Improvised music to enhance Intensive Interaction version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility study: Improvised music to enhance the effectiveness of Intensive Interaction in developing interpersonal communication of profoundly intellectually disabled children and young people.
IRAS ID
226854
Contact name
John Strange
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Beacon Hill Academy
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
The study will investigate the effects of a specialised musical-clinical approach, as an adjunct to an established non-musical intervention with the same general aim of developing interpersonal interaction. It is a feasibility study designed both to trial the research methodology and to estimate the effect size likely to be found by a larger study. 6 pupils with profound disability at a special school for sensory and physical needs will be randomly allocated to experimental and control groups. The control group will receive only Intensive Interaction for 16 sessions. The experimental group will receive the same, plus improvised music from session 5 onwards. The 2 music therapists will follow a flexible manual written to ensure that their music supports the interaction between pupil and learning support assistant (LSA) without direct social interaction with either.
The Pre-verbal Communication Schedule (PVCS), a standardised assessment instrument, will be administered before each subject’s first session of Intensive Interaction, and again after her/his 16th session to obtain a global view of non-verbal communicative behaviour. Pre- and post-test scores will be compared. Additionally, qualitative data on the therapeutic process will be extracted from post-session notes and observations of video recordings of the sessions. Line management at the research site will be provided by the Academy’s head teacher and oversight of the research design and conduct by the professor of music therapy at Anglia Ruskin University.
Should the effectiveness of the specialised musical-clinical approach be supported by the results, a larger study could then establish the approach as an additional psycho-social resource for developing the interpersonal interaction skills of those with profound intellectual disability. The approach requires a modest level of additional training for a registered music therapist, but no additional qualification.The project is funded in equal shares by the Music Therapy Charity and Beacon Hill Academy.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0306
Date of REC Opinion
8 Aug 2017
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion