Music Therapy Decreases ADHD Symptoms on Motor Impulsivity - Essay Example

Instrumental Music Therapy Decreases ADHD Symptoms on Motor Impulsivity YOUR FULL THE OF YOUR SCHOOL OR Abstract This research project proposes to study the effect of music therapy on adolescent (n=10) children who have been medically diagnosed with ADHD. Research literature shows that ADHD is a disorder that affects millions of children, and that alternative therapies can, when used in conjunction with traditional pharmacological treatments, be effective in attenuating symptoms. Music therapy is one of these alternatives. The study will use an experimental methodology of dividing a randomized sample population into control and experimental groups. The experimental group will receive a therapeutic regimen over the course of 12 weeks. The groups will be tested before and after the therapeutic period using a health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) questionnaire designed specifically for this inquiry. The scores of the two groups will be compared and analyzed to determine if, as expected, the experimental group demonstrates a statistically significant improvement in motor impulsivity behavior. Instrumental Music Therapy Decreases ADHD Symptoms on Motor Impulsivity Introduction Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition affecting three to ten percent of school-age children, primarily boys, and up to five percent of adults (Wender, 2000, p. 4). Although there are differing opinions on how to specifically define the condition, as well as the appropriate methods for sorting it out from other associated behavioral disorders, most practitioners agree that if a certain set of behaviors (distraction, fidgeting, excessive talking, etc.) are present in sufficient quantity and severity, the diagnosis is correct (Atkinson & Hornby, 2002, pp. 46-47). The scope of this research will not be to determine the actual presence of ADHD; it will rely on the diagnosis of medical professionals to form the study group. This approach is in line with established protocols, where "regardless of the treatment approach, the diagnosis of ADHD and other co-morbidities first must be established through a standard medical evaluation" (Baumgaertel, 1999, p. 977). This research will, however, seek to test whether a specific alternative treatment (music therapy), when used in conjunction with traditional pharmacological therapy, can attenuate motor impulsivity. The focus of treatment for ADHD is to "decrease symptoms, enhance functionality, and improve well-being for the child and his or her close contacts" (Klassen, et al., 2004, p. 541). The primary methodology for accomplishing this control is the use of pharmacological agents, and it is common knowledge that drugs such as Ritalin are often employed to attenuate the symptoms. In response to a perceived over-prescribing of such medicines by doctors, there has been a rise in alternative therapies that seek to attenuate ADHD behavior through non-pharmacological means; the majority of which are designed to be used in conjunction with medication. For example, a recent study sought to determine if yoga could be used as an alternative method and, although no "strong support" was found, the authors nevertheless concluded that "yoga may have merit as a complementary treatment for boys with ADHD already stabilized on medication" (Jensen & Kenny, 2004, p. 205). It has been suggested that of all the alternative treatments proposed, music may have the best impact, particularly with situational performance in cognitive tasks (Baumgaertel, 1999, p. 980). Others, however, have found that "there is little in the music therapy literature about [treatment] for ADHD," but cite survey results that music therapists are employing a number of different methods in treating children with ADHD (Jackson, 2003, 302). One study has directly addressed the issue of music therapy on the level of motor impulsivity, with mixed results. While "no statistical difference was found between the impact of the contrasting approaches as measured by [various tapping tasks and rating scales]," the authors did note that there were "indications that the instructional approach may have contributed to a reduction of impulsive and restless behaviors" (Rickson, 2006, p. 39). Partly for this reason, this study is designed to test the effect of music therapy using the health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) survey so that both specific motor impulsivity and other behaviors can be measured. The expectation is that the HRQL data will demonstrate the efficacy of music therapy in helping to decrease ADHD symptoms. Methods The methodology for this study will consist of three primary phases. First, the participant sample will be recruited. This will be a group of children (n=10) who have been diagnosed with ADHD. The population will be obtained via a general call for participants distributed through both the public media and a request for referral from local health care professionals. While a large sample would certainly be preferred for the purposes of validation of results, the fact that the participants have been pre-diagnosed by a medical professional gives good expectations that even a smaller sample size will provide insight to the research question. Because of the ethics involved with studying minor children, both they and their parent or legal guardian will be required to read and sign an informed consent form prior to participation in the study. The second phase of the study will begin once the sample population has been identified. Each participant will be assigned a number, and those numbers will be randomized and grouped by a research assistant who is not involved in the analytical portion of this study. Once the sample population is numbered and randomized, it will be randomly split into two groups, the control group and the experimental group. Each group will be given a health-related quality-of-life questionnaire (HRQL) designed to identify quantifiable variables for testing. These questions will include, but not be limited to, inquiries into frequency and severity of hyperactivity as well as specific motor impulsivity observations. The test results will be scored as the baseline for comparison of post-therapy results. After the initial HRQL is administered, Group A (Control) will continue their normal daily routine while Group B (Experimental) will be given two thirty-minute music therapy sessions each week over the course of 12 weeks. At the end of the testing period, a second HRQL will be administered. The third phase of this study will be data compilation and analysis. The expectations for this study are that those individuals in Group B will demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in motor impulsivity test scores from the HRQL. Results The test score data will be organized and tabled, so that the raw scores from each test can be compared across individuals. Once the individual scores have been charted, they will be assigned a relative level scaled score from one to five, i.e., no improvement would be assigned a one, and a reduction in score of three raw points or more would be assigned a five. These scaled scores will then be analyzed to obtain mean and variance for the two groups. A standard student t-test will be used to determine statistical significance and provide a basis for conclusions. Discussion This research proposes to investigate the ability of music therapy to impact motor impulsivity. Because the study will begin with medically pre-diagnosed individuals, the qualifications of the sample population are unimpeachable for the purposes of testing. For this reason, the HRQL should be the best measure of the impact of music therapy; there is no need to reproduce clinical examinations that confirm ADHD and the HRQL can be drafted in such a way as to obtain data on real-life behavior. The initial test scores are expected to provide a reasonably accurate standard from which to measure. Once the sample population has been randomized and placed into control and experimental groups, the experimental group will undergo a series of music therapy sessions. It has been determined that multi-week sessions of shorter duration are likely to be more effective than longer therapy sessions at less frequent intervals. Once the trial period has been completed, the test is re-administered and the scores compared and analyzed. I expect that the control group will demonstrate no statistically significant change in motor impulsivity. As there is no intervening therapeutic event to impact behavior, the members of this group should score very close to their initial testing. For the experimental group, however, I anticipate a reduction in the incidence of symptoms. I predicate this expectation upon the anticipated efficacy of the music therapy. If the control group demonstrates any significant changes in score, the nature of those changes will have to be analyzed and explained. If a specific pattern or variable can be identified, it can be used to adjust the final data and the study will retain its validity. If any such changes are dramatic or unexplainable, the study results will be unreliable. If the experimental group performs as expected, their test scores will show a significant improvement. If this does not happen, such an outcome will either lead to a call for further research to determine the cause, or it will lead to a conclusion that music therapy is not effective in helping to control motor impulsivity. References Atkinson, M. & Hornby, G. (2002). Mental Health Handbook for Schools. London: Routledge/Falmer. Baumgaertel, A. (1999). Alternative and controversial treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 46 (5), 977-992. Jackson, N.A. (2003). A survey of music therapy methods and their role in the treatment of early elementary school children with ADHD. Journal of Music Therapy, 40 (4), 302-323. Jensen, P.S., Kenny, D.T. (2004). The effects of yoga on the attention and behavior of boys with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Journal of Attention Disorder, 7 (4), 205-216. Klassen, A.F., Miller, A., Fine, S. (2004). Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents who have a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatrics, 114 (5), 541-547. Rickson, D.J. (2006). Instructional and improvisational models of music therapy with adolescents who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a comparison of the effects on motor impulsivity. Journal of Music Therapy, 43 (1), 39-62. Wender, P.H. (2000). ADHD: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adults. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Informed Consent Form Title of Research: Instrumental Music Therapy Decreases ADHD Symptoms on Motor Impulsivity Researcher: INSERT YOUR NAME Prior to participating in this research, you must review each of the following sections. Your signature(s) below indicate your agreement to participate, and your acknowledgment that no representation is made regarding the results of this study. Procedures: This is a research study that compares the potential impact of music therapy on adolescent (n=10) individuals diagnosed with ADHD. Choosing to participate in this study will involve responding to questions on two health-related quality-of-life questionnaires and a willingness to undergo 12 weeks of two one-half hour sessions of music therapy. Risk: As an informed participant answering two questionnaires and being willing to receive non-invasive therapy, there is no participant risk associated with this study. Benefits: There are no benefits implied for participants. Some study participants will undergo a regimen of music therapy to investigate its efficacy on ADHD motor impulsivity and other symptoms, no assurances are made regarding the impact of this therapy, and no representation is made that any individual participant will undergo therapy. There are no payments or financial incentives provided to the participants in this study. Confidentiality: All information gathered in this study will remain confidential. Participant identity will not be revealed, and only the researcher named above and the sponsoring institution will have access to the study data. All data will be kept secure. Costs for Participation in Research: There is no cost for participants in this study; any therapeutic treatment received will be at no charge. Questions: Any questions regarding specific aspects of this research should be directed to the investigator named above at ###.###.####. For questions regarding the general nature of the study or for further information, participants can call the faculty advisor for this project, Dr. NAME PROFESSOR HERE at ###.###.####. Questions regarding personal rights under the terms of this agreement or for confirmation of ethical conformity, participants may contact the Chairman of the Institutional Review Board, Dr. NAME OF IRB CHAIR at ###.###.####. Agreement: The signature(s) below affirm that you have agreed to participate in this study, that you have read this document setting forth the terms of the research, and that you have received a copy of this informed consent document. DATE: I agree to participate in this research study: NAME: SIGNATURE: As parent or guardian of the individual named above, I hereby give my permission for my minor child to participate in this study. NAME: SIGNATURE: Read More