see Figure 3.5 for a full list and correlation results), documentation provided by the same research team states that: “Correlations were moderately high between WEMWBS and the: Scale of Psychological well-being; Satisfaction with Life Scale; Short Depression Happiness Scale; Positive and Negative Affect Scale – Positive Subscale; and the WHO-Five well-being Index” (Taggart, Stewart-Brown, Parkinson., 2015, p.14) This study concludes that the tool correlates favourably with pre-existing tests. Other elements around applicability across populations, accuracy of questions and likelihood of questions instigating ceiling or floor effect were also evaluated. Findings were as follows: “Initial evaluation showed good content validity; item total correlations ranged from 0.52 and 0.80; the distribution was near normal; there were no floor or ceiling effects; test-retest reliability was high (0.83) and the scale discriminated population groups in a way which was consistent with results of

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other surveys. WEMWBS correlated with criterion scales to the expected extent and in the expected direction.” (Stewart-Brown et al., 2011) Outwardly, the scale seems well tested and trustworthy. A search on the National Institute for Health and Care (NICE, 2017) website returned 137 papers where organisations as diverse as NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government, IPSOS Mori and the Royal Society for Public Health have employed the scale.

However, it should be noted that correlation and psychometric testing were carried out by the same team involved in developing WEMWBS. In searching for independent assessments, I found very little that wasn’t linked in some way to the developing team.

A rare independent study (Bass et al., 2016), did conclude that WEMWBS was “a valid and reliable measure.” This study, whilst using a large sample of over a thousand people, was very specifically concerned with validation of those using secondary mental health services. As such, any conclusions drawn are restricted to that group only. Whilst there appears to be a gap in the literature in regards to independent evaluation, the level of WEMWBS use by multiple experienced research teams, and its correlational performance against pre-existing tests, does lend it authority.

3.4.2

Data collection

At the start and end of the intervention participants are asked to complete an online WEMWBS questionnaire, as shown in Figure 9. Tutors are instructed to allow participants to complete these on their own. However, if participants struggle with any aspect of the questions, tutors are instructed to help with an explanation of concepts.

In regards to how much data should be collected, Corder and Forman (2009), in their work on statistical methodology, indicate that there is some disagreement as to exactly how large a sample needs to be acceptable or to generalise from. Exploring this disagreement they state: "The minimum sample size for using a parametric statistical test varies among texts. For example, Pett (1997) and Salkind (2004) noted that most researchers suggest n>30. Warner (2008) encouraged considering n>20 as a

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minimum and n> 10 per group as an absolute minimum." (Corder & Foreman, 2009, p.2) Erring on the side of caution, I shall be looking to work with a sample larger than the highest sample size referenced above by Pett (1997) and Salkind (2004).

3.4.3

Analysis design and procedures

Analysis and procedure methodology will draw on three sources. Hawkins’ 5-step statistical methodology (Hawkins, 2009, p.172), Creswell’s discussions around appropriate null hypothesis wording (Creswell, 2014, p.191) and Field’s discussions of appropriate inferential statistical equations (Field, 2009, p.540). Hawkins’ methodology sets out the following stages: 1) I shall start from a position stating the following null hypothesis, “There is no significant difference in participants’ WEMWBS summed start and end scores, following a ten-week intervention with Noise Solution.”

2) If found to be untrue, I shall state an alternative hypothesis where: “There is a significant difference in participants’ WEMWBS summed start and end scores, following a ten-week intervention with Noise Solution.”

3) I shall choose a critical significance level to work to.

Psychological and educational convention puts this at a level of p.05 (‘p’ = probability). This is equivalent to there being a below 5% chance that results are attributable to chance. Any returned result equal to or smaller than this, will indicate statistical significance.

4) I shall choose an appropriate statistical analysis tool.

WEMWWBS use of ordinal Likert scale, bivariate, related survey sample data indicates that an appropriate test for this data is a non-parametric Wilcoxon rank sum test (Field, 2009, p.540). The test provides a p (probability) value that we can compare against our p.05 benchmark, indicative of a 95% confidence figure. These calculations will be performed within the statistical analysis software SPSS (Field, 2009. p.552) 5) I shall assess whether the hypothesis is proven or unproven.

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If the Wilcoxon test returns a number above p.05, then we will accept our null hypothesis, and the data will not indicate statistical significance. If the number is below p.05, it indicates that the results are statistically significant and we can reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis.

Extrapolating further, we can also use elements of the Wilcoxon calculation result to calculate the strength of change (range) in the data. This can be done using Pallant’s calculation of range size. The z number arising from the Wilcoxon analysis is divided by the square root of the number of observations (Pallant, 2007, p. 225).

This calculation provides an indication of the range of change when compared against the following scale where r = r = .10 (small effect) r = .30 (medium effect) r = .50 (large effect) (Sullivan & Feinn, 2012, p.224) 3.5 Stakeholder perceptions: interviews We shall now examine the rationale for the first set of qualitative data: the semistructured interviews. The inclusion of a subjective-orientated question within the thesis title concerns itself with stakeholder perceptions. As such, I need to “understand, explain, and demystify social reality through the eyes of different participants” (Cohen et al., 2007, p.19). Semi-structured interviews (Thomas, 2013, p.199) with participants’ digital narratives reviewed “as a referent around which to structure a participant interview” making “interviewee’s accounts more specific and comparable” (Schober & Spiro, 2014, p. 3) were conducted as part of an early information gathering exercise in 2016.

3.5.1 Research background Referring back to Figure 8 and the three data sets, for clarity it should be noted that no stakeholder interviewed within the semi-structured interview data set also appears in the quantitative WEMWBS data set. However, all nine interview transcripts do directly relate to the digital narrative data set.

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The reasoning for this is that those semi-structured interviews were conducted in an early attempt at data gathering in 2016. This was part of the Professional Practitioner Development (PPD) diploma at the University of Cambridge, a precursor to the MEd course. I feel strongly that the interviews are recent and so rich in perceptual information from stakeholders that they remain a valid and useful source of information. Further details regarding that study are found below and in Appendix B. 3.5.2 Interview sample Semi-structured interviews with nine interviewees were conducted in 2016 to establish stakeholders’ perceptions of Noise Solution’s use of, what at the time was referred to as, Noise Solution’s blogging practice. A ‘data corpus’ of nine interviewees were identified for interviewing (each fulfilling stakeholder roles of participant, family and key worker). Priority was given to identifying a sample of those who offered “good opportunities to learn about complexity and context” as highlighted by Stake (2006), discussing the considerations around capturing data from those likely or not likely to be forthcoming with qualitative data in interview (Stake, 2006, p. 27).

I was both the delivering tutor and interviewer and, as such, I recognise that each of these positions (both separately and combined) have implications in terms of participant responses. The ethical implications of power are discussed in more detail in the ethics section, 3.8. However, I believe that the consistency implicit in this approach gives the process an insight into which groupings were most likely to elicit those “good opportunities to learn”, as highlighted by Stake (2006).

Of the three digital narrative stakeholder groupings interviewed, two could be described as being examples where participants completed the ten-week intervention. It is acknowledged that these interviewees were warm to the project.

They were identified as being “good opportunities to learn about complexity and context” (Stake, 2006, p. 27). The third set of stakeholders interviewed was from a set of sessions wherein the participant did not complete the course, having ‘disengaged’ halfway through. The selection of an ‘unsuccessful’ outlier stakeholder grouping is a move designed to broaden the indicators of success/non-success within the data collected, likely to be of interest in further research.

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3.5.3 Pre-existing data This element of the data has already been collected. A copy of the interview schedule, developed and used for the interviews, can be found in Appendix B. Also in Appendix B is a link to the study, detailing the methodological background for the study, and a synopsis of the findings.

The intention is to re-interrogate through thematic analysis the pre-existing interview data, in light of the new research questions arising from this research’s literature review.

3.5.4 Analysis design and procedure Interviews were transcribed immediately following their completion. I intend to apply analysis to extrapolate meaning from this qualitative data. To accomplish this, I will follow Braun and Clarke’s six phases of thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, pp.16-23). My reasoning for this revolves around its provision of a clear set of guidelines developing an analytical skill set widely used as a “foundational method for qualitative analysis” (Braun & Clark, 2006, p. 4) The six steps to the process are as follows: 1. Familiarising yourself with the data 2. Generating initial codes 3. Searching for themes 4. Reviewing themes 5. Defining and naming themes 6. Producing the report The purpose of this approach is to extrapolate from the ‘data corpus’, themes that “capture something important about the data in relation to the research question, and represents some level of patterned response or meaning within the data set” (Braun & Clarke, 2006, p.10) Thematic analysis can, in this way, be used in a deductive manner to highlight aspects of interest within the interviews to aid in the theorising of the research question. Or, as Patton puts it, describing the journey that thematic analysis takes: “The analytic process involves a progression from description, where the data have simply been organised to show patterns in semantic content, and

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summarised, to interpretation, where there is an attempt to theorise the significance of the patterns and their broader meanings and implications.”

(Patton, 1990 as cited in Braun & Clarke, 2006, p.13) Patton’s quote highlights that ‘that which is of interest’, once coded, can aid in identifying signposts to data suited to help answer my research questions. I’m aware that this is part of an iterative process focusing only on ‘hot spots’ of activity, at the expense of potentially equally valid qualitative data elsewhere in the interview transcripts. However, the focus of this component of qualitative evidence collection is to move ‘toward’ an understanding of stakeholder perceptions rather than provide a definitive answer as to its value and will suffice as a starting point.

3.5.5 Coding stakeholder perceptions The following codes, aligned directly with lines of enquiry identified in the literature review (Table 3.2), will be applied to both the interview transcripts and the digital narratives, as described in section 3.5.4 and section 3.6.4. To achieve this, text transcriptions of interviews were uploaded to a web-based analytic tool (www.dedoose.com). If, within an interview transcript, a particular question is considered to contain something of semantic interest to that research question, this tool, designed for academic mixed media and qualitative data analysis, allows for codes to be created and then appended to text within the analysis software. The software then visually maps code occurrences for easy analysis (See Figure 4.6 for an example).

Table 3.2. Codes drawn from literature review section summaries Section

Codes to be applied

summary code is drawn from Well-being

Autonomy Competency Relatedness

Engagement

Wider implications Democratic learning

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Epistemic Trust

Digital Narrative

Reflection Changed identity Empathy

I will use the highest conversational ‘hot spots’ as markers with which to reinterrogate the data. The intention being to pull out potential themes represented within grouped coded excerpts.

As well as highest count occurrences, I will also investigate where different codings overlap within the same excerpt. In this way I hope to: “illuminate how concepts related to the research questions and represented by the code system are combined in the natural schema (i.e., cognitive frameworks that help organize and interpret information).” (Gamez, 2017) A number of these approaches to collection and analysis will apply equally to the digital narrative data set.

3.6 Stakeholder perceptions: digital narratives As mentioned in section 3.5, the interviews were conducted with each participant’s digital narrative central to the interview process, acting “as a referent around which to structure a participant interview” (Schober & Spiro, 2014, p. 3).

For some stakeholders, particularly referring professionals, the narrative was the focus of the experience. As such, it would be remiss to ignore this element of evidence. Many of the processes relating to the sample and thematic analysis are replications of the previous section. As such, only differences have been highlighted in the next section.

3.6.1 Data sample, collection and analysis In an effort to maintain as much consistency as possible (as recommended by Creswell, 2013, p.267) the data samples of three digital narratives are drawn from those same participants and stakeholders who participated in the semi-structured

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interviews. Issues pertaining to the choosing of the data sample are the same as found in section 3.3.1.

The process of producing digital narratives, within a Noise Solution context, is covered in the introduction section (1.3). The three digital narratives can be viewed here: https://dnoisesolutionblog.tumblr.com/ https://gsnoisesolutionblog.tumblr.com/ https://ksns2015.tumblr.com/ What follows in the next subsections is a description of the analysis for the digital narrative data set.

The narratives themselves are a combination of video, musical and text data. Before applying the analysis described in sections 3.5.6, the data will be ‘reduced’ to their constituent parts with each individual post (for all three digital narratives) logged into a spreadsheet prior to tagging with codes within the Dedoose software , as set out in section 3.5.6. Videos and text have been transcribed, whilst descriptive elements, such as contributor of the post and type of media, have been noted. In this sense, it is its own mixture of subjective and objective data (see Appendix C for an excerpt example).

The choice of a parallel convergent mixed method approach (see section 3.2 on mixed method design) dictates that data should have as many ‘parallels’ as possible. In keeping with this approach, my intention is to have parallel methods of analysis of data. To that end, the same coded thematic analysis, using the same software, to the digital narrative data as will be applied to the semi-structured interviews (see sections 3.3.3 and 3.3.4). This data will be combined with the thematic analysis data arising from the semi-structured interviews.

3.7 Ethical considerations The ethical considerations of this thesis have been considered, via the submission of appropriate paperwork, discussed and signed off by Cambridge University Faculty of Education. Prior to all design elements of this research, reference was made to the British Educational Research Association’s Ethical Guidelines on education

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research (BERA, 2011) in line with faculty-recommended ethical research guidelines. As a consequence, verbal and recorded consent from participants, parents and professionals was given prior to commencing any interview, as part of the earlier 2016 information-gathering phase. The interview schedule in Appendix B sets out the wording given to stakeholders re the consent and recordings of each stakeholder’s consent are available on request.

Particular emphasis was made at the start of each interview to the absolute editorial control over content that participants hold. Interviewees were informed that they can withdraw consent for anything that appears within the study at any time. By taking the step of discussing with the parents and professional key workers and the young person interviewed pre interview, and making them aware of their ability to revoke any information at any time, I feel a reasonable level of awareness, conversation and consent was agreed. In the process of writing up this thesis, I was also aware that a considerable amount of time had elapsed between the interviews and the work being submitted. As such, I re-contacted participants (those under 18 at the time of consent) in July of 2017. Checking that consent was still current, I received confirmation from all three participants that this was so.

I am aware that recorded consent (whilst necessary) could be viewed as a tick box process, a common sense safeguard, acting as a protection for participant, college and researcher, rather than being a deeper ethical consideration of the actual impact of the research. Much of the focus of this research centres on identity, and how identity can potentially be ‘written’ through experience (Wyn et al., 2008, p.14).

It is, therefore, important to consider to what extent does the process and ‘experience’ of conducting the research itself impact on participant’s experience.

The intended purpose of the qualitative elements of this research, as with the digital narrative itself, was to provide a representation of participant perception of themselves and their experiences through their ‘voice’. But participant voice, as mentioned by Griffiths in her work, ‘Educational Research for Social Justice’, is an elusive thing (Griffiths, 1998, p.125).

Participants’ voices have been filtered by the participants’ knowledge that I, as the director of Noise Solution, as a tutor delivering sessions, and as a researcher for a university, am the one asking the questions. Griffiths goes on to note that these issues can be compounded when we take quotes from interviews with a view to

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representing the ‘voice’ of participants. Here, “’giving a voice’ masks the power inequalities in the research” (Troyna, 1995 as cited in Griffiths, 1998, p.125). In an effort to counter any perception of misrepresentation, participants will be given copies of their transcripts to ensure that the written representation matches that which they intended to convey.

Reflexively, it is incumbent upon myself as a researcher to be aware that any answer may be coloured by the power relationships at play. The obverse is, if we don’t ask questions for fear of the nature of the answers we receive, there is nothing to reflect upon. I am interested in how perceptions of participants can be listened to, and how that information can better inform studies such as this. To do this, there is a need to record perceptions of those who have been involved with a service. Those services may have some associations with elements with societal stigma attached, i.e. mental health services. I am trusting that strategies such as the anonymisation of data and sharing of what is recorded for approval, will go some way to reassure participants.

As noted, my leanings are towards practical processes to protect participants (with ultimate editorial control in their hands for anything published), but mediated with a pragmatic orientation, allowing the work to achieve its aims. To that end, additional strategies, such as the pre-interview schedule (Appendix B) make it clear that, at any point, participants can exercise the right of withdrawal. This provides a further line of both autonomy and control for participants and a sense of safety in participation.

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CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS I shall first set out a descriptive statistical picture of those meeting the criteria for the quantitative WEMWBS sample. I shall then relate each quantitative finding to their relevant research question, as set out in section 3.3. I shall then proceed to relate qualitative findings to research questions.

4.1 Warwick- Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale Between October 2015 and November 2016, Noise Solution received 82 referrals.

This falls within Corder and Forman’s (2009) required sample size, as set out in section 3.4.2. However, there are a number of qualifying criteria that need addressing before including or rejecting these referrals in the WEMWBS sample.

WEMWBS data is bivariate, meaning that, to be included, both start and end data need collating.

A total of 70.7% of referrals completed the 10-week intervention. There were a number of reasons for the non-completion of the remaining 29%, Seven participants (8.5%) stopped due to mental health challenges; two participants (2.4%) moved away out of county; three participants (3.6%) were stopped by the referring agency for their own reasons; twelve participants (14.6%) decided to not engage with Noise Solution; nine participants (10%) did complete successfully, but failed to complete WEMWBS data.; and fourteen participants who completed the sessions and completed start and end questionnaire data were rejected from the sample for being below the age of thirteen (17%). This is the minimum age that WEMWBS is validated to.

This left a sample of 35 participants large enough to satisfy Corder (2009) in terms of a sample size large enough to generalise from. Figure 4.1 gives a breakdown of the descriptive elements of the remaining sample.

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Fig 4.1. Descriptive qualitative data for WEMWBS There was • 60%/40% split in favour of male participants • Age ranges spanning from 13 to 39.

• The majority of participants (62.9%) were between 15 and 18 years of age.

• Ethnicity was hugely heavily weighted towards white British with a 91.4% representation.

Of those left within the sample, 48.6% were referred by mental health services; 31.4% of referrals from education sources and 20% from social service organisations. There is a caveat that this sample can only be said to representative of participants in the East of England referred by these organisations, as such any further generalisations from any of the findings could be critiqued as problematic.

4.1.1 Differences in start and end well-being levels Individual WEMWBS summed scores were sorted into low/moderate and high bandings, derived from the work of the Cheshire and Merseyside Public Health Collaborative (CHAMPS, 2013). Data participants are considered to be in a low wellbeing banding where their summed score is less than 42, moderate banding between 42-58 and high when greater than 58. The WEMWBS user guide places the national mean as being between 50 and 51 (Taggart, et al., 2015, p.ii).

The methodology for arriving at these boundaries involves taking a population’s median WEMWBS score and applying the standard deviation from those results, plus or minus, as a marker between boundaries (Taggart et al., 2015, p.ii). Because

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our sample is small, rather than calculate from our own population mean, I intend to use CHAMPS’ pre-existing banding, based on a substantially larger population, to interpret Noise Solution participants’ data.

Using this banding, we are able to answer the research question formulated in section 3.1 addressing the difference between pre- and post-WEMWBS scores as represented in Figure 4.2.

Fig.4.2 Change in assessed levels of well-being pre- and post-Noise Solution There is a clear decrease in low well-being with a 31%, a 22.9% increase in the medium well-being banding and an 8.6 % increase in the high well-being banding.

In answer to the research question re measurable differences, these findings are suggestive that the intervention was effective in impacting positively on raising lower well-being scores, but saw smaller increases on higher scores.

4.1.2 Are results statistically significant?

An analysis of statistical significance gives a more rigorous indication of the effectiveness of the intervention. As described in section 3.4.3, a Wilcoxon SignedRanks test was applied to a qualifying sample (n35) of WEMWBS data. SPPS software was used to statistically analyse the data (Hinton et al., 2004, p.130).

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Fig.4.3 Wilcoxon analysis result, within SPSS software.

The result (see Figure 4.3) indicated that the “Start WEMWBS scores” (mean rank = 12.33) was rated less favourably than the “End WEMWBS scores” (mean rank = 19.17), Z = -3.951 p = 0.000078 The p figure of p.000078 is considerably under the critical significance level of p.05 set out in section 2.3.2. By this measure, it is statistically significant and, therefore, I can reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis “There is a significant difference in participants’ WEMWBS summed start and end scores, following a ten-week intervention with Noise Solution” Reflexively, as the director of Noise Solution and researcher, this finding of statistical significance, and rejection of the null hypothesis, is of great importance,

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and a relief. Providing, as it does, a statistical answer to critiques of a reliance on anecdotal data.

4.1.3 How much do well-being levels change Having established that positive change is statistically significant across the sample, the next research question is ‘what is the range of that change and how much are those results changing? Applying Pallant’s calculation (as described in section 3.4.3) the results were as follows: z -3.951 (result from Wilcoxon analysis) divided by square root of participant observations (√70 = 8.37), the resulting figure = r = 0.472 The range of change is notably close to being rated as having a large effect, coming within less than .03 of being classed as a large effect size. Therefore, in answer to the research question what is the range of change? r = medium, bordering on large.

4.1.4 Whose results are changing the most?

The next research question (Table 3.1) was what differences are found within a demographic examination of WEMWBS data. Table 14, looks at mean start and end scores, splitting them by age and gender. The WEMWBS user guide states that WEMWBS is sensitive to change and any change in mean scores greater than 3 can be considered meaningful (Taggart et al., 2015, p.45). The change column in Figure 4.4 shows that, overall, there is a mean change of 6.35 in start and end WEMWBS scores, double that which would be deemed meaningful. Looking at scores bracketed by age or gender, we see meaningful change across all categories.

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Fig.4.4 Mean scores for WEMWBS, divided along gender and age lines Drilling down further, we see that the most change in mean WEMWBS scores occurs within the 16-24 age range and amongst female participants. It is the female figure which shows the most pronounced change, of any mean, being twice that of male participants.

In summary, we see meaningful change across all ages and genders, 16-25 age range is most effected and female participant mean score displays twice the change of male participants.

4.1.5 Distribution The final research question in Table 3.1 was ‘where is any change most apparent?’ A box plot (aka box and whisker diagram) is a standardised way of displaying distribution of data. The central rectangles, for pre and post scores (Figure 4.5), span the first quartile to the third quartile (the interquartile range or IQR) of the WEMWBS scores. These rectangles display where the majority of summed scores

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lay. The line inside the rectangle shows the median and ‘whiskers’ above and below the box show the locations of the minimum and maximum scores. (Kirkman,1996).

Fig.4.5 Box plots demonstrating the range of change Here we see in more detail where change is occurring. In answer to the research question, there is a clear shift from lower well-being scores to a much more focused cluster of moderate levels of well-being, within three points of the national mean (section 4.1.1).

Quantitative summary A synopsis of findings in answer to the research questions in Table 3.1 RQ

Are the WEMWBS results statistically significant?

Yes. Statistical significance has been confirmed (p.000078).

RQ

What is the range of change? r = 0.472. This range measurement indicates the amount of change occurring classed as ‘medium’, according to Cohen’s scale (very narrowly missing a rating of high by .03).

RQ

What are the demographic differences in WEMWBS scores?

Demographically, the largest positive shift is found in the 16-24 age range with female participants displaying change twice that of male participants.

Numbers of BME participants within the sample are negligible.

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RQ

Where on the WEMWBS scale is change most apparent?

WEMWBS scores are shifting from the low end of the WEMWBS scale, concentrating around moderate levels, within three points of the national average.

The last quantitative research question was, ‘Is it possible to make any generalisations?’ Given the strong statistical significance displayed in the validation of the WEMWBS tool, and the sample size meeting thresholds for generalisation, these results appear to be extremely encouraging. The caveat, as always, is that sample size is still small, participants come from a geographically small area, hugely weighted toward those of white ethnicity, and with well-being scaling scales always being open to critique around their subjective nature.

4.2 Qualitative findings: Semi structured interviews The interviews had a mean interview time of forty-eight minutes. The longest interview being sixty-two minutes in duration, the shortest forty-two minutes. 566 excerpts were identified and appropriate codings (see section 3.5.5) were attached, as described in the analysis design section re Braun and Clarke’s description (section 3.5.4).

4.2.1 Coding occurrence A pictorial overview of the coding occurrences, juxtaposed against stakeholders’ roles, is presented in Figure 4.6. I have amalgamated the individual nine interviewees into their respective stakeholder roles of participant, family and professional, to make the data more manageable. Each of these ‘roles’ represents three interviewee. Using the Dedoose software to analyse distribution of codes, we find the following:

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Fig.4.6 Interview transcripts coding count, by stakeholder role results Top 5 highest coding incidences are Wider implications than music, 91; Relatedness, 85; Changed narrative/identity, 80; Democratic approach, 74 and Competency, with 73 Looking at how that breaks down by role in Figure 4.6, the highest coding incidences are family members discussing the wider implications of the intervention. It’s interesting to note participants accounting for the next four highest coding incidences around democratic approaches to engagement; feelings of competency; changed narrative/identity and elements of relatedness.

Professionals don’t feature in the five highest incidences of coding. However, where they do occur, coding appears to be around relatedness and wider implications than music for participants/stakeholders.

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4.2.2 Coding co-occurrence Looking for co-occurrences of coding produced the following in Figure 4.7.

Fig.4.7 Co-occurrence of coding within interviews Figure 4.7 gives us the following findings, suggesting that the strongest cooccurrences appear to be between Wider implications than music and changed narratives/identity (37).Then Wider implications than music and Relatedness (34). Followed by Competency and Changed narrative/identity (29) and Competency and Wider implications than music (24).

The strongest theme arising is Wider implications than music, appearing as it does in three of the top five co-occurrence analyses. Stakeholders are linking those wider implications with Changes in identity, Relatedness and Competency.

Competency and Changes in identity also feature highly, with each occurring twice.

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4.3 Digital narrative findings I shall start by examining findings describing who contributed comments, pictures, music or video to a digital narrative. I shall then examine coding occurrence within each narrative and to which type of media that coding was attached. Lastly, and similarly to the interview analysis, I shall also examine co-occurrence of coding.

4.3.1 Who contributed?

Single letters in the axis represent participants A, D or G. SG represents myself in my role as tutor. Letters can be combined where posts were co-created.

Professionals were those assigned as key workers from a variety of organisations, and family is self-explanatory.

Fig.4.8 Number of posts per contributor (participant A)

Fig.4.9 Number of posts per contributor (participant D)

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Fig.4.10 Number of posts per contributor (participant G) The finding demonstrated in Figures 4.8, 4.9 and 4.10 appears to be that posts cocreated between the participant and tutor, within the session, predominantly populate these digital narratives. The next highest contributor of posts is the participant themselves. This is suggestive that democratic approaches are at play within the creation of the digital narratives.

4.3.2 Coding occurrence Once narratives were reduced into a spread sheet, 237 excerpts were coded within the Dedoose software. Continuing with an individualised focus, the following section breaks attributed codings down within each participant narrative. For added depth of information, I am also mapping coding occurrences against types of media.

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Fig.4.1.1 Coding count (Participant A), contributor and media type A’s digital narrative (Figure 4.1.1) saw coding hot spots focused on Competency (59 in total), Relatedness (30 in total) and Changed narrative/identity (20 in total).

Codings were attributed most highly against video and contributions from SG (myself) and the participant. Interestingly, within A’s narrative coding there are no instances of Epistemic Trust noted.

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Fig.4.1.2 Coding occurrence (Participant D), contributor and media type Participant D’s digital narrative (Figure 4.1.2) was unfinished and incomplete making any analysis difficult. Again though, co-contributed posts tagged as relating in some way to Competency feature the most heavily.

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Fig.4.1.3 Coding occurrence (Participant G), contributor and media type Looking at G’s instances of coding Figure 4.1.3, Competency as a theme is very strong. When mapped against media type and contribution, we see again that cocontributions between myself as tutor and G are by far the highest occurrences.

Suggesting that, within the narrative, democratic learning occurring. Also, we see quotes and video linking the most strongly to competency.

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4.3.3 Coding co-occurrence Where the same digital narrative excerpt was concurrently coded with an additional code, we start to see a picture emerge of possible links in stakeholder perceptions.

The graphs below show where this happens.

Fig.4.1.4 Co-occurrence of codings (Participant A) Figure 4.1.4 shows the co-occurrence coding count for participant A. If we look along the totals line, we see Competency as the highest coded theme, with Autonomy and Relatedness also featuring strongly.

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Fig.4.1.5 Co-occurrence of codings (Participant D) D’s co-occurrence codings are represented in Figure 4.1.5. There were a couple of instances of co-occurrence around Competency and Changed narrative within this unfinished digital narrative. However, its incompleteness is apparent.

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Fig.4.1.6 Co-occurrence of codings (Participant G) In terms of co-occurrence of coding within G’s digital narrative, Figure 4.1.6, we see Competency features most highly, coupled with Wider implications than music and Changed narrative/identity. Therefore, the finding here suggest that, for these stakeholders, Competency was related in some form to Changes in identity and Wider implications.

Whilst difficult to draw conclusions from such a small sample, the findings around co-occurrence of codings seem to indicate that stakeholders strongly identify Competency as the main theme within the digital narratives. With the other two requirements from Deci and Ryan’s SDT theory, Autonomy and Relatedness, featuring more heavily than other codings. Potentially, as a result of all three SDT

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requirements being present, Changes in identity and Wider implications feature strongly in co-occurrence of coding in narratives A and G. 4.3.4 Combining coding findings Taking the codings from the interviews and adding them to the codings from the digital narratives, we see the prevalence of Competency (229 occurrences), with Wider implications (162 occurrences), Relatedness (137 occurrences) and Changed narrative/identity (134 occurrences) making up the top four coding occurrences across the qualitative evidence available (Figure 4.17).

Fig.4.1.7 Combined digital narrative and interview coding occurrence The digital narrative findings, sections 4.3.1 and 4.3.2, show us that co-constructed elements of the digital narrative, where tutor and participant have co-operated in posting, far outweigh individual contributions.

These co-constructed posts are the ones most strongly linked to the theme of Competency across all three digital narratives. In part, because they are designed to project a positive image. Video and quotes are by far the most prevalent media type eliciting taggings of Competency.

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Fig.4.1.8 Combined digital narrative and interview co-occurrence of codes If we also look for co-occurrences across combined digital narrative and interview data, we see the following (Figure 4.18). Changed identity takes up the top slot in combination with Competency and Wider implications other than music. This suggests, obliquely, that that projection of Competence is in some way resulting in those Wider implications.

Summary This section contained large amounts of information. In summary, WEMWBS results are statistically significant, with range of change being medium to high, 16-24 age range and female participants see biggest rises in well-being. All three requirements for increased well-being are present in stakeholder perceptions, with Competency being the most heavily represented. Competency is most associated with video and quote posts within the narratives. High counts of perceptions of Wider implications suggest that the intervention has reached outside of its musical origins.

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CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION (Overview of the study and discussion To aid consistency and organise the discussion section, I shall again use the three stage framework (Figure 2.1) employed in the literature review. We shall start with an overview and then a discussion of elements pertinent to the quantitative data. We shall then move to qualitative elements. Under the headings of well-being, engagement and digital narrative, as well as text, I will create tables. Each table will contain (i) the relevant code, linked to those excerpts (ii) three or four excerpts of stakeholder perceptions, as examples (iii) a code count indicating how many times that code appeared in the data and (iv), lastly, a link to the main literature references for that coding.

5.1

Overview of the study

Initially, I identified a gap in the literature relating to the rigour of examinations of existing projects using music with YICC. Also identifying a question relating to whether well-being interventions should only be delivered by health professionals. I examined literatures pertaining to well-being, engagement and digital narratives.

This highlighted a duality of types of questioning, relating to measurement and to perceptions. Quantitative enquiry has taken the form of statistical analysis of WEMWBS data, while qualitative questions have investigated nine lines of enquiry raised within the literature review. These have been adapted to research questions and addressed to transcripts of stakeholder perceptions. These lines of enquiry included SDT theory, themes of engagement and theory around externalisation of narratives and their impact upon identity. Findings have highlighted that Noise Solution is statistically significant in impacting on well-being and that all three elements required for well-being to flourish (autonomy, competency and relatedness) are present within stakeholder perceptions.

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5.1.1 Well-being numbers WEMWBS appears trusted by a range of organisations. These include government and the NHS. Extensive psychometric and correlation testing indicate a high level of internal accuracy and good levels of consistency with other measures (StewartBrown et al., 2011). The main note of caution being that assessments of the tool are predominantly, though not exclusively, from the team that developed it.

Within a Noise Solution context WEMWBS provides a benchmark. Results can be compared with other study findings, such as van de Venter and Buller’s (2014) arts on prescription paper. WEMWBS allows us to see similarities and differences in the projects, adding to weight of numbers evidence, often noted as lacking in the literature. For example, both this study and van de Venter’ and Buller’s study saw high levels of statistical significance and larger increases in well-being for women than men. Why might two independent studies using similar methods see such similar statistical and gender differences?

Within this study, the sample size (over n30), and the use of Wilcoxon analysis lends credence to findings; technically being sufficient for generalisation. We can state that this study is statistically significant; has been delivered by non health professionals; and builds on other studies, i.e. aligning with van de Venter and Buller’s, and, technically, results are generalisable (with a number of caveats).

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5.1.2 Well-being perceptions What light, then, might the qualitative findings shine in relation to stakeholder perceptions. Table 5.1 gives examples of those perceptions.

Table.5.1 Synopsis of well-being perceptions, code count and literature

Theme/

RQ themes and

Area

code count

Wellbeing

Stakeholder perceptions

Literature

Autonomy

“I felt way in control” (Participant D)

Ryan & Deci ,

“He seemed very confident. I’d say he was feeling in control. Maybe for the first time,

59 Occurrences

actually”. (Family G)

2001

“I think she felt that she was in power to make the decisions” (Family A) “She seemed very in control. In her videos, I was quite surprised” (Professional A)

Competency

229 Occurrences

“I saw a difference in him straight away just because it was something that he could do. I think it was when you taught him how to play the piano in one session and, for him, he knew that that is something that it’s not easy for someone to do and he’d achieved that in a day” (Professional G) “You think, “I did that”, rather than somebody else telling you that it’s good, I actually think it’s good”. (Participant A) “It was really nice to see her looking confident and capable which you knew was in there but it was hard sometimes to access that part of herself” (Professional A)

Relatedness

137 Occurrences

“It was nice to feel linked into it as well. It wasn’t just like she’s gone off and done this thing but we don’t really know what’s going on so it felt like you were connecting” (Family A) “I showed some people and people were actually interested in what I was doing, and they actually wanted to know” (Participant D)

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Autonomy came through strongly as a theme within the literature review i.e. Ryan and Deci stating “teachers who are autonomy supportive (in contrast to controlling) catalyse in their students greater intrinsic motivation” (Ryan and Deci, 2000, p.71).

Taylor and Parsons (2011) and Narita and Green (2015), similarly raise recurrent ideas of engagement benefiting from more autonomous learning environments.

Narita and Green go further in linking the encouragement of autonomy to ideas similar to those found within critical theory (Taylor & Parsons, 2011, p26; Narita & Green, 2015, p.305). Ideas we stated we would explore further in this section.

Critical theory proposes an antidote to oppression engendered by societal structures intent on maintaining the status quo. It does this by creating a democratic learning space “to introduce women and men to a critical form of thinking about their world”(Friere, 1970, p.104). Critical theory also proposes that educational experiences of success, in such environments, will create experiential dissonance.

This dissonance leads participants to recognise and challenge their place in oppressive social systems designed to maintain the status quo. Through this lens, family G’s quote in Table 5.1 could be a perception of dissonance. A recognition that new feelings of autonomy were at odds with what had been experienced previously, opening the participant to reappraisal of how they feel about labels ascribed to them by formal educational establishments.

Although autonomy didn’t figure as highly as many other themes (ranking 7th highest of the 10 coded themes, Figure 4.1.7), this doesn’t negate that autonomy was present across all the data. Indeed, it appears 59 times within interview and digital narrative transcripts. Potentially, this lower figure may be a reflection on the nature of questions asked, rather than answers given. The interview questions came from the previous study, using an early iteration of the literature review with a differerent focus (see Appendix B).

Competency, in contrast, is the most coded theme across the qualitative data, occurring 229 times. This high coding occurrence is underpinned by the creation of purposefully pro-biased digital narrative content. This is because narratives are intended to project an image of competency. Post-intervention perceptions, such as professional G, amongst many in Table 5.1, confirm that the perception of competency remained with stakeholders, and that impacts were considered to be considerable.

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I propose that a combination of quick success within sessions and recognition from other stakeholders of Competency (via comments on the digital narrative) facilitates the establishment of Epistemic Trust. Something the literature state is required for participants to engage and reflect on their experience (see section 2.2.5). The sharing of that competency, manifested through the digital narrative, also links to the third SDT ‘need’ of Relatedness, as stipulated by Deci and Ryan (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

Relatedness ranked the 3rd highest occurring code, appearing 137 times across the data. It is possible that the high code count, is an indicator of what Small (1998) called the ripples in relationship inherent in musicking (Small, 1998, p.9).

Stakeholder perceptions (Table. 5.1) certainly suggest that it was the digital narrative enabling ‘ripples’. For example G’s family member and D’s professional talk of how participants’ success, seen through the lens of a digital narrative, made them feel and relate more strongly to the process.

Looking at qualitative perceptions, the high recognition of Competency may be the start of a number of processes. It is the most heavily represented code for a reason (probably due to the nature of the digital narrative), but it may be acting as a catalyst for stakeholders. It is the signal that something positive is occurring. Importantly, it is not alone; all three of Ryan and Deci’s requirements for well-being are perceived as present, fulfilling the theory of need requirements. Whilst there is no causality proof, there is, in this section, alignment between SDT theory, statistically significant analysis of improved well-being and qualitative stakeholder perceptions.

5.2

Engagement

The discussion around engagement centers on the themes of Wider implications, Democratic learning and Epistemic Trust Table 5.2 is slightly longer than the previous Table 5.1, predominantly because Wider implication excerpts require more contextual information.

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Table.5.2 Synopsis of ‘engagement’ perceptions, code count and literature

Theme

RQs

Stakeholder perceptions

Engage

Wider

“The D episode is kind of a failure, but

ment

implications

actually I don’t think it was at all. Because

Literature

/Area

you have to remember that this young person 162 occurrences

Small,1998

had NEVER engaged in education in any way. Knowing her educational history, not even a specialist could teach this young woman… the fact that you got anything out of

Friere, 1970

her was quite remarkable, and unfortunately will probably remain as yet her one educational achievement.” (Professional D) “I would then go into school and say, have you been looking at the blog and actually seeing it, and actually people who probably felt quite negative about him, in terms of his ability to achieve anything, because sometimes in schools they can feel quite: ‘That person’s written off’ so to speak, and I think that actually seeing, through a different outlet, what he was doing was really positive and it was really quite nice to see them challenged (Professional G) “She’d been trying to push herself to do loads of stuff that felt really difficult and painful and unpleasant and I think she’s better at saying: ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘I can do this’ or ‘I’d like to do that’. From a confidence point of view, I would say it improved quite a lot, from probably 2 to 9 or something.”

(Professional A) “I think they saw the other side of me, instead of the angry side that everyone always hears about, and I hate it when people just talk about angry me ….. So I think yeah, it did change the way people look at me and think about me because they saw the side of me that’s fun, happy, cheery.”

(Participant D) “The blog was, from the family and friends’

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point of view, great because going to Noise Solution the recording studio with you was really the first time A has gone anywhere voluntarily without a member of the family in the background, apart from the odd musical thing but one of us has usually been around for that so it meant that” …(interviewer – How long was that the case?).. “All her life. The blog was great because she could show us what she had been doing. We’re used to knowing every little detail of her life because she’s always with us. It meant that we could still talk to her about it because we could see what she was doing” (Family A)

Democratic

“When you first met D she didn’t want to

learning

come down, she didn’t want to have nothing

90 occurrences

Green, 2002

to do with you, but then after about 20 minutes when a guitar came out, well you

Taylor &

saw yourself; D just opened right up and she

Parsons,

had a big smile on her face, and she was

2011

having a good time, and I just think it’s a way of getting through to D” (Family D) “The first time that I met you, instead of making me come all the way out of there, it’s quite close actually, making me go over there, you came here where I was comfortable. I liked that” (Participant D) “It made me want to change how they (Social workers) interacted with her…. I was showing it (the digital narrative) and I was trying to say look if you talk to D about her music and about the blog maybe she’ll open up. Maybe she’ll start talking to you more if you start talking to her about her music and what she’s been doing at Noise Solutions.” (Family D)

Epistemic

“Somebody was actually listening to her,

Bevington et

Trust

understanding her, and not dismissing

al., 2015

49 occurrences

her” (Family D)

Fonagay, 2014

“I found that you could reach him when

Bevington et

nobody else seemed to be able to…

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school, teachers, support workers, people

al., 2015

who were involved in his schooling at the time.” (Family G) “I guess the thing it (the blog) didn’t show was how incredibly patient you were at the

Fonagay, 2014

start of the sessions to get her to unwind enough to participate which would be a difficult thing, and possibly and embarrassing thing, to put out there for A’s point of view.

But that’s the bit of the sessions that I think isn’t, and probably can’t be reflected on the blog.” (Family A)

The literature suggests that relationships are at the heart of any successful intervention (Saunders et al., section 2.5). Taylor and Parsons explicitly cite the importance of “collaboration among respectful ‘peer to peer’ type relationships between students and teachers’ and ‘teachers learning with students” (Taylor & Parsons, 2011, p.26). Again, there are parallels with critical theory approaches; specifically, Friere noting that dialogue inherent in democratic teacher participant learning needs each party to be humble. Something I describe as democratic approaches Democratic approaches as a code appears 90 times across the data. For example, the sense of a more democratic relationship, rather than a top down formal traditional educational approach, is implied in this quote from family in Table 5.2, “I found that you could reach him when nobody else seemed to be able to… school, teachers, support workers, people who were involved in his schooling at the time.” (Family G) Here the outcome of a Democratic approach is stated, whilst formal approaches that have failed to ‘reach’ the participant are implied. A connection or understanding between participant and tutor is also implied. What both Bevington and Fonagay call Epistemic Trust (section 2.5.5). Bevington states that feeling understood opens a key biological route to information transmission and reflection. They ascribe additional benefits of Epistemic Trust when working with YICC, countering issues associated with attachment theory, such as avoidant ‘hard to reach’ behaviours.

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Certainly, the first perception in Table 5.2 explicitly states that, even though ultimately unsuccessful in terms of the intervention’s completion, engagement was achieved, demonstrably against the flow of that individual’s educational history. The participant’s family perception was that this was because: “Somebody was actually listening to her, understanding her, and not dismissing her” (Family D).

The establishment of Epistemic Trust is a process capable of “restoring trust in learning from social experience” for the participant (Fonagy & Allen, 2014, p.378).

The co-occurrence of Democratic learning and Epistemic Trust (Figure 4.1.8) suggests that, in the stakeholders' perceptions, one may encourage the other.

Epistemic Trust as a coding on its own received a ‘relatively’ low count of 45 across the data. Indeed, in participant A’s coding table it failed to make a single appearance. Similarly to the coding of Autonomy, Epistemic Trust was present in multiple stakeholder perceptions across the data. I’d suggest, similarly to the discussion around autonomy coding, the code was present but that lower coding counts may be an issue with the focus of questions asked, rather than answers given.

The appearance of Democratic learning and Epistemic Trust being linked in the co-occurrence table supports the idea that it is the relationship that is at the core of this intervention. Again, whilst no causality can be implied between Democratic learning and Epistemic Trust, stakeholder perceptions do appear to align. Given the nature of stakeholder perceptions that were captured in Table 5.2, Starting to piece the patterns together, I’m inclined to suggest that the use of Democratic learning, mediated though the use of musicking establishes quick wins in Competency, encouraging Epistemic Trust. This, in turn, opens the participant to Reflect on their experience. What, though, are the outcomes of that process?

For this study’s participants, musicking is at the centre of a mediating activity to increase feelings of Autonomy, Competency and Relatedness (see findings section 4.1). Ryan and Deci’s SDT theory would suggest that those participants would see increases in well-being and flourish. Across a year of qualifying data, experiencing the same intervention, statistical analysis shows that that well-being increase did occur. What are the perceptions of wider implications of flourishing?

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That coding of wider implications was counted 162 times, making wider implications the second highest occurrence across the entire qualitative data.

Looking at excerpts of those 162 occurrences (Table.5.2), we see the following perceptions occurring. Increases in participant confidence (Professional A); parents and participant able to show an alternative positive picture of participants (Participant, Family D); reframing and challenging other professionals’ perceptions of participant’s potential (Professional G) and allowing family to remain ‘virtually’ connected whilst encouraging independence (Family A). These wider implications echo conclusions found in the information gathering 2016 study, where the digital narrative were found to provide “multi-faceted ‘problem solving’ solutions, aiding communication between stakeholders” (See Appendix B).

Looking at how these different elements are linked in perceptions, Wider implications links with Identity change, Competency and Relatedness in stakeholder excerpts. With Wider implications appearing in three of the top four slots of the co-occurrence Table 4.1.8. As such it is very present in the data.

Competency, as we have established, occurs predominantly within the digital narrative but post intervention perceptions suggest Competency also plays a part as catalyst for establishing Epistemic Trust between participant and tutor and instigating Relatedness with other stakeholders.

5.3 Digital Narrative In Table 5.3 we see that stakeholder perceptions of Changing identity occurred 134 times across the qualitative data. This is a high occurrence, why might this be?

Both Davis and Wienshenker and Kegan stated that digital story telling created an externalisation of participant experience. Kegan suggests that this externalisation is a helpful process enabling adolescents to process experiences. Stakeholder’s certainly recognise the digital narratives ability to reinforce participants’ positive feelings. Examples of perceptions in Table 5.3, from family and participants make it clear that stakeholders recognise externalisation occurring, and the positive outcomes arising from this. In this way, the externalisation of the digital narrative appears to act as an enabler of plasticity of identity for YICC, helping participants re-

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assign positive labels to themselves, a la Cooper’s resignification (Cooper, 1993, p.139).

Table.5.3 Synopsis of ‘engagement’ perceptions, code count and literature

Theme/A

RQs

Stakeholder perceptions

Literature

Reflection

“I’ve just had that sense of achievement

Kegan, 1994

rea Digital Narrative

every time I’ve looked at it, it’s just achievement.” (Participant G)

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“I found it very reflective. When we would

Davis &

Occurrences

finish a session and would write it up, and I’d

Weinshenker,

look on it, read what did, and I was like,

2012

“you know, I actually did that.” (Participant A “You get a big, long report and you read a bit of it, you skim read it and you get a sense of it, whereas this is more snapshots. It’s only the information that you need to know and see and because a lot of it is visual as well in terms of pictures and video clips, it’s really easy to just click on and take 10 minutes out of your day every week to just click on it and you have a real sense of what’s going on rather than reading a report from somebody which I don’t think you’d get a sense of what’s really changed or what’s gone on.” (Professional G)

Empathy

‘Quite emotional actually because it has

De Necchi,

made such a difference to A, it really has,

2016

and I wanted to tell people about it.” (Family

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A)

Occurrences

“It was really nice to be able to see her doing things that I didn’t know she could do. I particularly remember her on the piano with you and I also remember she made layers of her own voice and I just thought it was really creative and interesting and she was clearly getting something from it as well.”

(Professional A) “Well, mum saw the other side of D because mum don’t really see that side of D. Talking in third person there. [laughter] I

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think mum, my friends, family, college, they’ve seen it…I think it changed how they thought of me, in a good way. In a good way.” (Participant D) “Well, the neighbours when they’d seen it, especially X over across the road, you could see them going oh it’s D, to when you show them the blog they actually smile. So they’re feeling positive as well, because they can see D is happy and it’s fun, and she’s actually doing something really good, and it changed.” (Family D)

Changes in

“…(the blog) reinforced what I was seeing

identity

and feeling and thinking, and what he was doing, and the way it changed him. And it

134 Occurrences

was nice that other people saw it as well and, I wasn’t imagining it, so to speak, it was real.

I mean, happy. I hadn’t seen him that happy in so long.” (Family G)

Cooper, 1993

Davis & Weinshenker, 2012

“Then seeing the blog made me realise I can do things. And if I have a go at it, then that will build up the confidence to make me be able to do it more. Maybe, attempt to do other things, as well.” (Participant G) “It made me feel more confident about myself because I saw how I could interact with people and respect people, I could, well it’s difficult to explain. It just made me feel more confident as a person seeing what I looked like to other people, and how I acted and watching myself kind of helped me change things about myself as well.” (Participant A)

Additionally, the digital narrative’s inclusivity of other stakeholders may help play a part in this process within a Noise Solution context. Engagement from family and professionals via commentary, supports Davis and Weinshenker statement that: “Without the on-going support of the community, the self realisations they (participants) report and the personal transformations they testify to are likely

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to fade from consciousness without translation into action.” (Davis &Weinshenker, 2012, p.5,).

The externalisation of the digital narrative capturing an immutable record of success scaffolds an opportunity to reflect. The additional input from stakeholders aids and cements any reflections participants may have. It is the ability to reflect that is so central to the multiple theoretical positions covered in the review. Friere discusses its importance in raising dissonance between educational experiences; Cooper in undermining negative labelling through the promotion of positive experience; and Kegan in scaffolding reflection in such a way as to benefit an adolescent brain developmentally unready to reflect. What other impacts could the digital narrative facilitate?

DeNora (2013) expresses a wish for an evidence framework to capture the “interrelationship between music activity and concrete outcomes”, one that emphasises patient report or voice. She describes wanting a method that links between music and other things. The stakeholder perception from the professional in Table 5.3 throws some light on what that might look like: “… it’s really easy to just click on and take 10 minutes out of your day every week to just click on it and you have a real sense of what’s going on rather than reading a report from somebody which I don’t think you’d get a sense of what’s really changed or what’s gone on.” (Professional G, Table 5.3) I’d suggest that the digital narrative does all that DeNora requested in 2.6.3, capturing actions, forms of embodiment, social ties and moments of flourishing.

DeNora (2013) describes an approach designed to challenge the hegemony of quantitative methodologies. I’d suggest that Noise Solution’s practice concerning digital narratives (combined with WEMWBS measurement) is a real world example of that very call for a measurement methodology more inclusive of participant voice.

Noise Solution’s externalisation of the digital narrative produces an immutable record of the intervention. All stakeholders have the opportunity, at any time (hours, days or years later) to access it, or indeed interact with it. This allows the narrative to become an object of reflection for multiple parties.

This ability to externalise the intervention is at the core of multiple processes, from identity resignification and empathy catalyst, to inclusive dynamic approaches to

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reporting the intervention.

Summation of discussion The overarching research question presented in section 3.3 was: How do the WEMWBS results of participants align with qualitative perceptions held by stakeholders around the Noise Solution intervention?

Fig.5.1. 3 E’s, Engagement, Epistemic Trust and Externalisation

The Venn diagram in Figure 5.1 is a pictorial representation of the answer. I’m entitling the diagram, or model, 3The three E’s, ‘Engagement, Epistemic Trust and Externalisation’. The three outer circles of Engagement, Epistemic Trust and Externalisation are the processes that I consider to have arisen most prominently from both the literature and findings. Where circles intersect, we find the three required elements of SDT, Autonomy, Competency and Relatedness, if present, leading to increased well-being, represented as the outcome in the centre.

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Starting with the engagement circle, the engagement discussion has highlighted that Democratic approaches using musicking and the informal use of music technology, are capable of facilitating feelings of Autonomy and Competency for participants.

That Competency acts as a bridge in building Epistemic Trust; a process the literature cites as engaging participants who previously struggled to engage.

Epistemic Trust, whereby a participant feels understood, also opens a biological gate allowing participants to reflect and be open to social learning.

The externalisation, through capturing and projecting feelings of Autonomy, or Competency, via the digital narrative, is facilitating Relatedness for all stakeholders. This is the essential third element required by Ryan and Deci’s SDT theory (2000). Without all three elements present, the theory states that well-being cannot flourish. Externalisation is key to facilitating a heuristic process for adolescents, processing reflection and aiding their own resignification. This, in turn, is key to facilitating ripples (Small, 1998) amongst stakeholders leading to Changes in identity and Wider implications for participants.

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CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These following final sections look to provide conclusions drawn from the key findings and any implications that those conclusions may have. We shall also highlight any limitations within the study, and look at proposals for future research.

There are three main conclusions drawn from this study.

Firstly, informal musicians (see definition in 1.1.2) can deliver an intervention resulting in statistically significant increases in YICC well-being. This is a definitive answer to the question raised in section 2.1 in that it is possible for nonhealth professionals to deliver intentional well-being interventions.

Secondly, stakeholder’s perceptions, from participants, parents and professionals, within this study cite this process as facilitating feelings of autonomy, competency and relatedness. This places Ryan and Deci’s (2004) three essential requirements for increasing well-being firmly within the intervention.

As we know that the intervention has measurably increased participant well-being, it aligns findings with empirically-evidenced theory.

Thirdly, by using the digital narrative as a reflective tool to turn a ‘transforming experience into an object of contemplation’ (Kegan, 1994), the externalisation scaffolds a heuristic process for participants, enabled through the establishment of Competency and Epistemic Trust.

The first conclusion relates directly to the questions posed at the outset, concerning (a) rigorous reporting of music used to work with YICC and (b) who delivers that work. The second conclusion is a broader finding, building on evidence for a theoretical framework (SDT) with which to base any intervention with YICC that aims to improve well-being. The third conclusion relates directly to a lack of pedagogy around the use of digital tools in music work with YICC. This study provides both number and perceptual stakeholder evidence to support the idea that a fusion of Engagement, Epistemic Trust and Externalisation, mediated through democratic learning approaches, utilising music technology, is a new approach with which to increase well-being in the context of work with YICC. So what are the implications of these conclusions?

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A focus on the establishment of democratic approaches leading to the establishment of Epistemic Trust and Externalisation of Competency certainly works in this context. It appears an appropriate approach for any professional or organisation planning. As such it appears to work with those who have experienced trauma, or present to professionals or organisations, as ‘hard to reach’.

That digital narrative is a fundamental part of a framework for an intentional approach to improve well-being (White, 2016). An approach that has been shown to work while being deliverable by non-health professionals (McLennon, 2015).

Therefore, it provides opportunities for artists, whilst potentially freeing up trained health professionals. Large numbers of community musicians, engineers, and peripatetic teachers exist within the ‘gig’ economy, that could be employed to make meaningful changes to a wide swathe of people in challenging circumstances.

DeNora stated that lack of number evidence was problematic for arts based approaches (DeNora, 2012). The opposite must also be true, in that if we have statistical significance in increasing well-being, then this aids an ability to advocate.

This study is a platform from which organisations can be challenged around deficitbased approaches. The advantage is that the three E’s approach is evidenced means to do this whilst including a means with which to meaningfully include stakeholders in co-creating a reporting process. Something I believe any organisation working with YICC should be interested in.

Stakeholders perceive the co-creation of the digital narrative as an inclusive means by which to evidence an intervention, one that drives its own outcomes. The reporting of the intervention is not solely intended for organisations to record events, but actively involves stakeholders in its creation. Stakeholders perceived this inclusivity as being a catalyst for change, itself facilitating multiple wider implications for participants and their families. There are implications here for any organisation interested in leveraging additional impacts through a reporting process that provides an alternative to solely written reporting methods.

Lastly the three E’s, as an approach, could be the starting place for the development of a sorely missing pedagogy, utilising music technology, tailored to working with YICC.

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6.1 Limitations of the study There are two main limitations of the study. The first is that stakeholder perceptions were generated from a questionnaire derived from another earlier study’s literature review, one concerned mainly with the digital narrative. A redesigned questionnaire would draw on the additional themes raised within this literature review relating to autonomy, competence, relatedness, externalisation and Epistemic Trust.

The second is that of small sample sizes, in both WEMWBS data and stakeholder perceptions. These don’t provide enough variety in number, demographics, geography or a whole host of other variables to generate confidence in generalisations. Adopting a pragmatic mixed method approach may be a starting point, but larger samples for both quantitative and qualitative data sets are required to establish a better evidence base.

6.2 Recommendations for future research As noted in 1.1, the Social Enterprise nature of the organisation, with its implications for funding, avoidance of imposed grant agendas and focus on bottom lines to show financial and social outcomes, has played a part in how the delivery and funding of Noise Solution has developed. To ignore these elements would place the model of work in a vacuum that doesn’t exist in real life. The impacts of the organisation’s legal structure have, I believe, had substantial impact on how the intervention has developed, particularly the cultures inherent in the democratic nature of interventions, and the use of digital tools to engage with outside referring organisations. The recommendation here is that these elements should be noted and their influence investigated further.

A second recommendation, as mentioned earlier in section 4.1, concerns the fact that 29% of the year’s referrals to Noise Solution failed to complete the intervention.

Given that referrals are often those other agencies consider to be ‘hard to reach’, this is unsurprising yet, I believe, perceived to be a high success rate. However, this is a substantial ‘failure rate’ and warrants more investigation of what is going wrong as well as what is going right. Demographic investigations and follow up interviews

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with this cohort could provide data relating to which demographic was most at risk of not completing and what strategies could be enacted to prevent attrition.

Demographic investigations could also shed light on differences found in this and van de Ventors study, specifically the findings from both studies around heightened increased female WEMWBS results.

Noise Solution is in the process of creating a new digital platform that will internally host the digital narratives. Within this platform resides the ability to apply sentiment analysis to the digital narratives and any feedback from family and professionals.

This sentiment analysis will utilise the nine lines of enquiry raised within the literature review to inform an interpretation of which elements are present within the narrative. Essentially this automates the coding process as applied in this study. A lack of resource (time, money) is often cited in research as leading to an inability to interrogate qualitative data at scale. The intention is to be able to utilise technology to equally apply quantitative and qualitative analysis across an exponentially growing data set. Thus circumventing the resource issue inherent in qualitative analysis.

6.3

Concluding thoughts

As researcher and CEO of this Social Enterprise, this journey has been extraordinary. It has played hugely into a process of my own resignification in allowing a number of new labels to be applied, that my 16-year-old self-labelled a failure within formal education, would have laughed at me for suggesting were possible. Before commencing this study, as a founder and chief executive of Noise Solution, I thought I was convinced that the fusion of digital narrative and musicking was getting results, but I had neither the understanding of underlying processes at play or language to disseminate why it might be working. As a research practitioner the enforced discipline and perspective the process has provided has been invaluable. Previously, design development choices for the intervention were based on gut feelings and past experiences, now they are based on evidenced practice.

At the heart of all this work is the participant, enabling them to be successful and showing everyone else that they can be successful and the ripples that generates (Small, 1998). “I would then go into school and say, have you been looking at the blog and actually seeing it, and actually people who probably felt quite negative about him, in terms of his ability to achieve anything, because sometimes in

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schools they can feel quite: ‘That person’s written off’ so to speak, and I think that actually seeing, through a different outlet, what he was doing was really positive and it was really quite nice to see them challenged (Professional G) As professional G comments, organisations can be challenged on predominantly deficit based approaches and provided with a means with which to meaningfully include stakeholders. Parents, participants and agencies can contribute together with outcomes arrived at collaboratively rather than imposed on participants, remote from families.

As an approach, it is already generating interest from senior management teams within Local Authority organisations who are commissioning considerable amounts of interventions, interested in the dynamic and inclusive nature of reporting using this approach. The conversation leading to that commissioning was hugely informed and influenced directly by this research. As a practitioner/researcher this study has led to a fusion of theory and practice that I hope will help contribute to a new lexicon of practice in working with YICC.

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Appendices A: WEMWBS Questionnaire

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B Synopsis of 2016 information gathering study (i)

Link to the full paper

(ii)

interview schedule used and notes

(iii)

synopses of results

https://app.box.com/s/yg0c422jhyl396cucgka8xcmujv27ze5

When interviews were conducted, particular heed was given to Legard et al.’s (2003) highlighting of strategies for successful semi-structured qualitative studies of how best to conduct the interview to obtain maximum rapport and engagement (Legard et al., 2003, pp.138-169). Prior to asking the main questions, reassurance around the purpose of the study, anonymity and ethical considerations around who controls data were put into a framework to guide and standardise the opening of the interviews. This framework is represented in Table 5 and includes a number of questions designed to engage the interviewee in general reflection.

Table 5: Pre-interview schedule, with a view to building rapport Phases of pre interview

Specifics covered

Allowing interviewees Introductory questionsto

Introduction to ethicsunprompted, on blog experience – use of mind General reflection,

understand what they aimed at relaxing the are

map clarification if required Clarification that anything said can be removed at any point if not

partaking in before more ininterviewee depth questioning

happy, Interviewee has control offor data What purpose did the blog serve you?

Establishing an indication

How often over the course of the work did you look at the blog?

of how involved in the

(baseline establishment) and what did that look like?

process the interviewee may have been

Have you viewed it since?

Review blog prior to starting on main body of interview schedule questions

Having established rapport, the interview then moved onto more specific questions related to the earlier data gathering study literature review.

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Interview schedule: questions For the earlier data gathering study, Thomas’s guidelines on semi-structured interviews (Thomas, 2013, p.199) were used to develop an interview schedule of questions. The schedule formed a flexible framework guide to the interview, while still allowing interviewer and interviewee to pursue areas of interest should they arise.

Table 6: Interview schedule questions, from earlier data gathering study 2016 Section

Questions

Follow on questions

Noise Solution

Some people feel that playing or creating music is something that you have to be clever to be able to do. Given your experience how much do you agree with this statement?

What have your experiences in music education been

Practice

Can you give some reasons for why you have you answered as you have?

Did the blog lead to conversations with anyone outside of the actual sessions?

What did that look like?

Was there anything surprised you about experience with the blog?

How did that change how you were feeling?

that your

What were those conversations like?

What, if anything, do you feel the blog added to the ‘Noise Solution’ experience?

Digital narrative Whose was the blog?

Anyone else?

What do you think the blog was for, what roles did it play do you think?

Tell me more

How important was the blog’s role for collecting evidence for the qualification?

Did you think the qualification was important to you at that point?

Did the blog show other people a true picture of what was going on within the sessions?

Did your feelings about the blog change over time?

How? Why?

Was the person in the blog someone you recognised?

In what way?

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Was it overly positive?

Was that a good thing?

What do you think other people who were viewing the blog thought of it?

Was the blog responsible in any way for changing how anyone felt about either themselves or how other people viewed you/the participant?

Engagement How does Noise Solution compare with any other organisation you’ve been involved with?

In both good and bad ways?

Participant: how in control of the session did you feel?

In what way?

How much input into what happened in sessions did you feel you had?

Were the sessions meaningful?

Why?

Did the blog help you ‘reflect’/think about what happened in the sessions?

Was that a good thing?

Table 6 was read from during interviews to retain uniformity across interviews, provide structure and remind me to engage with follow-up questions to elicit further answers.

Synopsis of findings

My PPD study centred around nine, hour-long, thematically-analysed interviews of participants, their family and professional workers. The conclusions of the research indicated that stakeholders perceived that their blogs (see definition on p.8) produced multi-faceted ‘problem solving’ solutions, aiding communication between stakeholders. Blogs were held to have ‘changed perceptions’ for all stakeholders.

The value that the blog held as a ‘reflective tool’ for interviewees, both while involved with Noise Solution and also post-involvement, were indicative that (for these stakeholders at least, for no generalisations could be taken from such a small sample), the blog played a central role in some ‘transformative’ outcomes. However, the term ‘blogging’ became problematic for me within that piece of research. This

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resulted in a shift towards the term digital narrative. For more details, please see the link at the top of Appendix B.

C Example of reduced digital narrative, prepared for coding to be applied Participant

Media

Content

contributor

A

Quote

Hi K. I’ve enjoyed looking through your blog very

Family

much. Like the drumming. And I saw the video with the vocoding - that sounds great and could be just right for our phonetics project, although we can try other musical sounds too. Looking forward to experimenting.

A

Quote

I started of a two today but ended at an 8 - the I’m

A

going to show the animation to everyone who see’s my blog A

Quote

Amazing session – can’t believe how much brilliant

Family

stuff you recorded! Katy felt that she wouldn’t be able to do anything today but it is incredible what a good bash on the drums + a bit of electro-swing can do for a girl!! Mum x

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A

Video

Video shows A on the keyboard playing strange

A SG

sounding samples SG: So talk us through what we’ve done A: Errr we’ve created..we’ve taken samples from a documentary SG: About?

A: Dr Who and the original lady who made the sound effects SG: Uhuh A: And we turned them into separate instruments of their own and created a new song using those instruments SG: We achieved a lot then right?

A: Yeah SG: Yeah that’s pretty impressive…err is this…because when you walked in today you wanted to mess around with sounds and be experimental A: Yeah SG: Are we on the right track?

A: Yeah cos I can now take what we are doing here and do it with what I’m doing with my friends and stuff like that, I can take their voices and their instruments and do something similar……….

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