Culturally Adapted Music Repertoire for Chinese-American Immigrants

According to American Census Bureau, Chinese-American immigrants are the third-largest foreign-born group in the U.S., with an estimation of over 2 million. Among them, approximately 20% are 65 or older, and the number is expected to grow rapidly in the next decade. Music therapy treatment is efficacious with the elderly in enhancing memory recall through the use of familiar songs for reminiscence. However, songs in Chinese are not found in common repertoire lists for older adults in music therapy practice. For example, when Vanweelden and Cevasco (2007) surveyed music therapists who worked with elderly populations and compiled a list of 522 songs, only 2% of the songs were in foreign language, and none were Chinese. In addition, some categories (e.g. hymn and patriotic songs) they used to generate the repertoire did not consider persons from different religious, cultural, and/or political backgrounds. Thus, the purposes of this study are to develop a song repertoire for elderly Chinese-American immigrants and to examine the factors contributing to song preference. A questionnaire, entitled, “Music Engagement and Preferences for Elderly Immigrants,” was developed based on literature review, pilot testing, and panel expert input. Participants were recruited from senior centers in metropolitan areas with a higher density of Chinese-American immigrants. In-person inquiries were administered with consented participants in their preferred language (i.e. Mandarin, Cantonese, English, etc.). A preliminary list of preferred songs for elderly Chinese-American immigrants was obtained. No significant relationships were found between demographic variables (e.g., age at immigration, place of birth, etc.) and song preferences (e.g., language, year of publication. etc.). The results of the study contribute to music therapy practice not only by broadening the musical repertoire for elderly Chinese-American immigrants, but also by improving cultural sensitivity for music therapists working with the geriatric population