Audiology and Speech Pathology - Research Publications
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ItemContent development and validation for a mobile application designed to train family caregivers in the use of music to support care of people living with dementia(FRONTIERS MEDIA SA, 2023-05-12)BACKGROUND: Music therapy is increasingly recognized as an effective support for people living with dementia. However, with incidences of dementia increasing, and limited availability of music therapists, there is a need for affordable and accessible ways that caregivers can learn to use music-therapy based strategies to support the people they care for. The MATCH project aims to address this by creating a mobile application that can train family caregivers in the use of music to support people living with dementia. METHODS: This study details the development and validation of training material for the MATCH mobile application. Training modules developed based on existing research were assessed by 10 experienced music therapist clinician-researchers, and seven family caregivers who had previously completed personalized training in music therapy strategies via the HOMESIDE project. Participants reviewed the content and scored each training module based on content (music therapists) and face (caregivers) validity scales. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate scores on the scales, while thematic analysis was used to analyze short-answer feedback. RESULTS: Participants scored the content as valid and relevant, however, they provided additional suggestions for improvement via short-answer feedback. CONCLUSION: The content developed for the MATCH application is valid and will be trailed by family caregivers and people living with dementia in a future study.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableParkinSong: A Controlled Trial of Singing-Based Therapy for Parkinson's Disease(SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2019-06)Background. Communication impairment is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), significantly affecting quality of life. Singing shares many of the neural networks and structural mechanisms used during speech and, thus, has potential for therapeutic application to address speech disorders. Objective. To explore the effects of an interdisciplinary singing-based therapeutic intervention (ParkinSong) on voice and communication in people with PD. Methods. A controlled trial compared the effects of the ParkinSong intervention with an active control condition at 2 dosage levels (weekly vs monthly) over 3 months, on voice, speech, respiratory strength, and voice-related quality-of-life outcomes for 75 people living with PD. The interdisciplinary ParkinSong model comprised high-effort vocal and respiratory tasks, speech exercises, group singing, and social communication opportunities. Results. ParkinSong intervention participants demonstrated significant improvements in vocal intensity (P = .018), maximum expiratory pressure (P = .032), and voice-related quality of life (P = .043) in comparison to controls. Weekly ParkinSong participants increased vocal intensity more than monthly participants (P = .011). Vocal intensity declined in nontreatment control groups. No statistical differences between groups on maximum phonation length or maximum inspiratory pressure were observed at 3 months. Conclusions. ParkinSong is an engaging intervention with the potential to increase loudness and respiratory function in people with mild to moderately severe PD.
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ItemParkinSong: Outcomes of a 12-Month Controlled Trial of Therapeutic Singing Groups in Parkinson's Disease(IOS Press, 2020-07-28)Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) frequently causes progressive deterioration in speech, voice and cognitive aspects of communication. These affect wellbeing and quality of life and are associated with caregiver strain and burden. Therapeutic singing groups can ameliorate PD-related communication disorders and increase social interaction and wellbeing for caregivers and care recipients. Objective: To analyse the effects of ParkinSong group singing sessions on Parkinson’s communication and wellbeing outcomes for people with PD and caregivers over 12 months. Methods: A 4-armed controlled clinical trial compared ParkinSong with active non-singing control conditions over 12 months. Two dosage levels (weekly versus monthly) were available for each condition. ParkinSong comprised high-effort vocal, respiratory and speech exercises, group singing, and social interaction. PD-specific outcomes included vocal loudness, speech intelligibility, maximum phonation time, respiratory muscle strength, and voice related quality of life (QoL). Wellbeing outcomes were also measured for caregivers and care recipients. Results: We recruited 75 people with PD and 44 caregivers who attended weekly ParkinSong, monthly ParkinSong, weekly control or monthly control groups. We found significant improvements in the primary outcome of vocal loudness (p = 0.032), with weekly singers 5.13 dB louder (p = 0.044) and monthly singers 5.69 dB louder (p = 0.015) than monthly controls at 12 months. ParkinSong participants also showed greater improvements in voice-related QoL and anxiety. Caregivers who attended ParkinSong showed greater reductions in depression and stress scores. Conclusions: This 12-month controlled clinical trial of ParkinSong demonstrated improvements in speech loudness and voice-related QoL for participants with PD, and enhanced wellbeing for both caregivers and care recipients. No adverse effects were reported over 12 months and improvements were sustained.
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ItemParkinSong Online: protocol for a telehealth feasibility study of therapeutic group singing for people with Parkinson's disease(BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2021-12)INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease can be associated with speech deterioration and low communication confidence which in turn compromises social interaction. Therapeutic singing is an engaging method for combatting speech decline; however, face-to-face delivery can limit access to group singing. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of an online mode of delivery for a Parkinson's singing intervention (ParkinSong) as well as remote data collection procedures. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This ParkinSong Online feasibility trial is a single-arm, pre-post study of online singing delivery and remote data collection for 30 people living with Parkinson's. The primary outcome measure is feasibility: recruitment, retention, attendance, safety, intervention fidelity, acceptability and associated costs. Secondary outcomes are speech (loudness, intelligibility, quality, communication-related quality of life) and wellbeing (apathy, depression, anxiety, stress, health-related quality of life). This mode of delivery aims to increase the accessibility of singing interventions. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was obtained from The University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee (2021-14465-16053-3) and the trial has been prospectively registered. Results will be presented at national and international conferences, published in a peer-reviewed journal, and disseminated to the Parkinson's community, researchers and policymakers. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12621000940875.
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ItemA controlled trial of ParkinSong singing groups to improve communication and wellbeing in Parkinson’s disease(Wiley, 2018-10)Objective: To explore the effects of a therapeutic group singing intervention (ParkinSong) on communication and wellbeing outcomes for people living with Parkinson’s disease. Background: Communication impairment is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, significantly impacting quality of life, yet few seek help for this. [1] Singing shares many of the neural networks and structural mechanisms used during speech. [2] Therapeutic group singing sessions can be designed specifically to target the functional communication issues resulting from Parkinson’s disease and to provide rhythmic cues to stimulate and organise motor speech output. [3] Methods: A controlled clinical trial measured the effects of a ParkinSong group singing intervention, at 2 dosage levels (weekly versus monthly) over 3 months, on voice, speech, respiratory, and wellbeing outcomes for 77 people living with Parkinson’s disease. The ParkinSong model comprises high effort vocal and respiratory tasks, speech exercises, group singing, and social communication opportunities. Control participants took part in regular peer support and/or creative activity groups that did not involve singing. Results: ParkinSong intervention participants demonstrated significant improvements in vocal intensity (p=0.001), maximum expiratory pressure (p=0.006), and voice-related quality of life (p=0.020) in comparison to controls. Weekly ParkinSong participants increased vocal intensity more than monthly participants (p = 0.011). Vocal intensity declined in non-treatment control groups. No changes in speech intelligibility, maximum phonation length, or health-related quality of life were observed. Conclusions: Group singing is an effective and engaging therapy to increase loudness and increase respiratory function in people with mild to moderately severe Parkinson’s disease References: 1. Miller N, Noble E, Jones D, Deane KHO, Gibb C. Survey of speech and language therapy provision for people with Parkinson’s disease in the United Kingdom: patients’ and carers’ perspectives. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2010;46(2):179-88. 2. Amorim GOD, Albuquerque LCA, Pernambuco LDA, Balata PMM, Luckwü-Lucena BT, Silva HJD. Contributions of neuroimaging in singing voice studies: a systematic review. Revista CEFAC 2017;19(4):556-64. 3. Tamplin J, Baker FA. Therapeutic singing protocols for addressing acquired and degenerative speech disorders in adults. Music Therapy Perspectives 2017.
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ItemEfficacy of Parkinsong Groups for improving Communication and Wellbeing in Parkinson's Disease(World Federation of Music Therapy, 2017)Communication impairment is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, significantly impacting quality of life (Miller, 2012). Speech characteristics may include a soft, monotone, breathy or hoarse voice quality, imprecise articulation, dysprosody and dysfluency (Skodda et al., 2013). These characteristics, combined with reduced nonverbal communication, cognitive-linguistic impairment and poor self-perception of speech, make communication difficult and lead to self-consciousness, reduced likelihood to participate in conversation, and the avoidance of social interaction that requires speaking. Communication difficulties can compound issues of depression and related social isolation (Miller et al., 2006).
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ItemNo Preview Available