Theses and Dissertations

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Open Access
The effect of tempo and register modulation on sustained and selective auditory attention in a musical target detection task
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1998) Stevens, Christine K., author; Thaut, Michael H., advisor; Davis, William B., committee member; Baez, Victor A., committee member
This study investigated performance on a musical target detection task under four conditions in which the tempo was either fast (120 bpm) or slow (80 bpm), and the target was either in the upper register or lower register (1 octave lower). A target detection task was utilized to examine sustained and selective auditory attention. Performance measures included number of correct targets detected, number of commission errors, and response time in milliseconds. Jones' (1992) theory of rhythmic attending predicts that an entrainment effect occurs at the referent level (musical measure) of attending to the musical stimulus. Sloboda's (1985) hypothesis of attention and music predicts that performance in the upper register conditions should be superior to the lower register conditions. These predictions were examined through a target detection task, modeled upon similar visual attention studies. The author composed music which embedded a three note target regularly occurring at an interpresentation interval (IPI) of four measures. The target occurred a total of twenty four times in each condition. Nineteen non-musician subjects from the Social Work undergraduate classes participated in the experiment. All subjects heard the four conditions with the tempo conditions counter-balanced. The higher register conditions always preceded the lower register conditions due to anticipated higher level of difficulty for lower register or more hidden target conditions. Results indicated no significant effects of tempo or register when performance was analyzed by condition, an indication of selective attention. The use of time segmentation of performance data was then analyzed to examined sustained attention. Again, there was no significant effect of tempo and register modulation upon performance over time. This result indicates that subjects were able to sustain their attention. Indeed, a visual analysis of the results of target accuracy revealed that subjects sustained a generally high level of performance (68%) across all conditions. Responses to an open-ended question regarding what strategy subjects used were analyzed qualitatively. An ANOV A demonstrated that strategy did demonstrate a significant effect on response time (p = .049). A post-hoc analysis indicated that subjects who used the anticipation/timing strategy were significantly faster in their responses than those who used the repetition strategy (p = .016). These results support the primacy of timing within auditory attentional processing (Marks and Crowder, 1997, Jones, 1992). Furthermore, a cognitive timing mechanism is discussed. Music facilitated attending and attentional distraction models in clinical music therapy are discussed.
Open Access
Music for physical rehabilitation (1987-1996): a literature review and analysis
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1998) Scappaticci, Cheryl, author; Davis, William B. (William Barron), advisor; Thaut, Michael H., committee member; Metz, Paul Wesley, committee member; Tucker, Alan, committee member
A comprehensive literature review and analysis was conducted on the use of music for physical rehabilitation from 1987-1996. An earlier literature review and analysis of music for physical rehabilitation was published by Staum (1988), which covered the literature from 1950 -1986. The purpose of the current study was to provide music therapists with an updated and comprehensive resource to aid them in choosing effective treatment strategies for clients in need of physical rehabilitation. Pertinent music therapy sources, such as the Journal of Music Therapy, and pertinent non-music sources, specifically electronic bibliographic databases such as Medline, were consulted. Relevant sources were discussed in two chapters; Chapter 4 - An Overview of the Use of Music in the Treatment of Physical Rehabilitation, and Chapter 5- Clinical Implications for the Use of Music in Physical Rehabilitation . Tables containing frequency data supplement the discussion of the findings on treatment modalities, research settings, clinical population, musical applications, and literature sources. An overview of the methodology of all experimental and single-subject studies is provided in Table 8.
Open Access
Rhythmic cueing effects on gait parameters of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy: an immediate entrainment study
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2009) Jensen, Laura Clarice, author; Davis, William B., advisor; LaGasse, Blythe, advisor; Tracy, Brian L., committee member
This study was designed to examine whether children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy can synchronize (entrain) their gait patterns with an external auditory rhythmic stimulus, and whether this rhythmic stimulus would encourage improvement in stride symmetry and knee extension at foot contact during the gait cycle. Five participants completed an immediate entrainment protocol that included a self-selected normal speed walk (SS), a self-selected normal speed walk matched with music of the same cadence (SSM), a fast walk (F), and a fast walk matched with music of the same cadence (FM). Results indicated that the participants synchronized their gait patterns with the rhythmic music stimulus, but no significant results were observed for stride symmetry or knee extension measures between no-music and music conditions. The ability to entrain to a rhythmic stimulus suggests that gait training facilitated by rhythmic cueing may be an appropriate gait habilitation technique for this population, but that research with a larger number of participants is necessary before definite conclusions in this area can be drawn.
Open Access
The effect of group vocal and singing exercises for vocal and speech deficits in individuals with Parkinson's disease: a pilot study
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Azekawa, Megumi, author; LaGasse, Ashley Blythe, advisor; Davis, William B. (William Barron), committee member; Fails, Anna Dee, committee member
Although the majority of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop characteristics of hypokinetic dysarthria during the course of the disease, there is no known treatment that provides consistent efficacy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Music Therapy Treatment Protocol for Hypokinetic Dysarthria (MTPHD), which utilized two neurologic music therapy (NMT) techniques for treating voice and speech characteristics developed due to hypokinetic dysarthria. Five participants with PD exhibiting characteristics of hypokinetic dysarthria participated in six weekly group music therapy sessions. Three speech assessments were administered as pretest and posttest to assess participants' improvement in variables that measured vocal function, voice quality, articulatory control, and connected speech intelligibility through acoustic and perceptual analyses. A paired samples t-test exhibited significant differences at posttest in the number of inter-word pauses, total inter-word pause time, and speaking fundamental frequency. No other significant differences were observed. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Open Access
The effect of musical mood induction on pain perception in adult oncology patients
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Mosko, Beth, author; LaGasse, Ashley Blythe, advisor; Davis, William B. (William Barron), advisor; Kees, Nathalie L., committee member
The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effect of musically induced mood on the pain perception of cancer patients. Enrolled participants (N=2) were both patients receiving radiation, chemotherapy, or follow up treatment at a local hospital where recruitment took place. During the experiment participants listened to a 20 minute recording of increasingly elative music, and completed questionnaires before and after that measured mood and pain perception. Measurement tools included the SF-McGill Pain Questionnaire, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Due to low sample size, there were no statistically significant results. However, pain decreased in all tests scores for both participants, and negative affect measures also decreased. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Open Access
The immediate effects of rhythmic arm swing and finger tapping exercises on gait of Parkinson's patients
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Haase, Marion Zoraida, author; Thaut, Michael H., advisor; Davis, William B. (William Barron), committee member; Davalos, Deana B., committee member
This study investigated the immediate effects of a rhythmic arm swing exercise vs. a rhythmic finger tapping exercise on gait parameters of individuals in the early stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). The study design was a randomized control trial involving three experimental conditions: control group, tapping group and arm swing group. Each patient participated in only one of these experimental conditions. Pre-test and post-test of walking at preferred speed were employed for each participant. All participants were rated between 0 and 2 in the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Tapping participants were instructed to tap on a metal plate (while seated) to the beat of an external auditory cue from a metronome set to 120% pre-test walking cadence, for three, 1-minute intervals with 30 seconds of rest in between each interval. The arm swing participants were instructed to swing their arms (while seated) with the beat from a metronome set to 120% pre-test cadence, for three 1-minute intervals with 30 seconds of rest in between each interval. Control group participants were instructed to remain seated for 4 minutes. Hand and arm function were assessed using the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT), motor functions were assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) parts III and IV, and balance was assessed using the Berg's Balance Scale. Gait parameters were recorded at the sampling rate of 500Hz with a computerized foot sensor system. The walking data was analyzed off-line by a personal computer with the interface hardware and analysis software. Changes in velocity, stride length and cadence were recorded during the pre-test and the post-test. Primary analysis indicated that the tapping treatment increased the absolute cadence in subjects (mean change = 4.400 steps/min, standard error = 1.399 steps/min, p=0.0051), while the arm swing protocol did not have a significant effect on absolute cadence (mean change = -0.356 steps/min, standard error = 1.234 steps/min, p=0.776). The control condition also resulted in no significant change in absolute cadence (mean change = 0.443 steps/min, standard error = 1.399 steps/min, p=0.755). Secondary analysis involving comparison in change of scores between pre and post tests across groups indicated that the tapping treatment's effect was significantly different from the arm swing protocol's results within the parameter of absolute cadence (p=0.0191). Results suggest immediate effects of the arm-swing exercise on gait parameters are not statistically significant, while a pre-gait tapping protocol resulted in immediate effects (increased absolute cadence) that were of statistical significance. The tapping protocol's effect on cadence suggests that rhythmic finger tapping as a pre-gait exercise may lead to uncued higher step frequencies and gait velocities in Parkinson's disease, and that a seated pre-gait arm-swing exercise may not cause immediate significant changes in gait. A possible explanation for the statistically insignificant change in gait parameters during the arm swing exercise is fatigue - this exercise required more work than the other two conditions, and testing took place immediately after completing the exercise. Other possible confounding variables are the possibly reduced amplitude of the arm swing during the exercise, and the possibility that arm-swing decoupled from locomotive leg movements may have limited effects on gait. Tapping to a beat, however, may have immediate carryover effects perhaps due to its being a non-locomotive motion that can be isolated as a rhythmic pre-gait exercise. These findings suggest that a rhythmic tapping exercise may be beneficial to patients with Parkinson's disease, and may increase their walking cadence. However, arm-swing in PD remains a problem due to it's reduced amplitude as a symptom of the disease, and this negatively affects gait parameters. Further research is necessary to investigate new ways to improve arm-swing and consequently gait parameters in PD patients.
Open Access
Musical auditory discrimination and perception of Mandarin Chinese tones in Taiwanese children with cochlear implants
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Chen, Ming-Ling, author; Thaut, Michael H., advisor; LaGasse, A. Blythe, committee member; Kees, Nathalie, committee member
A relationship between auditory perception of speech and music for English speakers with hearing loss has been found in previous studies. When they more accurately discriminated stress and accent patterns in English, they also had better musical rhythm perception. However, people who speak a different language from English may show dissimilar results. The purpose of this study was to find out if performance on the melodic and rhythmic tests of the Primary Measures of Music Audiation (PMMA) were significantly and positively related to performance of the Mandarin Chinese tonal test in the Mandarin Lexical Neighborhood Test (M-LNT). Twenty-six Taiwanese children between the ages of 10 to 12 participated in this study. All of them were wearing cochlear implants due to their hearing loss. During this study, each participant took three auditory tests, which were the melodic, rhythmic and Mandarin Chinese tonal tests. The results showed that in these Taiwanese participants, when they more accurately discriminated either the melodies or the rhythms on the PMMA, they also recognized Mandarin Chinese tones in M-LNT better. Furthermore, the performance of the melodic auditory perception on the PMMA significantly predicted the performance on the Mandarin Chinese tonal recognition in the M-LNT. Gender difference in this study was not a significant factor. These findings support the importance of melodic and rhythmic auditory training for Mandarin Chinese tonal discrimination and speech and language learning.
Open Access
The effects of patterned sensory enhancement on hemiparetic upper limb kinematics
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Lamb, Julia Uthe, author; LaGasse, Ashley Blythe, advisor; Tracy, Brian, committee member; Davis, William, committee member
Loss of motor capabilities following a stroke can have a significant effect on a stroke survivor's quality of life, and the lack of conclusively effective therapeutic interventions often make it difficult to determine an effective treatment plan. Several empirical studies have found Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) successful in producing more efficient muscular movements post-stroke (Malcolm, Massie, & Thaut, 2009; Thaut, Schleiffers, & Davis, 1991; Thaut, Kenyon, Hurt, McIntosh, & Hoemberg, 2002; Thaut et al., 2007; Yoo, 2009). The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effect Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE), an NMT technique, had on movement in hemiparetic upper limbs of stroke survivors. Three subjects participated in two counterbalanced experimental trials in which a repetitive reaching movement was evaluated with (1) auditory rhythmic cueing and (2) with combined temporal, force and spatial auditory cueing (PSE). Target contact accuracy and mid-arc variability were statistically analyzed between the three trials (un-cued control, rhythm only, and PSE). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a decrease in mid-arc variability in the PSE trial, but not at a statistically significant level. No further statistically significant results were discovered in this pilot study, however, more conclusive results may be observed in future studies adhering to the suggested revisions.
Open Access
The use of developmental speech and language training through music to enhance quick incidental learning in children with autism spectrum disorders
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Cooley, Jennifer, author; LaGasse, Blythe, advisor; Davis, William B., committee member; Cooley, Dan S., committee member
Given vocabulary acquisition in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an important concern, it is necessary to investigate potential treatments that enhance children's ability to learn novel words in the Quick Incidental Learning (QUIL) context. The present study examined the effects of Developmental Speech and Language Training through Music (DSLM) to facilitate QUIL and attention in 8 children, ages 3-5, with a diagnosis of ASD. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions and were exposed to speech and song scripts via a two period crossover design. An experimental session presented one song and spoken script, each embedded with 4 novel lexical items, through video stimuli. Attention was examined by recording eye gaze toward a computer monitor, and lexical probing was administered after each experimental session to measure production, comprehension, and generalization of target lexical items. The results showed that attention, production, comprehension, and generalization improved as a result of both the speech and music conditions; however, the difference between music and speech was not statistically significant.
Open Access
Sung versus verbal directives with young adults diagnosed with autism
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Koszczuk, Katrina Marie, author; LaGasse, Ashley Blythe, advisor; Davis, William, committee member; Kees, Nathalie, committee member
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder characterized by deficits in three main areas: social interaction, communication, and an intense resistance to change which could include repetitive, self-stimulatory behaviors according to the American Psychiatric Association (2000). The National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2012) defines a receptive language disorder as exhibited by an inability to understand the words of others, difficulties enacting verbal directives, and deficits in thought organization. These deficits can cause individuals to have difficulties while participating in school, home, and social situations, and may lead to problem behaviors. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2012) has linked receptive language disorders with other disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder (Hoch, 2012). Because this is a largely unexplored area, research is needed to find and support therapeutic techniques addressing deficits in receptive language. Three young adult males between the ages of 14 and 22 with a primary diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder were recruited by flyer and word-of-mouth from Northern Colorado. This study employed a multiple baseline across participants with repeated measures design. There were a total of 6 experimental observations with each research subject. Behavioral coding was utilized to determine if there were any mean time differences between the sung and verbal directive conditions. Because data was coded separately by the researcher and research assistant, Pearson's r was used to test inter-rater correlation through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software (IBM Corporation, 2012). Pearson's r = + 0.997 signifying a positive correlation between the two coders. A Repeated Measures of Analysis of Variance was applied using SAS software to test for statistical significance between the verbal and sung conditions (SAS Institute Inc., 2011). The RM ANOVA yielded no statistically significant results. However the p value of the statistic, p = 0.0769, was very close to the p value set for the present study, p < 0.05. A power analysis revealed that if an average of 10.2 seconds with a standard deviation of 6.8 seconds remained constant after recruiting a total of 7 volunteer participants, then statistical significance could be reached. Even though statistical significance was not reached, trends in the data were discussed. Overall there was a decrease in time between the verbal and sung conditions for each participant. However, this trend was not clear and variability was seen among the participants throughout the sung observations after separating and plotting the data on bar and line graphs. Future researchers should increase the sample size and eliminate inherent study design flaws to thoroughly test if there is a difference between the verbal and sung directives.
Open Access
The effect of music therapy on infants born with gastroschisis
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Wenszell, Melissa J., author; LaGasse, Blythe, advisor; Davis, William, committee member; Walrond, John, committee member
Gastroschisis is a congenital anomaly characterized by a hole in the abdominal wall. Through this hole intestines and abdominal organs protrude requiring these infants to have surgery shortly after birth. Both preoperatively and postoperatively, infants born with gastroschisis require pain medications and ventilator support, intravenous feedings and endure long hospital stays. These infants often continue to experience constant discomfort, difficulty in eating, and may develop bowel problems and other complications such as sepsis. Music therapy is an established mode of treatment to promote individual wellness, healing and change. Live lullaby style music was provided on the guitar and / or reverie harp with humming and vocals to infants with gastroschisis postoperatively up to three times a week for 25 minutes followed by 30 minutes of quiet time. The infant's physiological parameters of heart rate, respiration and oxygen saturation were measured pre, during and post music therapy along with a behavioral and pain assessment tool, the CRIES scale. Seven infants were enrolled in the study and 29 music therapy sessions were conducted. The average heart rate, respiratory rate and the CRIES score between pre and post music therapy was compared using the paired t-test. A two-sided p-value < 0.05 was used as the significance level. With physiological parameters and CRIES both at .05 (p<0.05) respectively, statistical significance was found only for respiration rate during the post intervention 30 minutes of quiet time p=0.0047. Statistical significance on the effect of music therapy for parameters of heart rate, saturation and CRIES was not found on infants born with gastroschisis. If a caregiver was present for the music therapy session, a Likert-type scale survey was provided to rate the experience of the live music for the parent and their perception of benefit to their child. Caregivers observed only four sessions and each completed survey had been awarded the maximum of 30 points, therefore, the perception was high that music therapy had positive benefits for both the infant and the caregiver. More research in the effect of music therapy on infants is needed. Within the gastroschisis population, no other study is available, and this data may provide a small foundation toward further study. While overall statistical significance was not found, acute effects were noted in behavioral changes of these medically compromised infants.
Open Access
The use of auditory, tactile, and simultaneous audio-tactile stimulation to enhance gait training for children with disabilities
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Veteto, Kristin Noel, author; LaGasse, Ashley Blythe, advisor; Davis, William B., committee member; Browning, Ray, committee member
Given that the prevalence of developmental disabilities is rising in U.S. children and acknowledging that these children show lower gross motor outcomes than their typically developing peers, it is necessary to investigate potential treatments that enhance children's physical functioning. The present study examined the effects of external auditory, tactile, and audio-tactile stimuli on gait parameters in children with developmental disabilities. Participants were asked to walk a 10 meter walkway while being exposed to these three different stimuli in a randomized order. A pretest served to gather cadence, which was then programed into the external rhythmic sources. Gait parameters including cadence, velocity, and stride length were gathered during each walk by two raters. Each participant served as their own control and received all experimental stimuli conditions. A cross analysis of the raw data showed a tendency towards auditory rhythmic cueing as the most likely stimuli to show synchronization; however, no evidence was found to support that children with developmental disabilities can entrain to an external rhythmic stimuli. Although changes were observed in gait parameters, no clear evidence was found to support that children with developmental disabilities show benefits in gait functioning from the addition of external rhythmic facilitation. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Open Access
Training endogenous task shifting using neurologic music therapy
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Mueller, Colleen, author; LaGasse, A. Blythe, advisor; Davis, William B., committee member; Davalos, Deana, committee member
People with acquired brain injury (ABI) are highly susceptible to disturbances in executive functioning (EF) and these effects are pervasive. Research studies using music therapy for cognitive improvement in this population are limited. Scientific research regarding the proposed neural correlates of executive functions abound. Additionally, scientific music research is gaining momentum. The presence of shared neural correlates and extended pathways between certain kinds of music and executive functions is clear. Further, the capacity of music training to induce neural plasticity has significant support, but interventions on a clinical level are sparse. The current randomized control trial (n=14) sought to uncover whether using a specific neurologic music therapy approach to train endogenous task shifting would create positive results in standard measures of executive functioning (the Trail Making Test and the PASAT). In this pilot study, participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a neurologic music therapy group (NMT), a placebo, singing group and a control group. Both music groups met for one hour a day for five days. One-way ANOVA of the pre- and posttest group differences revealed a statistically significant difference between the NMT group and the placebo group (p= .3189; LSM p= .0315; F=4.44; ƞ2= .446; ɷ2= .329; d= 1.79; MSE=.3189; C.I. -1.6661, -0939). However, a statistically significant difference was not found between the NMT group and the control group. Further, a statistically significant effect was also found between the control group and the placebo group, leading to inconclusive results (p= .3189; LSM p =.0230, C.I. -1.8343, -0.1667; F=4.44; ƞ2= .446; ɷ2= .329; d= 1.79; MSE=.3189). The novelty of meeting in a group to sing songs did not show a difference, providing preliminary support for the importance of therapeutically applied music. Treatment feasibility and future considerations are discussed.
Open Access
A survey of music therapists' attitudes toward evidence-based practice
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Hahn, Kevin, author; LaGasse, A. Blythe, advisor; Davis, William B., committee member; Henle, Chris, committee member
Background: Evidence-based practice is the confluence of research evidence, practitioner expertise, and client preferences applied in a clinical context. An expansion of the evidence-based medicine movement developed during the early 1990s, evidence-based practice (EBP) has garnered significant attention from healthcare researchers, academics, and clinicians through the alternating endorsement and criticism it receives. Opinions about EBP are likely to vary greatly within a given field, yet little research has been completed to systematically investigate how music therapists view EBP. Given the American Music Therapy Association's inclusion of "evidence-based" in the definition of music therapy, a lack of recent, systematically-gathered information about music therapists' perceptions of EBP highlights the question: What are music therapists' attitudes toward evidence-based practice? Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to survey professional music therapists' attitudes toward evidence-based practice (EBP). This study also sought to determine how music therapists' attitudes toward evidence-based practice systematically vary based on familiarity with EBP, age, year entering the field, years of experience, level of formal academic training, primary philosophical orientation, and additional music therapy designations. Methods: Board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs) were surveyed using a 26-item measure of attitudes toward evidence-based practice (adapted from Johnston et al., 2003). After giving informed consent, participants were provided with a definition of EBP and then completed the adapted Johnston et al. (2003) measure, answered additional items measuring the strength of their attitudes toward EBP, and supplied demographic and professional status information. A total of 646 participants provided results included in the final dataset. Results: On a scale from 1 (lowest) to 6 (highest), 646 participating MT-BCs indicated a mean average response of 4.31 (SD = .65) on an adapted scale of attitudes toward evidence-based practice. Participants reported a mean level of familiarity with EBP of 5.11 (SD = 1.35, n = 643) on a scale from 1 (very unfamiliar) to 6 (very familiar). Familiarity with EBP was positively correlated with and predicted attitudes toward EBP. Participants' age in years and calendar year entering the profession were associated with attitudes toward EBP. Participants' attitudes toward EBP differed based on primary philosophical orientation, level of training, and additional training designations. Conclusions: Responses from this study suggest MT-BCs are very familiar with evidence-based practice and possess generally favorable attitudes toward EBP. Increasing music therapists' familiarity with EBP may predict a moderate increase in their attitudes toward EBP (adjusted r2= .057). Instrument revision and study replication are recommended due to methodological and sampling concerns. Music therapists' supportive attitudes toward EBP might indicate their willingness to engage in EBP in clinical practice.
Open Access
Therapeutic music experiences for college-aged women with negative body perception
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Hinz, Bailey I., author; Davis, William B., advisor; LaGasse, A. Blythe, advisor; Cordain, Loren, committee member
Body image disturbances and maladjusted compensatory eating behaviors are a problem which affects a significant portion of the population, especially young women. These issues can lead to an eating disorder, a life-threatening psychological disease that manifests physically. Research indicates that recovery from an eating disorder is extremely difficult but possible through a variety of medical, nutritional, psychological, and creative therapies. One creative therapy that has been successfully utilized by clinicians is music therapy. However, there is a limited amount of information published regarding therapeutic music's efficacy in treating body image and eating troubles. The purpose of this pilot study was to gather initial efficacy data on a variety of therapeutic music interventions in improving self-image through a descriptive case-study. Participants consisted of six female students between the ages of 18 and 25 years recruited from the Colorado State University campus. Subjects took part in at least three out of five one hour sessions that occurred for a period of five consecutive days. Music interventions included music directed progressive relaxation, movement and breathing to music, improvisation, music leading, lyric analysis, and therapeutic song writing. Data was collected blindly through a questionnaire prepared by the researcher as well as a pre-test post-test comparison of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Data was analyzed with a paired t-test with the independent variable of participation in the music intervention and the dependent variable being the score received on the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Because of the low number of participants and the absence of a control group, alpha was set at p<0.10. The calculated t-score of the total score on the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale was p = 0.133 and the null hypothesis was therefore not rejected and significance not reached. However, three of the four participants on which data was collected showed improvement in total score with the fourth participant showing no change. Further, all participants improved in the specific area of physical self-concept, reaching significance with a calculated t-score of p=0.089. Finally, responses on the post-test questionnaire indicated that participants enjoyed taking part in the therapeutic music interventions and felt as though they had received some benefit from taking part in sessions.
Open Access
The effect of auditory-motor mapping training in Korean on the speech output of children with autism
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Kim, Hae Sun, author; Davis, William B., advisor; LaGasse, A. Blythe, advisor; Fails, Anna Dee, committee member
Given the lower verbal output in many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a number of interventions in English are available for them. However, currently there are no interventions specifically researched with children with ASD who come from different language backgrounds other than English. The present study examined the effect of an intonation-based treatment called auditory-motor mapping training (AMMT) to facilitate verbal output in two children with a diagnosis of ASD from Korean-speaking households. Both participated in a total of nine AMMT sessions in addition to four assessments over a 4-week period. A baseline assessment was conducted prior to the first treatment, and probe assessments were conducted after treatment session 3, 6, and 9. Each child's verbal production including consonants and vowels were measured. The results showed some improvements in the production of consonants and vowels over the treatment period; however, the differences were not significant. Although no statistically significant results were observed in this pilot study, more conclusive results may be observed in future studies adhering to the suggested recommendations.
Open Access
The effect of music therapy on the anxiety levels of women awaiting breast cancer surgery
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Palmer, Jaclyn Bradley, author; Lagasse, Blythe, advisor; Thaut, Michael, committee member; Walrond, John, committee member
Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in females. Women encountering the combination of surgery and prospective cancer may be faced with intense anxiety. As a familiar and aesthetic medium, music has the ability to ease anxiety, act as a diversion, and dispel the fear that accompanies the unknown (Stevens, 1990). The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of live and recorded music on the perceived anxiety of women awaiting breast cancer surgery. In this study, 86 women were randomized into a control and two experimental groups. Treatment groups received either live or recorded preferred music in addition to standard care in the preoperative unit, while the control group received standard care alone. A one-way ANOVA comparison revealed that the addition of either live or recorded music facilitated by a board certified music therapist significantly reduced patient-perceived anxiety (p = 0.001) more than standard care alone. The findings here may provide a basis for future research where further evidence can be established by developing a more controlled alternative to 'standard care' and by investigating different surgical populations at a multitude of diverse medical institutions.
Open Access
The effect of musical mnemonics on learning and recall in preschool-aged children with developmental disabilities
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Selph, Audrey, author; LaGasse, Blythe, advisor; Thaut, Michael, advisor; Davalos, Deana, committee member
The purpose of this study was to assess whether musical mnemonics rehearsal is more effective than verbal rehearsal on immediate and delayed recall of novel information for preschool-aged children with developmental delays. Forty 3- to 5-year old children in a special education program were selected from a prescreening process as participants. Participants were randomly divided into two groups by a computerized randomizer. Group 1 received all input in spoken format and Group 2 received all input in sung format. All participants listened to a random, non-repetitive seven-digit number. Sung numbers matched the opening phrase of "Old MacDonald." For each trial, the researcher played the pre-recorded number five times. The number of correct consecutive digits was recorded both at the end of each hearing, after a one-minute distraction and following a five minute delay. Since there was evidence of skew in the serial order recall results, serial scores were compared within group and across groups using non-parametric statistical analysis. Results showed no significant difference between the music and non-music groups. Overall serial order recall scores were low, suggesting that the digit span was beyond the developmental capabilities of many of the participants. There was a significant effect of time and age, however. Paired comparisons showed significantly greater recall in Trial 4 versus Trial 1, and in Trial 5 versus delayed recall, suggesting both an increase in recall due to learning and a decrease in recall after the 5-minute delay and distraction activity. Five-year olds also performed significantly better than 3-4 year olds on delayed absolute recall and immediate serial order recall. Future research suggestions are discussed.
Open Access
Effects of music on joint attention between individuals with autism and neurotypical siblings
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Montgomery, Jaley A., author; LaGasse, A. Blythe, advisor; Knight, Andrew, committee member; Most, David, committee member
Given that a common social skills deficit for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is joint attention, and that development in joint attention can cause improvement in other social skill deficit areas such as affect, imitation, initiation of socialization, and expressive language (Ferraioli & Harris, 2011), it is necessary to examine treatment options that promote joint attention. This study measured the effects of music versus non-music interventions on joint attention between individuals with ASD and neurotypical siblings. One sibling pair (dyad) participated in this study. To be eligible for the study, one sibling must have an ASD diagnosis, be between the ages of 6 to 10 years old, have a sibling up to three years older with no ASD or related diagnosis, speak English as a primary language, and both siblings free of significant visual or hearing impairments. The sibling dyad received two fifteen-minute sessions a week for two weeks. The first session of each week was a music session designed to elicit joint attention in siblings. In the second session of each week, the group participated in a fifteen-minute non-music session designed to elicit joint attention between siblings. The neurotypical sibling primarily led these sessions, with video instruction shown to the participants before each task in the sessions.
Open Access
Musical neglect training for unilateral visual neglect in right hemispheric stroke patients
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Kang, Kyurim, author; Thaut, Michael, advisor; LaGasse, Blythe, committee member; Fails, Anna, committee member
The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate and longer-lasting effect of Musical Neglect Training (MNT) on unilateral visual neglect. A single-subject design was used, as participants served as their own control. Two individuals participated in this study. Participants underwent two weekly 30-minute individual sessions over a time period of three weeks, for a total of six MNT sessions for each participant. Two standardized assessments (Albert's and Line Bisection Test) were used. The assessments were administered immediately before and after each of the 6 MNT sessions to assess the immediate effect of MNT. During the training, participants played a set of horizontally arranged tone bars tuned to an ascending triads and scales. At the endpoint of each sequence a cymbal was positioned and played to give a strong audiovisual target in the left visual field for the participants. The experimenter provided a chordal accompaniment on the keyboard to provide harmonic-rhythmic pacing and to cue continuous playing to the end of the sequence. Follow-up testing was done one week after their 6th session to examine the longer-lasting effects of MNT. Paired t-tests were used to test for statistical improvement between pre- and post-test of interventions (immediate effects). Also, nonparametric statistics (Wilcoxon) was also calculated in parallel with the paired t-tests due to the small sample size and possible violations of normal distribution. For the longer-lasting effects, raw data were compared between the average of 6 sessions’ pre-test and follow-up test since there was only one follow-up test. Both participants showed statistical improvement with Albert's Test in the immediate effect (Participant 1: p=.02, Participant 2: p=.01). Results for the immediate effect of MNT on the Line Bisection Test were not significantly different, but means were lower for post-test (Participant 1: M=24.17%, Participant 2: M=9.16%) compared to pre-test (Participant 1: M=25.65%, Participant 2: M=10.39%), indicating positive improvement. Although not statistically significant for the longer-lasting effect, participant 2 had a lower score (score=7) compared to averaged pretest scores of the 6 treatment sessions (M=9.5), indicating a positive outcome, while participant 1 was unchanged at follow-up score (score=14) compared to the pretest average (M=14.5) in the Albert’s Test. Moreover, participant 1 showed increased deviation percentages from the averaged pre-test (M=25.65%) to follow-up test (deviation =27.18%), indicating no positive effect for the longer-lasting effect in the Line Bisection Test. Participant 2 showed a decreased deviation in follow-up score (deviation=7.70%) compared to averaged pre-test score (M=10.39%). The study indicates MNT as a potentially positive intervention for clients with unilateral visual neglect. Future research should employ this music-based intervention with clients in subacute recovery stages post stroke. Furthermore, developing the intervention protocol with increased duration and a higher number of sessions may result in stronger results. Based on the results from this study and previous studies, research focusing on the underlying neural mechanism and tailoring the intervention protocol appropriately to the clinical situation is warranted.