Impacts of participating in a choir on health and wellbeing of adults with intellectual disabilities

Background: An estimated 1.4 million people in the United Kingdom (UK) have an intellectual disability. Research in these populations has advanced over the last 40 years, and there is now evidence for the beneficial use of music interventions (for example Hall, 2010). However, there is still insufficient good quality evidence on the most effective interventions to support health and wellbeing. Method: This paper presents the results of a study looking at the impact of participatory singing for people with intellectual disabilities, assessing the impact of a choir, and collecting quantitative and qualitative data at three time-points. Results: This paper shows that the choir had a positive impact. The qualitative results were particularly strong, with quantitative results (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RS-ES) and Personal Wellbeing Index (Intellectual Difficulties) (PWI-ID)) more ambiguous. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that choir singing has a positive impact on wellbeing.