Exploring the Use of Hip Hop-Based Music Therapy to Address Trauma in Asylum Seeker and Unaccompanied Minor Migrant Youth

Salih Gulbay

doi:10.15845/voices.v21i3.3192

Abstract

There are numerous young asylum seekers and unaccompanied migrant minors around the globe. A comprehensive literature review revealed that post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common disorder that affects the asylum seeker youth and migrant minor populations. Many of these individuals struggle with PTSD and show resilience in their daily lives while also learning, discovering, and surviving. Accordingly, therapeutic interventions directed to them must be trauma-informed, phased, engaging, empowering, and impactful to support the needs of these young people. A seven-month-long music therapy intervention experience that was applied to young asylum seekers in Spain, and found that the most effective intervention tools were Hip Hop Therapy-related interventions. This study resulted in a new intervention model, The Integral Hip Hop Methodology. This paper highlights the importance that intervention models be engaging and considerate to the necessities and preferences of the addressed population and presents The Integral Hip Hop Methodology as an example.

Highlights

According to the World Migration Report 2020 (International Organization for Migration [IOM], 2019), there are 272 million immigrants in the world
In the methodology that is presented in this paper, all four elements of Hip Hop Therapy, activities from the Therapeutic Beat MakingTM model, Hip Hop Empowerment tools, Trauma-Informed Music Therapy, yoga, and Mindfulness-Based Intervention tools, and other music therapy, dance movement therapy, and visual arts therapy tools are involved as an all-in-one post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) intervention for young asylum seekers and unaccompanied minor population struggling with PTSD symptoms in their daily lives
Integral Hip Hop Methodology aims to play a significant role in the asylum seeker and unaccompanied minor migrant youth population's PTSD symptom reduction

Summary

Introduction

According to the World Migration Report 2020 (International Organization for Migration [IOM], 2019), there are 272 million immigrants in the world. This pilot study is used to inform a proposal for a new intervention model to address the asylum seeker youth population's PTSD symptoms through Hip Hop therapy, outlined later in the paper.

Results

Conclusion