Cognitive Effects of Music and Dance Training in Children

NCT ID: NCT03160391

Last Updated: 2017-05-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 75 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-01-01
• Study Completion Date: 2013-11-30

Brief Summary

The study used a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of two interventions (dance and musical training) for typically developing children. Interventions were run for three weeks in local community locations. Participants were tested before and after the intervention on a battery of cognitive and behavioural measures. They were compared across groups, and to a control group who do not receive the intervention.

The purpose of the current study was to assess the influence of dance and musical training on cognitive development. Research has indicated that musical training is associated with improve cognitive functioning, although the direction of such an association is unclear. Further, it is uncertain whether any benefits are specific to musical training or can also be demonstrated with other training activities. The current study used a randomized controlled trial to assess the causal effects of dance and musical training.

Detailed Description

Participants Monolingual children aged between six and nine years old were recruited from two local communities in Ontario, Canada. Children with developmental delays, learning disabilities, or previous arts training were excluded from the study.

Participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups

1. Dance intervention group

2. Music intervention group

To establish baseline performance levels and have a comparison, a passive control group was collected from the same towns using the same exclusion criteria.

Data analysis Difference scores were calculated for each measure by subtracting each participant's second testing session data from the first. When appropriate, iterative trimming with a 3 SD cutoff was used, by subject and by condition, to remove outliers. Results for each measure were analyzed using one-way ANOVAs (analysis of variance) for the between-subjects factor of training group (music, dance, or control).

Conditions

Cognitive Change

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Music Training

Music Training

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Music Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Training curriculums were developed using guidelines set by the Ontario Ministry of Education (The Ontario Curriculum, 2009) for teaching music to grades 1 to 3. Music was delineated into duration, pitch, dynamics and other expressive controls, timbre, texture/harmony, and form. training included direct instruction and group activities. All training programs had the same structure: a warm-up period, following by instruction from a teacher, and then group activities to practically demonstrate the concepts learned. Both programs involved working towards a variety of ensembles.

Dance Training

Dance Training

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Dance Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

As with music training, dance was operationally defined by fundamental concepts for the art form, namely elements for body, space, time, energy, and relationship. The intervention involved both individual and group activities, with a combination of instruction and practical activities, and preparation for a final performance.

Passive control group

Passive control group

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Music Training

Training curriculums were developed using guidelines set by the Ontario Ministry of Education (The Ontario Curriculum, 2009) for teaching music to grades 1 to 3. Music was delineated into duration, pitch, dynamics and other expressive controls, timbre, texture/harmony, and form. training included direct instruction and group activities. All training programs had the same structure: a warm-up period, following by instruction from a teacher, and then group activities to practically demonstrate the concepts learned. Both programs involved working towards a variety of ensembles.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Dance Training

As with music training, dance was operationally defined by fundamental concepts for the art form, namely elements for body, space, time, energy, and relationship. The intervention involved both individual and group activities, with a combination of instruction and practical activities, and preparation for a final performance.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Monolingual

Exclusion Criteria

• Developmental delays or learning disabilities
• Previous arts training (in dance, drama, or music)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 6 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 9 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

York University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Melody Wiseheart

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Other Identifiers

YorkU-MD1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id