Arla Good, PhD • Frank A. Russo, PhD | Toronto Metropolitan University
Group singing is emerging as a meaningful activity that may address psychosocial challenges that are particularly prevalent in older adulthood and individuals diagnosed with age-associated diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study assessed the impact of group singing on outcomes associated with biological, psychological, and social dimensions of wellbeing.
Two community choirs were launched, one for healthy again and one for individuals living with PD. Participants (N=24) completed assessments on mood, social bonding, pain thresholds, cortisol, and oxytocin, before and after 45 minutes of singing at week 2 and week 7 to explore both immediate and cumulative effects.
Results indicated that both groups experienced improvements in mood, social bonding, pain thresholds, and reductions in cortisol levels, with benefits accumulating over ongoing participation. Notably, no significant differences were found between the PD and healthy aging groups, suggesting the generalizability of group singing’s benefits across populations. These findings demonstrate the potential of group singing to enhance psychosocial wellbeing, and highlight the biological underpinnings of such effects, in older adults with and without PD.
Manuscript in prep.
Conference presentation
Good, A., Pachete, A., Kreutz, G., Fiocco, A., Copelli, F., Russo, F. (2019, August). Group singing improves psychosocial wellbeing in older adults. Paper at Society for Music Perception and Cognition. New York University, New York City, NY
Good, A. & Russo, F. A. (2021, August). Sociobiological benefits of group singing in older adults. Paper presented at International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition. Virtual.
Good, A. Russo, F. A (2023, October). Group singing improves psychosocial wellbeing in two groups of older adults: Healthy aging and Parkinson’s Disease. Symposium at Canadian Association on Gerontology. Toronto, Canada
Ⓒ 2020-2024, The SingWell Project