A “Double-Edged Sword”: A Photovoice Study on Mental Health and Persistence Among Music Majors

This photovoice study highlights the perspectives of music majors at two universities to better understand the lived connections between student mental health and motivation to persist. Participant photography, focus groups, and individual interviews were conducted to explore the social and academic factors supporting or impeding participants’ mental health and motivation to persist. Drawing on Tinto’s Model of the Longitudinal Process of Persistence, findings highlight key areas within institutional control (e.g., sense of belonging, student self-efficacy) that affected participants’ mental health and motivation to persist. Pressures external to the institution (e.g., familial expectations, professional goals) also influenced participants’ experiences. By exploring links between mental health and persistence in music majors, this study provides institutional recommendations to encourage persistence across majors.