The application of hip hop therapy in a forensic inpatient setting

Australian forensic inpatient populations experience high rates of severe mental illness, trauma exposure, substance misuse, and psychosocial disadvantage, factors that may act as responsivity barriers within rehabilitation frameworks. Creative arts and music-based interventions have an emerging evidence base for improving engagement, emotional processing, and recovery-oriented outcomes within mental health and forensic settings. Hip-hop therapy (HHT) has been described as a culturally responsive intervention for individuals less likely to engage in conventional talk-based therapies. The present study evaluated the Rhythm & Rhymes Adolescent/Adult Program (RRAP), an Australian HHT-informed 12-week group intervention implemented within a high-secure forensic hospital in NSW, Australia. Sixty-two participants aged 14 to 65 years participated across 12 groups. Participants completed validated pre- and post-intervention psychometric measures assessing psychiatric symptoms, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, trauma symptoms, and coping responses. Participation in RRAP was associated with reductions in psychiatric symptoms, depression, and anxiety, alongside improvements in adolescent coping responses. Attrition was low and observed engagement was high. Findings suggest RRAP/HHT may represent a feasible and acceptable adjunct to treatment-as-usual within forensic inpatient settings. RRAP may also support therapeutic engagement, emotional expression, and responsivity among individuals experiencing severe mental illness within restrictive environments during inpatient rehabilitation.