WCP 2025

The main objective of the study was to find out the psycho-social factors, consequences and mitigation strategies of mental illness.  An exploratory and descriptive institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2017 to September 2018, among three hundred fifty-two (352) families of Persons with mental illness and ten (10) mental health professionals which were selected using availability sampling. The study employed a mixed concurrent triangulation method with the aim of triangulation and consequently to produce a richer and more complete report.  A survey questionnaire, FGD guide, and semi-structured interview were developed and used to explore the stated problems.  The quantitative data analyzed using mean, percentile ranks, and proportions whereas the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis.  The study revealed the psychological factors perceived to cause mental illness, to name the major ones, poor parenting, parental loss, childhood maltreatment, violence, excessive worry for long period of time (frustrations), extreme  concern to others, inferiority feelings, low self-esteem, over discouragement of oneself, regret (self-blame), low self-confidence, overconfidence, fail to share ones concern, incongruence between ideal life and  actual life, and stressors mainly death of loved one and significant others, unexpected material and financial losses, morass  in huge financial indebt, firing from job, and divorce. The study also divulged the sociological (social) factors perceived to cause mental illness which are poverty, unemployment, social deprivation, poor social capital, family disharmony, the culture of dependency on family, unable to establish marriage (being not married), and substance abuse.  This study also disclosed the psychosocial consequences PWMI are facing, namely, feelings of inferiority, low self-esteem, anger, shame, embarrassment, regret, excessive worry for having the illness, loneliness, hopelessness, loss of respect, diminished social capital (breakdown of friendship), stigma, discrimination and isolation, mistreatments, insult (humiliation), violation of civil and political rights, suicide, inequalities, challenges to secure employment, poor achievement, and disable to work productively. On the other hand, the study unveiled the psychosocial mitigating strategies Person with mental illness employed as a retort to the psycho-social consequences (challenges) of mental illness they were facing.  These were praying to God, moral building (psychological empowerment), encourage the practice of self-looking (introspection), making oneself busy, self-group creation, denial, reaction formation, hide in a home (self-isolation), and being silent (repression).  The study finally recommended some measures to curb issues “related to mental illness”and Person with mental illness.

Introduction: Meaning is a distinct resource and indicator of human health and well-being. According to Viktor Frankl, founder of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis (LTEA) or the so-called meaning-oriented psychotherapy, music and the arts can play a decisive role in the context of meaning actualization. However, there is a lack of research considering the thematic field of LTEA, music therapy, music and meaning in life.
Methodology/Approach: The author was head of a team that conducted an international mixed-methods survey among logotherapists and music therapists. The survey focused on the potentials of music in the context of meaning-actualization among clients suffering from mental disorders and on the music therapists’ and logotherapists’ music-assisted concepts and approaches in relation to meaning-fulfillment.
Results/Findings: Music was judged to have many beneficial potentials in the context of meaning-actualization in clients suffering from mental disorders. Music seems to be a powerful factor in relation to meaning-fulfillment along creative values. Relying on the outcomes of the survey, a music-assisted model of meaning-fulfillment was developed. The practical application of this model will be demonstrated by clinical case examples.  
Conclusion/Perspective: A music-assisted model of meaning fulfillment, as well as a combination of LTEA, music therapy and music, could complement existing treatment concepts and theories. Such arts-based approaches could prove to be effective when meaning-oriented topics, crises of meaning and feelings of meaninglessness take center stage in psychotherapy and counselling.