Empathy and Aggression in Group Music Therapy with Teenagers: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Abstract This descriptive phenomenological study examined the experiences of teenagers in group music therapy at a school in Eersterust, South Africa. The study focused on participants’ experiences of aggression, empathy, and the relationships between them, through an analysis of video data from sessions. Interconnected experiences of aggression and empathy occurred in a lifeworld colored by underlying emotional pain, lack of belonging, connection, and support. Instances of aggression and empathy also occurred in the context of ambivalent experiences relating to the desire to fight; in relation to experiences of power, independence, and autonomy; and in the context of experiences of exploring what moving forward in life may and may not entail. Implications for music therapy practice are included.