CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
THE RHYMECOLOGY GAME:
HOW HIP-HOP CULTURE CAN HEAL YOUTH AT-RISK
A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of Master of Arts in Education,
Educational Psychology
By
Jeffrey T. Walker
December 2014
Copyright © 2014
Jeffrey Thomas Walker
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The graduate project of Jeffrey T. Walker is approved:
______________________________________
____________
Daphna Ozery, M.A.
Date
______________________________________
____________
Tovah Sands, Ph.D.
Date
______________________________________
____________
Carolyn Jeffries, Ph.D., Chair
Date
California State University, Northridge
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Table of Contents
Chapter One – Introduction..............................................................................................7
Introduction .................................................................................................................7
Statement of Need ........................................................................................................8
Project Purpose .......................................................................................................... 11
Terminology .............................................................................................................. 12
Chapter Two - Literature Review ................................................................................... 14
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 14
Non-Traditional Therapy ............................................................................................ 14
Musical Motivation .................................................................................................... 20
Role Models and Adult Relationships ........................................................................ 27
Synthesis of the Research ........................................................................................... 33
Chapter Three- Project Audience and Implementation Factors ....................................... 34
Introduction ............................................................................................................... 34
Development of Project .............................................................................................. 34
Evaluation of Similar Product .................................................................................... 34
ADDIE model ............................................................................................................ 36
Product Description.................................................................................................... 39
Game Contents........................................................................................................... 41
Environment .............................................................................................................. 41
Intended Audience ..................................................................................................... 42
Personal qualifications ............................................................................................... 42
Chapter Four - Conclusion ............................................................................................. 44
Summary ................................................................................................................... 44
Evaluation .................................................................................................................. 44
Formative Evaluation ............................................................................................. 44
Summative Evaluation ............................................................................................ 47
Future Work............................................................................................................... 48
Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 50
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References ..................................................................................................................... 51
Appendix A ................................................................................................................... 54
Rhymecology Game Samples ..................................................................................... 54
Appendix B ................................................................................................................... 58
The Rhymecology Game Questionnaire ..................................................................... 58
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ABSTRACT
THE RHYMECOLOGY GAME:
HOW HIP-HOP CULTURE CAN HEAL YOUTH AT-RISK
By
Jeffrey T. Walker
For the degree of Masters of Arts in Education,
Educational Psychology
Underprivileged urban youth often face life obstacles that others rarely encounter.
These youth are in need of therapeutic services by therapists who can motivate them to
attend and participate in provided sessions. Studies have shown that youth who are at-risk
respond well to the use of such non-traditional therapeutic techniques as incorporating
hip-hop music and culture. The purpose of this project is to create a hip-hop culture card
game that motivates youth at-risk to participate in therapeutic counseling sessions. This
game includes 100 self-reflective cards pertaining to hip-hop, a song resource list, and an
instructional guide for therapists. In playing the game, therapists and clients will critically
analyze hip-hop culture and songs, learn hip-hop facts and history, reflect on personal
issues related to life challenges and create rap lyrics which will be of a therapeutic nature.
The game creates a non-competitive environment for youth to express feelings which are
often guarded. The anticipated results of gameplay are increased self-expression rates and
overall self-empowerment for the segment of our youth who most need it.
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Chapter One – Introduction
Introduction
The delinquency of juveniles is one of our society’s greatest social dilemmas as
adolescents commit crimes at higher rates than any other group (Tyson, 2002). In
desperation, children are put into therapy with mental health workers and counselors;
only to find that there is often a lack of rapport between the middle to elder aged therapist
and the teenager client. Youth considered “at-risk” need a safe way to communicate
emotions and behavioral decisions to therapists. It has been shown that when youth are
intrinsically motivated, there is a higher chance for therapeutic results (Ryan & Deci,
2008). But what could possibly motivate delinquent youth?
The creative and expressive use of music can be a motivating and powerful
therapeutic intervention with children and adolescents (Davis, 2010). In terms of sales,
downloads and surveys since the mid 1990’s, rap music has been the most popular form
of music among youth (Tyson, 2002). In 2000, Don Elligan introduced “Rap Therapy” as
a psychotherapeutic intervention for working with youths at-risks, primarily African
American males whose identities were highly influenced by rap music (Gonzalez &
Hayes, 2009). Elligan (2007) declared that rap music is one of the most significant
influences on young African American men and that 97 percent of black youth like rap
music.
Rap music, along with DJing, breakdancing and graffiti art make up the four
elements of hip-hop culture (Chang, 2005). Hip-hop began in the South Bronx of New
York City in the early 1970’s, initially as a form of cultural expression for African
Americans (Chang, 2005). With no adult assistance, the youth of the region created a
culture which would soon be called hip-hop. It could be argued that considering the
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absolute plight of the South Bronx in this time, that hip-hop culture has been therapeutic
for and motivating adolescence since its inception. Even though hip-hop has been
generally associated with African-American and Latino urban youth, it has moved well
beyond urban communities into “mainstream” America (Turner-Musa, 2008).
Although hip-hop music has been criticized by religious groups, politicians and
women’s groups, those who advocate for it claim that it represents the voice of urban
youth and can be valuable as a catalyst to meaningful discussions with those youth
(Morrell & Duncan-Andrade, 2002). The undeniable influence hip-hop culture has on
American youth can be used in therapy and counseling as a way to motivate clients to
attend and participate in sessions. As stated by Elligan (2007), considering these facts,
psychotherapists who work with this population should become familiar with
constructive ways to use rap music in the interest of treatment.
Statement of Need
Since the 1990’s tragic acts of violence committed by youths have been alarming
the United States (Spillane-Grieco, 2000) and there are more crimes committed at age 18
than any other year in life (Tyson, 2002). Adolescents experience a hormonal journey
including mood swings, unpredictable emotional states and a wide range of other
physical side effects (McFerran, K., Roberts, M., & O’Grady, L. 2009). According to
Kazdin (1993), 17% to 22% of children under the age of 18 suffer from emotional,
behavioral and developmental problems.
Life is difficult, often dangerous, for adolescents in society today; they need to be
understood by those who provide therapy to them. They need to feel that therapists care
about more than their “problems”, and that therapists are genuinely interested in their
likes, dislikes and hobbies.
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Pasagiannis (2007) states that despite the treatment cost of over 1.5 billion dollars,
at-risk families are less likely to seek treatment and will end the treatment prematurely.
Service providers and researchers (Slesnick, 2001) note that youth with substance abuse
problems are difficult to engage in treatment and, when engaged, often drop out early.
Slesnick (2001) stated that 62% of youth between the ages of 12–21 were unwilling to
come to treatment and that treatment completion rates for youth in therapeutic
communities have ranged from 10% to 18% only. How can youth be healed if they won’t
even show up for the treatment?
While the therapeutic process with troubled youth may seem dire, findings have
shown how adolescents who are at-risk can benefit from a creative approach that teaches
social and coping skills and can improve their self awareness and self esteem (Coholic,
2011). Not only do I believe that using hip-hop music and culture in therapy sessions
should be one of those creative approaches, it has already been supported by numerous
empirical studies (Tyson, 2002).
While youth may not listen to parents, teachers or therapists as much as adults
wish they would, one thing is evident: they still listen to music. One study showed that of
African-American urban youth ages 16-20, 45% indicated they listen to the radio for 3 or
more hours daily, that they are more likely to watch culturally-targeted music videos, and
prefer hip-hop/rap music (Turner-Musa, 2008). Another study concluded that the physical
aggressiveness of youth appears to be socially sanctioned because of the way that music,
movies and videos depict being violent as an admirable way to live life (Spillane-Grieco,
2000). If this is true then it is important for adults to understand hip-hop music and
culture so that they can use it to guide wayward youth.
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Adults today are fighting for children’s attention. It is increasingly difficult as
music and movies are now just “a click away” and many web-based mechanisms with
mp3 enabled devices essentially make music ‘‘free’’ and portable (Travis, 2013). With
this in mind, the use of hip-hop, which intrinsically motivate urban children, is a very
important attention getting strategy.
Brown stated that children “who lack pro-social skills associated with stable
emotional intelligence tend to be easily influenced by various environmental factors such
as peers and media” (Brown, 2006, p. 51). This may leave them vulnerable to ideas of
sexual promiscuity, violence and other forms of anti-social behavior that are often
portrayed in some popular hip-hop media. Now, I present a combination of literature,
studies and personal experiences which proves that hip-hop is a lifestyle choice for urban
youth and that it is one of the few things which motivate them.
Statistics have shown that hip-hop music and culture have been a mainstay in
urban as well as wealthy communities for the better part of twenty years and that the
importance of assisting these impressionable delinquents by having techniques to build
trust with them has never been higher (Tyson, 2002). Hip-hop music “has been shown to
play a significant role in decision-making and behavioral choices” (Turner-Mesa, 2008,
p. 42) among urban youth.
Tyson (2002) stated that innovative treatments that are sensitive to a client’s
culture are important and that client culture today is based around hip-hop music.
Behavior of youth, as reflected in their clothing styles, language usage, jewelry, and
automobile preferences, have been attributed to lyrics and videos from the hip-hop
industry (Brown, 2006).While hip-hop’s music and fashion are constantly changing, the
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hold it maintains on urban youth is firm . For this reason, there is a pressing need for
qualified mental health professionals who treat them to use hip-hop in sessions.
Project Purpose
The purpose of The Rhymecology Game is to create a game that therapists can use
as an adjunct to their traditional therapy during sessions with urban youth who are
influenced by hip-hop culture. The Rhymecology Game is a non-competitive, two-player
card game, created for therapists, counselors, and mentors (MKO) to use with clients
during sessions.
The expected result from using The Rhymecology Game is a greater rapport
between the therapist and the client resulting in a higher motivation for client to attend
and participate in sessions. The Rhymecology Game will use hip hop culture as a catalyst
to promote discussions about the learners’ real, relevant problems. It will also provide
tools in the form of quotes and facts which will aid the learner in generating new thoughts
and giving options for better decision making.
The Rhymecology Game has been created using the assumption that a certain
population dislikes therapy and at best are compliant with learning situations. The
motivation for teenagers in many urban communities is low for scholastic tasks but high
for sports, games and hip-hop music. The Rhymecology Game teaches without preaching
to this population.
The product consists of 100 cards all relating to hip-hop culture, music and
lifestyle. Cards will pose open-ended questions to be read by both the client and therapist
alike, prompting them to ponder their answer and share with each another. The
Rhymecology Game broaches such subjects as gang violence, substance abuse,
materialism, sexual promiscuity, visualization, gender equality, decision making,
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financial literacy, family, values and more. By using globally known hip-hop artists, who
express themselves in articulate and self reflective ways, as models to the youth, clients
will feel safer to do the same. It should be mentioned that the therapist will also be
divulging information and feelings. While playing there will be chances for the therapist
and client to use rhyme and rap in creatively therapeutic ways. The purpose of this is to
create an “equal” playing field where both therapist and adolescent are divulging,
creating and learning together.
Therapists do not need to be well versed in hip-hop music and culture to use the
game. By simply reading and responding to the cards provided, therapists will be giving
the adolescents a gateway through which to communicate their emotions and share
insight to their behavioral decisions. The therapists will use the open ended questions,
quotes and facts printed about hip-hop music to help urban youth aged 11-18 express self
reflective statements.
Terminology
Hip-hop: A subculture of urban youth who are typically devotees to rap music. Although
‘‘hip-hop’’ is generally used as a referent to urban music that replaces singing with
poetical prose, it has emerged as a framework of understanding youth culture between
1979 and 2010 (Chang, 2005).
Hip-Hop Therapy: A synergy of hip-hop, bibliotherapy and music therapy (Tyson, 2002).
Urban: An individual living in the city although recently the term has also been used as
way to describe minority and/or populations at-risk. (Land & Stovall, 2009).
Conduct disorder: Any number of types of repetitive and persistent anti social behavior
exhibited in childhood or adolescence (DSM IV, 1994).
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More Knowledgeable Other (MKO): This term describes therapists, counselors, mentors
or any qualified adult working with a child.
DJing: The art of picking and mixing recorded music for an audience. DJing includes
spinning and scratching (Creating music by means of manually moving a record under a
stylus)
DSM IV: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4 th Edition (DSM
IV, 1994).
Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD): A pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant
behavior for at least 6 months (DSM IV)
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Chapter Two - Literature Review
Introduction
This chapter presents a summary and analysis of research studies which supported
and assisted the creation of The Rhymecology Game. The first section focuses on how
non-traditional therapy strategies can be effective with youth at-risk. The second section,
Musical Motivation, reviews studies which show that strategies that promote intrinsic
motivation [via music] can lead to higher participation and better results for youth in
therapy. The third section reviews studies which examine the necessity and impact of role
models have in a young person’s decision making process.
Non-Traditional Therapy
A 2010 study by Thompson, Bender, Cardoso and Flynn adolescents and their
caregivers reacted to experiential activities in therapeutic settings. The study measured
the engagement level of nineteen adolescents (age 12-17) and their parents/caregivers.
The families that were chosen were in need of assistance because of self-reported
difficulties with delinquency, family conflict or child truancy. The results showed an
increase in engagement level as well as participation in therapy.
Creative additions to therapeutic methods were developed in order to increase the
motivation for family therapy (Thompson et al, 2010). These experiential methods, also
called Family Play, use art, games, activities, and group challenges in addition to
traditional talk-based therapy. Therapists would guide the activities which linked
thoughts and feelings. Nineteen experiential activities were used which included: The
garbage bag (family would write and throw away any hurtful personal qualities into a
large garbage bag), Play-doh (to create 3-D characters who would tell stories about
feelings and concerns), Bubble blowing (to teach deep breathing), and Board games (to
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guide expression in order to improve communication). The experiential activity, which
was straight forward and valuable, was writing/sharing past memories which were
meaningful to the youth or the parent.
Data was collected through qualitative research methods in semi-structured
interviews (Thompson et al,. 2011). Nineteen families completed their follow up
interviews. Of the participants 52.6% were identified as Latino (n=10), 15.8% black and
the remainder white (31.5%). Youth were identified as mainly female (68.4%). 95%
(n=15) of the caregivers had described their adolescent child as being quiet and unwilling
to share about themselves, especially about family issues.
The reactions to the experiential activities were positive from both the caregivers
and the youth. Caregivers described 84% (n=16) of the youth as being previously
reticent to share but reported that the activities helped them be more open with expressing
their feelings. When youth compared traditional talk therapy to the games and activities
youth were quoted as saying that the games made it easier to talk about “stuff we don’t
usually talk about” or “things I didn’t realize we could talk about” (Thompson et al,.
2011 p. 564). Youth expressed a common theme that the activities allowed them to be
themselves and felt safer expressing feelings and thoughts. When asked about having
therapy without the activities one youth noted “I wouldn’t have to be open” (Thompson
et al,. 2011, p. 564).
Of the caregivers 74% (n=14) thought that the activities were entertaining and fun
and most importantly 84% (n=16) that they would be able to use the learned skills outside
of therapy. The unusual methodology was “helpful in keeping family members interested
15
in the treatment process” (Thompson et al,. 2011, p. 566) and those issues/emotions were
quicker to be talked about than in typical therapy sessions.
This study shows that delinquent youth respond to experiential therapy techniques
and in most cases actually enjoyed them. However, it would have been more meaningful
if the sample size were bigger. Another limitation to this study is that even though it
worked for a high percentage of these families, there is no guarantee that it would be
effective with other families. The families were selected through a community service
agency, meaning that most of them had previously experienced counseling. There is no
evidence that these activities would work with families that have not been in therapy
before. Each family is different and therapists have to be able to adjust to the
expectations and desires of each family (Thompson et al,. 2011).
These non-traditional strategies which were proven to be effective enhance self
reflection and facilitate conversation between participants in creative and therapeutic
ways. They inspired me to include cards to The Rhymecology Game which allowed
players to “bury back in the deck” in a similar vein to The Garbage Bag activity. These
results also verified the power of sharing meaningful memories as a therapeutic strategy.
Diane Coholic (2011) conducted a study on implementing mindfulness based
methods with young people whom are in the mental health system. Mindfulness
encourages awareness by paying attention to the present moment and non-judgmentally
experiencing those moments as they come (Coholic, 2011). The research tested whether
or not youth could benefit from a creative approach to mindfulness. This approach could
teach them important coping and social skills, emotional regulation and could help
improve self esteem and self awareness.
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A total of 50 children were followed over a three and half year period. The
average age of the children was 14 years old. Even though they were in children’s mental
health services, all of the participants volunteered participate in the study. The most noted
behavioral concerns were the lack of self esteem (n=12) follow by youth prone to be
angry (n=10), then hyperactivity (ADHD) (n=9) and lastly poor coping skills (n=8).
The facilitators were social workers, youth-case workers and psychology
graduates. One of the mindfulness exercises was the “Jar of Thoughts.” The half filled
water jar would eventually be filled with beads that represented thoughts and feelings.
The jar would be passed around and shaken by youth, representing the mind when
thoughts and feelings are swirling around. Another major focus was teaching the youth
not to judge their own feelings. In an exercise called “Feeling Inventory”, participants
were encouraged to paint or draw their feelings inside of a large circle. Different shapes
and sizes were representative of different feelings. For example if a participant had a day
he considered mainly sad, he drew sadness as the biggest shape. That participant would
be encouraged to think about how they could make the sad shape smaller and the happy
shapes bigger.
There was a very low attrition rate. 46 of the 50 children finished the three and
half year project. In the analysis of the group, the main theme mentioned was “fun”. Only
31 of the children were able to do the post group interviews (and 18 of their parents) but
23 of them specifically use the word “fun”. Of those 23 youth, 15 of them (or their
parents) reported that they felt a growth in their self esteem and felt more
confident/comfortable with themselves.
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It is unknown why the author did not include the ethnicities and the SES of the
participants. This would have been interesting to know, as well as how long the youth
were able to maintain the elevated levels of self confidence once the sessions were done.
From these results I decided to add artistic choices to the games cards. I determined that
youth should be able to draw their feelings if they choose, as well as dialogue or write
about them.
Counselors and social workers who conduct group therapy are often looking for
ways to keep youth interested in session. A 2003 study by Decarlo and Hockman
explored whether or not using rap music in therapy would be effective in a group setting.
More specifically, they compared the usefulness of group RAP therapy to traditional
group therapy, from the perception of African American adolescents. The study tested
three groups of adolescents which included violent offenders, status offenders, and a
control group with no criminal background.
The group leaders compared the techniques in an attempt to understand which one
would best promote pro-social skills in the youth. In this context the pro-social skills
were defined as “the ability to initiate and sustain conventional interpersonal relations
that are both adaptive and culturally aligned” (Decarlo & Hockman, 2003, p. 48).
Teaching concepts included impulse control, anger management, and morality. The
researchers chose rap music as an intervention tool because of its influence on the way
African American adolescents socialize. Decarlo and Hockman (2003) state that rap
music is a communicative cultural manifestation of the way African American
adolescents view the world. It was used as a catalyst to help group youth increase their
ability to change irrational thoughts and inappropriate behavior through analytical
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thinking. The study also set out to demonstrate that group work can be relaxing while
promoting skills development.
The study focused on 21 African American adolescents between eighth and tenth
grade, mean age being 14 years old. Seven of the youth were violent offenders who were
jailed for homicide, seven status offenders on probation and seven students with no
criminal background. Participants were from both upper middle class and low SES
backgrounds. The RAP therapy assessment scale (RTAS) is a questionnaire created to
measure the group member’s degree of affective response and was used as the evaluating
tool in this study.
In RAP group sessions participants were given CDs and notebooks. They would
listen to the chosen songs which contained topics such as female gender abuse, anger
management, reasoning, morality, identity, responsibility and impulse control. Each
participant was responsible to report one of the aforementioned song topics and then
discuss that with the group. In the standard psycho educational group therapy, these
topics were also discussed in the traditional manner.
The results displayed an unequivocal preferring of RAP therapy when it came to
levels of relaxation, enjoyment during sessions and excitement about future sessions.
When compared to traditional group therapy, RAP therapy was greatly favored as a tool
to understand impulse control, anger management, avoiding criminal behavior, female
gender abuse, social relations and decision making. It didn’t matter whether the
participants were status offenders, violent offender or the students with no record, RAP
therapy was equally chosen over traditional.
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The group activity permitted the youth to critically analyze rap lyrics which
showcased irrational thinking/belief systems and replaced them with pro-social choices.
The results of the study indicated that RAP therapy is the preferred methodology and also
notably useful outside of the correctional or clinical system.
This study shows that when given the choice, African American youth will
choose to work on and discuss life choices through the lens of hip-hop. Given that the
youth were referred by teachers, probation officers and parents, the clientele is similar to
the aim of The Rhymecology Game. As the participants each held topics to discuss with
the group, they could also hold Rhymecology cards and take turns responding to the
directives and/or reflections on the card.
It was a meaningful study because it used hip-hop songs and lyrics as a way to
empower the youth. This was done by giving the participants the chance to discover and
discuss the errant messages in the songs. This study affirms the idea that youth, whether
in a group or individual therapy, respond better to hip-hop therapy than traditional.
Musical Motivation
Therapy is most effective when the clients are engaged and believe that the
therapist understands them (Ryan & Deci, 2008). Recent studies results have almost all
pointed to the same consensus: the implementation of hip-hop is a potentially powerful
method of reaching minority youth. (Kobin & Tyson, 2006).
This was the subject of one study done by conducted by John Pasagiannis. He
researched using hip-hop music in treatment with adolescents who have been labeled “atrisk”. The study compared attendance rates and retention when standard treatments have
been used with the age appropriate and culturally sensitive activities (hip-hop).
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To meet the criteria for “at-risk”, youth had to be aggressive, oppositional (as
defined by the DSM IV), and display anti-social behaviors. Adolescents from ages 11-18
were recruited by a community based clinic in Brooklyn, New York which provides
individual psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation, family therapy and group
psychotherapy. All individuals were required to attend individual psychotherapy once
per week and receive psychopharmacological treatment as needed.
Overall, sixty male and female pre-adolescents were asked to participate in the
study, thirty subjects would be assigned to each of two treatment conditions: a standard
treatment condition and an enhanced treatment condition, which includes the DJ
(spinning and scratching records) component of hip-hop. The group sessions were held
together by a DJ and a therapist, along with day trips to recording studios and monthly
visits by music industry professionals. The reason for this was to introduce AfricanAmerican and Latino professionals to the clients in hopes of boosting ethnic identity and
self esteem.
Previous statistics gathered by this clinic showed that retention rates for clients
consistently ranged from 30 to 40% and attendance ranged from 25 to 30%. During the
six week period in the presented study, success was measured by an overall retention rate
of 76.9% and an attendance rate of 84.5%. Two years after this study, the hip-hop
program was implemented at another clinic which resulted in 90% retention rate and 90%
attendance rate over a three month period.
Pasagiannis explained that many therapists (often non-minorities) have
tremendous difficulty engaging clients in session because of clients “deficits (social,
economic, academic, neuropsychological and psychological, etc) and their generally
21
hostile and defensive attitudes.” He described adolescence as being one of the most
perplexing and significant times in human development but that it is also one of the most
creative periods. An adolescent’s proclivity for different artistic expressions can be used
in the service of effective therapy.
While the retention and attendance rate numbers speak for themselves, The DJ
skills group intervention with ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) proved to be a huge
therapeutic success. The same adolescents who rarely attended or participated in
sessions, were engaged and exposed to a socialization process that promoted trust,
competence and identity formation within a group dynamic.
Retention and attendance rates are a powerful first step to healing adolescent
youth but I would also like to have future research done which includes post measures.
As the target population is often in trouble with law enforcement and schools, the
effectiveness of this intervention would be even stronger if a decrease in arrests or failing
grades were a result. As educators, we know that therapeutic services are often needed in
the classroom and even in afterschool programs.
The advent of after-school programs (ASPs) in the 1980’s provided a variety of
learning associated content for group and individual needs; they can be addressed as
behavior and emotional issues are present in all school settings (Chong & Kim, 2010).
After school programs provide care and learning centered programs beyond school
criteria (Chong & Kim, 2010). Participating in after school programs has been linked to
lessening of negative behaviors in juvenile delinquents (Gottfredson et al,. 2004 cited in
Chong & Kim, 2010).
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Chong and Kim (2010) conducted a study examining how after-school educationoriented music therapy could impact student’s behavioral and emotional problems as well
as their academic competency. In a 16 week study of 89 elementary students from 13
different schools, the study used music interventions and activities to foster social,
emotional and academic skills. The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) which measures
social skills, academic competency and behavior problems, was administered before and
after teacher interventions.
Chong has created a setting-specific music therapy approach for after school
programs named Education-Oriented Music Therapy (EoMT). One of the key
components to EoMT, is that the music activities have been created for students who
exhibit emotional and or behavioral problems within the school setting. As well, EoMT
“seeks to bring out a more effective adjustment to the school environment for the student,
as well as academic performance that is strengthened by an enhanced sense of motivation
and self esteem” (Chong & Kim, 2010, p. 191). They state that interventions can work
with goals of both therapeutic and educational nature. The therapeutic goals tackle
negative behavioral and emotional problems that tamper with students adjustment and
achievement at school while the educational goals use the musical experiences to teach
skills which could be transferred into academic learning. (Chong & Kim, 2010).
Teachers administered pretest during the week prior to EoMT program and then
one week after the programs conclusion a post test was administered. The SSRS was
administered by teachers to the participants in a classroom setting. The structure for
sessions between music therapists and participants consisted of an opening activity, a
main activity and then a closing activity. In the main activity, music therapists and
23
students engaged in sequenced musical activities, targeting non-musical goals such as
social or academic skills.
Two of the interventions which worked were identifying one’s emotion in the
music and relating to other people’s emotions in the music. These, along with identifying
the meanings of the lyrics, tested especially strong in the Emotional Skills portion of the
SSRS.
When the pretest and posttest scores of the SSRS were compared, the results
yielded significant differences in social skills (p=.000) as well as problem behavior
(p=.004) but not in academic competency. The results of the study suggest that EoMT
was effective “in enhancing social skills and bringing about appropriate behavioral
changes” (Chong & Kim, 2010, p. 193). The results of the session also show that the
students who were labeled as having behavior problems learned to be more expressive.
The report showed continual increased frequency and duration in performance and
singing.
While one of the research goals was to transfer the learned non-musical skills into
academia, the results did not show that to be true. One of the reasons for this could be
that the sessions were run by music therapists who identify more as therapists than
teachers. While this works with this version of The Rhymecology Game, in future
research it may be prudent to do a similar study with educators. While the measurement
tools were based on percentage of the class rank and subjective ratings, there may be
more precise measurement tools which can be used in future research. They could have
also added more in the body of the study about the specific music therapy techniques
24
used. Finally, it would have been more impactful if there were written or verbal
testimonials from the problem youth who channeled their aggressiveness into music.
The positive results yielded by the combination of music therapy and education
are shown to be effective in this study. These results not only support the idea to add
educational based questions but also encourage the use of the game in after school
programs. The accompanying guide in The Rhymecology Game will describe how the
game can be used in those programs.
While there were a number of studies which researched the effectiveness of youth
dialoging with counselors/therapists, one in particular stood out. Hunter, Friend, Murphy,
Rollings, Williams-Wheeler and Laughinghouse (2003) conducted a study on African
American male youth’s reflections on life without fathers. The researchers encouraged
youth to use autobiographical narratives (including hip-hop) to tell their story about loss
and survival.
The study focused on 20 African American males whose ages ranged from 15-22
(M=17.8) All of the participants had been drastically affected by street life, community
drug wars, family incarceration and more. 91% of the participants grew up in fatherless
homes.
The authors state that as a whole, African American men examine their loss
through autobiographical text, essays and hip-hop music. “For those working with Black
male youth, the lyrics of rap music explore that sons’ anger and sense of loss is a place to
begin to talk about adolescent and young men’s experiences growing up without fathers”
(Hunter et al,. 2003, p. 445).
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The research showed that the autobiographical narratives helped youth to share
and express their feelings around growing up fatherless. For many it was the first time
expressing these thoughts and feelings and the safety provided by the group and the
facilitators helped them to express themselves freely. By sharing their experiences with
other youth they realized that they were not alone in their feelings and the group’s
common desire was to not repeat the mistakes that their fathers made.
The group facilitator used hip-hop songs which addressed the topic of African
Americans youth growing up in fatherless homes. A number of the songs had the artists
expressing the anger and disappointment they feel from being abandoned by their fathers.
Other songs were letters to the artist’s fathers and some were songs which the artists
showed gratitude or thanks to fathers for various reasons.
Although this qualitative study did not provide the desired statistics, it did bring
up strong points which will be incorporated into The Rhymecology Game. When youth
feel like they are understood, they can and will open up about such sensitive topics such
as abandonment. This study shows me that youth need to have the chance to open up
about family loss. Whether it is in a group or individual setting, whether it is free writing,
dialoging or rapping, providing urban and fatherless youth the opportunity to
communicate those feelings is very valuable. Questions about parents were subsequently
added to The Rhymecology Game.
The study reinforced that one way African American youth feel safe in
articulating feelings is through the art of hip-hop lyrics. The article mentioned several
songs that deal with the legacy of father loss, the struggle to be better men than their
fathers were, as well as the joy of fatherhood. These examples are poignant and have
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spawned the idea for The Rhymecology Game to include a resource guide of songs which
tackle sensitive issues which are often talked about in therapeutic settings.
Role Models and Adult Relationships
As the previous study showed, hip-hop songs help fatherless African American
youth open up about their loss. But who do these youth actually look up? Can adult
relationships still have a powerful effect on them?
Role models influence on teenagers has a significant effect on educational
choices, career aspirations and on their self view (Martin & Bush, 2000). The 2000 study
by Martin and Bush explored the impact that role models have on teenagers. The research
was done on high school age students from 13-18 years old. A total of 218 adolescents
from 74 different high schools in a large metropolitan area completed the survey.
The survey reviewed the idea of the role model as well as investigated the
teenager’s perceptions in regards to several types of role models. Lastly, the role model
influence was assessed in regards to the teen’s consumer behavior and purchase
intentions.
Martin and Bush (2000) say that adolescents are often influenced by outside
interests while developing their own self image and lifestyle. Proponents of social
learning theory state that individuals create consumption-related attitudes through
learning experiences (Martin & Bush, 2000).
The results of the survey suggested that vicarious (entertainers) and direct
(parents) models have significant influences on the purchasing behaviors of adolescents.
The analysis suggested that fathers had the strongest beta coefficient at 0.473 and that
adolescent’s favorite entertainers had a strong influence at beta 0.298). The researchers
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were surprised there was such a strong influence by entertainers, even stronger than the
influence of athletes (beta 0.196).
Martin and Bush (2000) acknowledge the influence of the parent (father) but state
that today’s “media saturated environment has elevated famous athletes and entertainers
to role model status” (p. 448). Interestingly, African American fathers actually rated
lowest on the potential role model category, coming in behind both athletes and
entertainers in the eyes of adolescents. They suggest that programs targeting African
American adolescents might have greater success if they used entertainers to influence
the purchase decisions. They also state that the music business represent an ideal, like
they are successful and this is one of the reasons they are fashion leaders (Martin & Bush,
2000).
This study could have been more encompassing. Martin and Bush only gave the
four options for role models, father, mother, entertainer and athlete. Although those are
good choices, there could be other options like grandmother, president, and teacher that
would have been interesting to compare to the already presented. They also discussed the
fact that African American homes are notorious for lacking fathers but it would have
been powerful if they provided literature and statistics to back up that claim.
This is a strong study which emphasizes the influence which entertainers have on
youth today. Knowing this, The Rhymecology Game shows off the positive and conscious
entertainers (rappers) and lyrics which can influence youth in strength based ways. I will
carefully select artists and songs which can set positive examples of overcoming the
odds, good decision making and being knocked down but getting back up. When there
are very popular artists sending negative messages through song, the game will aim to
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subtract some of the influence of those songs. This will be done primarily in two ways: 1)
Empowering youth by deconstructing hip-hop mythology (e.g. all rappers are rich
gangsters) 2) Giving youth the power to create their own version of the negative song
(e.g. what could have the artist done differently to create a better result).
This previous study led me to look into whether or not students can be motivated
by their educators on the basis of their relationships. A 2009 study conducted by John
Rugutt investigated the relationship between student motivation, student-faculty
interaction and student to student relation. The sample size was 2190 undergraduate
students. In the sample 40% of the students were male, 60% female and 58% of the
students were aged 18-25. The study focused on finding ways that increased student
motivation. It investigated whether emphasizing critical thinking in the classroom,
student-faculty interaction and student-to-student relations were related to student
motivation (Rugutt, 2009).
Rugutt states that educators should have a concept of how their interaction with
students can be a conduit for academic motivation. If this knowledge is ascertained then
educators should have the option of providing different strategies to help students
actively learn by finding different ways to motivate them.
The study had multiple design elements. It was cross-sectional, used a survey
design to collect information from students, as well as post hoc design which was used a
framework for the data analysis. Student-Faculty interaction constructs were asked in
Likert-type survey covering 52 items.
The results indicated that critical thinking skills, student to student relations and
student-faculty interactions were statistically significant when it came to predicting
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student motivation. Rugutt states that they counselors and teachers can contribute to a
positive learning experience by putting in structures that will provide the most
advantageous learning environment. He describes these structures as ones in which
students can participate freely in discussions, ones that encourage student ideas and ones
that allow students to” learn from each and in other affective motivation characteristics”
(Ruggutt, 2009, p. 25). If these strategies are put into place they may lead to increased
student-faculty interaction as well as the development of critical thinking skills which
should then lead to higher student motivation and higher levels of academic achievement.
This study was chosen because it shows that youth can be motivated by what is
taught and by who teaches it, rather than solely by what intrinsically motivates them
before stepping into a learning situation. This research also confirms that critical thinking
motivates students when they have learning opportunities. As hip-hop has been shown to
motivate youth in their decision making, it is assumed that youth will show even more
motivation when given the opportunity to critically analyze/think about hip-hop music
and culture.
While this study showed an impressive sample size, it could have connected with
The Rhymecology Game on a higher level if the median age was younger, possibly
between 13-16 years old. It could also be argued that the critical thinking skills of late
adolescents are different from early to middle adolescents.
As these studies have shown, my target population can be motivated by both
strong relationships with adults as well as by their affliction for hip-hop. It seemed
reasonable to look for a study which combined hip-hop culture with MKO who care for
the youth. A study conducted by Brown included over 300 middle school students in
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focus groups, and then separately with parents, educators, and other concerned adults
from cities across the country. The involvement of adults made this study of particular
interest as The Rhymecology Game will be used by adults (parents/therapists/educators)
who care about their children.
Brown (2006) states that because adults have little influence in their children’s
musical preferences, there is often confusion and conflict about the children’s developing
social values. This can lead to a "communication gap" between the pro-social skills that
adults wish to convey to children and children's “unguided attention to and inappropriate
interpretation of musical lyrics” (p. 52). This "gap" has opened an avenue that the music
industry has found to be an appealing commercial opportunity. Brown’s suggested model
may help adults enhance appreciation for the music adolescent’s music enjoy and open
honest communication between caring adults and children.
The student participants were in middle school, ranging in age from 11 to 15
years of age, the mean age being 12.10 years. Thirty-six percent of them were in sixth
grade, 36% in seventh grade, 28% in eighth grade, and 62% were girls. The racial
distribution was 55% Black, 32% Hispanic (including Cuban, Haitian, Puerto Rican, and
Mexican), 9% White, and 4% classified themselves as “other”.
The questions were equally distributed to elicit students' thoughts, perceptions,
and beliefs concerning: (a) their self-perception and the effect of hip-hop music on their
thinking patterns and behavior; (b) adult monitoring of children's musical preferences; (c)
ways adults could communicate better with children; and (d) the importance of trust
relationships between adults and children.
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Interestingly, when asked "Do you think that 'hip-hop' music has any kind of
effect on the thinking and behaving of young listeners (ages 10 - 15 years of age)?" most
of the participants responded negatively. Sixty percent of sixth-graders, 78% of seventhgraders, and 72% of eighth-graders reported that they did not think that hip-hop music
had an effect on them. When asked to offer an explanation for the negative responses,
53% of all students said that they don’t pay attention to the lyrics. Brown explains that
this pattern of response is not surprising and aligns with the fact that the young
adolescents are not aware of the constant bombardment of messages created by music
industry boardrooms. She goes on to say that this is evidence of what could be considered
as their “metacognitive naivety” (Brown, 2006, p. 57). When left unattended, lyrical
content aimed at adolescents may present opportunities for music industry exploitation.
Alternatively, children's lack of understanding about the effect of music on their
developing emotions also provides opportunities for carefully designed pro-social
development techniques. This is one of the reasons it would be most effective when used
by a MKO (counselor/therapist/teacher/parent) and urban youth.
Brown says that powerful music industry executives use the research done on
youth likes, dislikes, ambitions and desire to create sympathetic marketing strategies in
order to can their business. Brown states that just as the industry studies children’s taste
in pop culture, so should the adults. They can create plans that can connect them to the
feeling and thinking nature of children especially in the area of music preferences.
Eighty-one percent of the participants believed it was crucial to maintain a trusted
relationship with least one adult and went on to list adults such as a parent, teacher,
friend's mother or father, older sister or brother as the important adult they trusted. When
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asked whether or not it felt good when adults show that they valued the children’s ideas,
opinions, and input, eighty-nine percent of all students responded affirmatively.
The main focus of the Brown study was that concerned adults “can act as
facilitators who guide middle school students' efforts by carefully assessing and critically
evaluating popular lyrical characters” (Brown, 2006, p. 60). If this is done, it will help
children who need to have the ability to critically think about the emotional and social
implications involved in the lyrics of popular songs. The Rhymecology Game will guide
hip-hop’s influence on adolescents in a positive way.
Synthesis of the Research
The research supports the development of The Rhymecology Game. It identifies
the factors that need to be addressed to get youth motivated to attend and to participate in
therapeutic services. The game has to be something which they are already intrinsically
motivated by. The research shows that the target population looks up to entertainers and
that it is possible to motivate youth by tapping into their idolization. This is one of the
steps to the youth feeling like they are understood by the counselor. Providing
autobiographical narratives through a game can be motivating on its own but the content
needs to also be one that can motivate youth as well. The game’s content should hold the
interest of the target population, and the cards should provide a variety of ways of
using/learning hip-hop while relating to youth in need.
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Chapter Three- Project Audience and Implementation Factors
Introduction
The statistics show American urban youth as violent and having turned to
entertainer role models due to a lack of parental guidance. Those youth who are deemed
“at risk” often end up in mandated therapy sessions with community mental health
workers, psychologists and counselors. The studies and research in Chapters 1 and 2
show that there are positive reactions from youth when non-traditional therapeutic
techniques are used in therapeutic counseling settings. They also show that hip-hop music
and culture specifically is a motivating influence for urban youth.
The research calls for tools which therapists/counselors/MKO can use during time
with youth. These techniques will be in addition to traditional ones, the difference being
that it involves hip-hop music and culture. In order to address “rap rapport” (or lack
thereof) between youth and MKO, I have created The Rhymecology Game as a
therapeutic tool to use with youth who are infused or interested in the hip-hop culture.
This chapter provides an explanation of the tools used to design and develop the
game, its audience, the environment and equipment needed to conduct the game, and
details of the content and procedures.
Development of Project
The development of The Rhymecology came about from three significant phases,
each one playing a crucial role in the molding of the final product.
Evaluation of Similar Product
My initial idea was to create a board game which would entail the ideas and
messages which I feel youth need to reflect upon. In researching board games which use
hip-hop culture, I found that the majority of them were only enforcing the often criticized
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ignorant mind sets of many in the culture and none of the games infused
therapy/counseling/teaching. However, while searching I came across The Ungame,
which immediately struck me as something which could be of great influence on my idea.
The goal of The Ungame is to create a safe, non competitive way for youth to
express opinions and share feelings beliefs with MKO. This is done by two people
picking up cards, reading the question out loud then answering if they feel comfortable
doing so. The game is labeled as “The World’s Most Popular Self Expression Game”.
The aims of the questions are self expression, introspection of feelings, visualization,
therapeutic statements and collaboration with others.
The pocket version comes with two decks of small cards, named 1 and 2. Deck 1
contains questions which could be considered “ice breaker” or surface questions while
Deck 2’s questions are more thought provoking and often dealing with emotions of the
youth playing. The box size is 3x5 inches and the packaging is durable. While there are
various versions of The Ungame now, the average cost for the “pocket size” was under
$10.
The strengths of this game are its simplicity, its packaging and its cost. I have
found that when dealing with complex and often disturbed youth, it is best to keep the
activities simple. Being able to pull out a small box which contains short questions about
topics youth are interested in, is a great step towards enticing youth to attend and
participate in therapy. The packaging is perfect for mental health workers and counselors
who often meet children in the community (parks, cars, restaurants etc). One of the great
things is that there are no dice, no pieces, and no boards to keep track of. One can simply
pull the box out a backpack or purse and begin playing. One more important thing about
35
most community mental health workers/counselors/teachers, their budgets are usually
tighter than they wish. Hence the cost of the pocket size Ungame is perfect for those who
wish to work with youth but not spend too much money.
I would like to emulate the strengths (card flipping/package/cost) but The
Rhymecology Game will be sufficiently different because each of the questions will be
based on hip-hop culture and music. The design of The Rhymecology Game has a more
urban feel than The Ungame.
ADDIE model
The development of The Rhymecology Game used the ADDIE instructional
design model. This instructional development (ID) model follows five phases: Analysis,
Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE).
The ADDIE model was chosen because the described steps within the model are
similar with the development process of the game. This model supported me in the
design, development, and evaluation of my game. The steps of the ADDIE process build
upon each other which assisted my approach. The ADDIE model aligned with my
process because of the constant evaluating of development and design as well as the reevaluating final touches or changes. The ADDIE model aligns with
instructional/educational/therapeutic products that have specific learner objectives, and
evidential outcomes.
The ADDIE model of instructional design is a five-phase method that manages
the systematic organization of product development. Each phase leads towards the next
orderly step within the development process towards completion.
36
ADDIE’s first phase is to analyze. In this process the needs of the target audience
will be recognized. Recognizing that there is challenge in getting youth at-risk to “buy
in” to therapeutic sessions was the first step. Then realizing that this is often because
many therapists are not from nor understand the “hip-hop generation” and then
acknowledging the current lack of therapeutic games which involve hip-hop culture was
all cause. After observing the reactions from my own clients while using hip-hop therapy,
I realized the instructional objectives, and corresponding goals, that were most important
for new users of the game. My intended target audience is both the
therapist/counselor/MKO and the youth they are serving. I have chosen to target those
who serve youth already because there should be certain level of trust and skill which
should be present when talking to youth about feelings and behaviors.
Design is the second step which includes solutions to problems identified in the
analysis. The design phase assesses the needs and identifies the strategies that will be
most successful. Here categorizations of objectives are decided as well as the method of
delivery. I used information gained in the analysis phase to identify specific objectives to
be part of my product. This included settings in where the game could be used, topics
which could be effective with African American youth, choosing the most user-friendly
delivery mode, price and packaging. The outcome of the design phase included several
elements such as game size and general contents inside the game box.
Developing the instructional product is the third phase in the ADDIE model.
Information gathered during the analysis and design phases lead to a prototype being
developed. During the developmental phase, problems with product materials, as well as
adding any supplemental elements which may be needed can be identified and developed.
37
Detailed timelines of development which will result in a finished product that is ready for
distribution are created during this phase. In the development phase of The Rhymecology
Game I gathered and combined my objectives with other resources and information to
create the cards. I collaborated, talked and communicated with a number of other mental
health professionals and educators who use hip-hop culture in their service to youth. The
content of the questions became an ongoing process of adding and removing topics and
ideas, based on continual discussions with others, based on their experiences in therapy
and hip-hop.
Implementation is the next phase of the ADDIE model. This refers to the
supervised trial of a product, and its transition into the current instructional product
market. The implementation phase assures the designer/developer that the delivery mode
is satisfactory, and that meets the learners’ needs and objectives. The implementation
phase of The Rhymecology Game is the mock up product included within this project. I
plan to present The Rhymecology Game to mental health agencies, educators, and after
school programs as an alternative way to work with their youth. I expect the
implementation stage to be relatively close in resemblance to the delivery of the final
product to be sold and/or distributed by others while still understanding it is not yet a true
prototype.
The final phase of the ADDIE model is to evaluate the effectiveness of the
instructional design. The ADDIE model contains two forms of evaluation, specifically
formative and summative. Formative evaluation is a process that begins in the analysis
phase, and is conducted during each stage of design, in order to modify the product
design during development. This evaluation involved collecting data during the
38
instructional design phases of the guide, in order to decide what topics and instructional
strategies needed to be improved or removed. Mental health specialists gave early
feedback to me about the content and questions. This resulted in my adding questions
which were specific to various types of therapy which can be conducted in mental health
services (trauma, TAY, strength based etc.) I later interviewed mental health workers
who actually already use hip-hop in their sessions with youth.
Summative evaluation occurs after the instructional product has been
implemented. The purpose of summative evaluation is to measure achievement of learner
outcomes and gather statistical data in relation to how effective the product was in
reaching its instructional goals. I plan to evaluate The Rhymecology Game after it has
been distributed and implemented. My objectives for a summative evaluation are
presented in Chapter Four.
Product Description
The Rhymecology Game is therapeutic hip-hop card game. It comes in a 3”x5”
box filled with 100 business size cards printed in multiple color typeface. There are four
colors signifying four types of questions. Black type means there will be a chance to
write or be creative in one’s answer. Red type is the Did You Know? card. They are
informing user of facts and statistics about hip-hop. Orange type is used for Discuss The
Quote cards. Orange cards display positive or thought provoking quotes of hip-hop lyrics
to discuss with other players. The highest number of cards is blue, which ask self
introspective questions of the players through the hip-hop lens. There accompanying
resources, such as the “Music with a Message” card and an instructional guide. Card
topics include: Psycho education, Narrative Storytelling, Cognitive Restructuring of
39
Songs, Visualization, Critical Thinking, Creative Writing, Rhyming, Hip-Hop History.
Listed below is an outline of the subject matter covered by the game.
I. Therapeutic
a. Identifying emotions
b. Self reflection
c. Cognitive restructuring
d. Anger management
e. Self worth statements
f. Healthy self expression
g. Visualizing/Goal setting
II. Psycho educational Content
a. Demystification of music industry
b. Biographical information on rappers
c. Financial literacy
d. Hip-Hop history
e. Rap Myths
f. Minority statistics
g. Sexism and misogyny in rap
III. Language Arts
a. Rhyming
b. Metaphors
c. Similes
d. Creative writing
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Game Contents
The Rhymecology Game Contents
I. Game Contents
A. Written Materials
1. Game Rules and Instructions
2. Therapist Guide
B. Cards
1. Knowledge
2. Emotional
3. Creative
4. Pass
5. Ask Anything
6. Resource
C. Game Tools
II. Game Play Activities and Steps
A. Basic Level
B Advanced Level
Environment
The Rhymecology Game will be most effective when used in settings where MKO
are working with youth. These settings can be such therapeutic ones as Community
Mental Health organizations, psychologist’s offices, and school counselor’s offices. The
game will also be helpful in settings where youth come for enjoyment and help such as
Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, after school programs and drop in centers. Although the
game is not strictly educational, the classroom setting would also be fitting for this game.
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Because of its compact size and durability, the game is easily transported by youth
workers and can be used in variety of settings such as parks, restaurants, parked cars and
other community settings where mental health sessions often occur.
Intended Audience
The game’s intended audience is youth who have an interest in hip-hop culture and
the MKO who work with them. Although people of all ages enjoy hip-hop music and
culture, the target audience for the game is specifically for youth aged 11-18. Due to the
therapeutic nature of a high percentage of the questions, the youth targeted are considered
urban, “at-risk”, delinquent or “in need”. At risk can mean at risk of neglect,
homelessness, expulsion/suspension, violence, of being taken from home, hospitalization
and/or in need of counseling services. Although not a requirement, the game will be most
effective if the youth have interest in hip-hop music and culture.
The other part of the intended audience is the MKO working with those youth.
This may consist of therapists, psychologist, school counselors, mental health workers,
certified professional coaches, after school program staff, teachers and parents. It is not
necessary for these workers to have experience with or be familiar with hip-hop music
and culture. As emotional and uncomfortable feelings may arise during game play, it is
recommended that the adult be qualified to work with youth. Credentialed, licensed, MFT
interns, counselors and experienced youth workers are most appropriate to conduct
sessions using this game.
Personal qualifications
Although it is possible to play the game without being able to read, the games
effectiveness is enhanced greatly when both (if one-on-one) can read their questions out
loud. A fourth grade reading level will be sufficient. Participants should be fluent in
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English. Before using the game, the MKO should gauge the youth’s level of interest in
hip-hop culture. The youth do not need to be immersed in the culture as artists but the
game will not be effective unless the youth have interest in hip-hop music and culture.
The majority of the cards are designed to further the discussion of the challenges
the client is coming in with. Therapists and counselors should be cognizant of the
challenges specific to each adolescent before, during and after the game. Being aware of
the specific challenges will allow the therapist to use this game as a therapeutic tool.
For example, a card states “The artist Eminem has used rap to express frustration
about his mother. What do you think is the best way to express anger about a family
member?” A card like this can act as a vehicle to self reflection, expression or problem
solving, especially if it is known that a child has difficulties handling anger. It is
recommended that the therapist take opportunity to delve into the youth psyche about
anger. They should also allow the “processing time”, in case sensitive issues arise.
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Chapter Four - Conclusion
Summary
In Chapter One it is put forth that there is a need in supporting delinquent youth in
therapy by using hip-hop music and culture. The purpose of this project was to create a
game that would motivate at-risk/urban youth to attend and participate in counseling
sessions. Since hip-hop is one of the strongest intrinsic motivation factors for this
population, The Rhymecology Game uses hip-hop culture as a technique for selfexpression and reflection. Chapter Two reviews literature on important concepts such as
non-traditional therapy, motivation through music and role-models in adult relationships
which helped in the development and design The Rhymecology Game. Chapter Three
introduces the tools that were used to design, which includes the ADDIE model,
evaluation of similar product and evaluation by colleagues. This chapter reviews and
discusses The Rhymecology Game evaluation process and the subsequent modifications.
It concludes with future plans for the project.
Evaluation
Formative Evaluation. For the formative evaluation I contacted three experts in
their respective fields. It was important to gain insight from people who have used hiphop while working with youth. I also felt it important to have a licensed MFT (Marriage
and Family Therapist) who works with the youth at-risk population, weigh in on ideas for
The Rhymecology Game. Their expert opinions were valuable as they confirmed many of
my beliefs but also challenged me to expand my question topics.
The first evaluation was done by a male Masters level child counselor with over
twenty years experience in the field. Evaluator A lives and works in Philadelphia’s inner
city and uses hip-hop music and culture as a tool when conducting therapeutic services to
44
disadvantaged children. He has written two books on hip-hop and its affect on the youth
who listen to it. Before the interview, I emailed him copies of all of the questions in the
game. He was then contacted by phone and interviewed using the interview protocol
listed in Appendix B. The first question was “Do you think that The Rhymecology Game
would help youth attend and participate in therapy sessions?” He answered “Yes. The
game will encourage client discussion, and the topics can include anger management,
conflict resolution, mental health awareness, and developing appropriate coping skills.” It
was important to get the opinion of Evaluator A on the “dis-connect” between therapist
and urban youth. He agreed that “Yes. Many therapists cannot connect with clients
because they are culturally insensitive, they are unable to relate to the clients (or speak
their language), and they don’t address the clients’ resistance to counseling.” Evaluator A
stated a desire to see questions added on the history of hip-hop culture i.e. more on the
four core elements of hip-hop and how they began. The author took into consideration
and added questions that covered important hip-hop history. When asked about the games
strengths Evaluator A shared that the game would make for a great icebreaker as it is
“fun” and for that reason should be able to “crack the guard” of defensive clients. A
foreseeable weakness from his point of view was that not all clients like hip-hop and it
should not be used with those who don’t know or like hip-hop. Overall Evaluator A was a
valuable source as he is one of the few people I have encountered who have used hip-hop
music and culture as a therapeutic tool in his work. He suggested specific questions be
added about songs which confront absent fathers and imprisoned family members, which
I did add.
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Evaluator B is an award winning Hip Hop culture educator, writer and an exsocial worker. When asked if he would use The Rhymecology Game with a child who is
interested in hip-hop he answered “Yes”. He was asked “Would you recommend this
game for co-workers in the mental health field? He answered, “Only if they're familiar
enough with Hip Hop culture to be able to answer questions that may come up.”
However, when asked “Do you feel like the counselor/adult would have to be a trained
therapist to use this game?” the evaluator answered “No”. Evaluator B made strong
suggestions which were taken into consideration. He stated that “Questions about race,
culture, ethnicity, gender, sexism, and social justice need to be included.” This is
important because hip-hop culture was created by disenfranchised youth who were
dealing with their own social justice issues. Disenfranchised youth are still dealing with
these same issues but most of the popular artists have strayed away them when making
music. Considering this feedback, I have added questions about race and culture,
especially the youth’s perception of their own.
Evaluator C is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) who is trained
and registered in Art Therapy (ATR). She has also worked in the community mental
health field for nearly 10 years. When asked if she has seen the “dis-connect” between
urban youth and counselors who use traditional methods she replied by saying,
“If therapists attempt to approach urban youth from an understanding and
culturally sensitive standpoint then it seems that urban youth are more willing to connect
with counselors. Counselors coming from a more traditional therapeutic approach can
often be met with a lack of connection from the youth they are attempting to serve.”
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The Evaluator works specifically with clients from five to seventeen years old.
She stated that she thought the game is age appropriate for 11-18 year olds. Evaluator C
thought that the MKO working with the youth should have a base knowledge of hip-hop
and/or how to use the game in session. She suggested that this be shared in a manual or
guide. She listed a plethora of strengths, saying that The Rhymecology Game is,
“Creative, encourages thinking outside of the box for both youth and therapists.
Relatable, creates an even plane for therapist and youth to share, youth can even at times
become the teacher for the therapist. Non-threatening, this game doesn’t force the youth
to dig to deep emotionally but can subtly steer the conversation there as appropriate.
Practical, can be a tool that is portable and functional for many professionals.” Evaluator
C also provided good feedback in terms of the questions she would like to see in the
game. She wanted to see as many “open ended questions as possible” and “Questions that
encourage youth to ask their own questions about the reasoning behind the
lyrics/actions/career choices of various artists.” The evaluator stated that she thought the
game would be most effective if used by a qualified mental health professional or worker.
Up to this point I had been assuming that anybody could use the game but after
discussing with Evaluator C, I reconsidered and changed the guide to reflect that one of
the game users should be a qualified mental health professional.
Summative Evaluation. A summative evaluation will be valuable to me to
determine how effective my game will be with counselors and youth. This will be an
experimental study plan containing a control group and an experimental group looking at
pre, during and post tasks and data pertaining to the game. This experiment will consist
of questions regarding client’s motivation to attend and participate in therapy before the
47
introduction of The Rhymecology Game, during, and after. I will compare this data with
the traditional session (as evidenced by therapists). The time spent using the game will be
in replacement of what therapists consider traditional, talk-based therapy. This pre and
post-intervention evaluation will give me specific information about my product’s
effectiveness. The difficulties I expect to encounter in my summative evaluation are
related to the reliability and consistency of youth attending sessions with therapists and
counselors. Of course, this may have to do with things larger than the intervention. In the
community mental health field which I work, clients are often being moved without
notice to new states, are constantly at risk of being taken away by Department of
Children and Family Services (DCFS) due to abuse and neglect and are often in and out
of juvenile hall.
Future Work
I plan to market The Rhymecology Game to local community mental health
organizations. I will present the game to organizations that are looking for supplemental,
exciting ways to reach the youth which they serve. This will begin through my
organization, Star View Community Services, in which I currently work. I plan to then
present the game to the San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Organization.
Both organizations have numerous locations throughout Southern California. Through the
connections made at both of these companies I plan to present at mental health
conferences and seminars across the country.
One way I can make the game more accessible to counselors and more attractive
to youth is- making sure it is available through modern technology. I will create a website
(www.therhymecologygame.com) that will show pictures and video of how to play, why
48
it is important, and where to buy. I will also create an App for mobile devices. In my
experience underprivileged youth, who do not have access to as much technology as
others, are often excited by the tactile feel of holding iPhones, tablets, laptops etc. An
App with hip-hop content will provide motivation for the youth to participate in session.
What the App can do, that cannot be done through the card game, is connect to YouTube,
iTunes or artists web pages. This will give them the opportunity to actually play the
referenced songs in the midst of the question reading. In the card version, counselors will
be given a reference page of songs and where they can find them, whether it be iTunes or
YouTube. The App will create an even more enjoyable and productive session for all
involved.
Once the success of The Rhymecology Game is shown, I would like to create
different versions. The questions in this original version of the game are aimed to be a
catalyst or adjunct to traditional therapy. There are many questions that stretch to the
educational side, particularly language arts. In the future there can, and should, be a
Rhymecology Game created for classrooms which that uses hip-hop culture to help youth
with Language Arts. This will be done by studying hip-hop’s heavy use of simile,
metaphor, prose, alliteration, narrative storytelling, and other writing tools.
My goal is to make The Rhymecology Game available and attractive to people
who work with youth, not only across the United States but the world as well. The design
and simplicity of the game has been proven to work by the success of The Ungame and
because my game involves the world wide phenomenon of hip-hop music, I believe that
it has universal appeal and I would like to see it prevalent, not only in such English
49
speaking countries as England and Australia, but see it translated into other languages to
appeal to non-English speaking youth and counselors.
Conclusion
For the last twenty years I have been passionate about hip-hop music and culture.
I have dedicated a great deal of time to the study of rhyme schemes and patterns in songs,
so much that I am now teaching other artists how to write better rap lyrics. My rhyming
skills have put me on national television (60 Minutes, TNT), radio stations (ESPN, Fox
Sports), and other media outlets. I believe in the power of this music. If used correctly
and responsibly, this music can heal wayward youth.
The language and messages that often come across in hip-hop music make it
controversial; however, this controversy has not and will not stop youth from listening to
and looking up to the hip-hop artists. The powerful influence of hip-hop can and should
be harnessed by those who dedicate their own lives to helping children and families. The
Rhymecology Game allows those who heal youth, whether well versed in rap music or
not, to tap into the world of hip-hop, which essentially is tapping into the world of our
adolescents.
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Appendix A
Rhymecology Game Samples
Game Box Bottom
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Song Resource Guide and Game Box Top
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Instructional Guide
56
Card Examples: Did You Know, Creative, Self Reflective & Discuss the Quote
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Appendix B
The Rhymecology Game Questionnaire
Name:
Title/Position:
Date:
1. Do you think that Rhymecology Game would help at-risk youth express
themselves?
2. Do you think that The Rhymecology Game will motivate youth to attend therapy
sessions?
3. Do you find that urban youth often have a “disconnect” with their therapists and
counselors?
4. Is the content of Rhymecology game age appropriate (age 11-18)?
5. Would you recommend this game for co-workers in the mental health field?
6. Would you use this game in a session with a client who is interested in hip-hop?
7. Do you feel like the counselor/adult would have to be a trained therapist to use
this game?
8. Do you think that the size and sturdiness of the game is appropriate for mental
health workers?
9. What kind of questions/topics would you like to see added to this game?
10. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of the game?
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