Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - Research Publications
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 10 of 221
-
ItemNo Preview AvailableNELLI SHKOLNIKOVA 1928-2010(Newsquest Media Group, 2010-09-01)The great Russian violinist and pedagogue died early in 2010. Curt Thompson, one of her former students, looks back on her life and examines her teaching methods.
-
Item
-
ItemMusic Therapy Methods with Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Severe Neurobehavioral Disorders Due to Brain Injury(Oxford University Press, 2011-05-01)The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the application of music therapy intervention in neurobehavioral treatment programs with pediatric, adolescent and adult populations through the presentation of six case reports, with special reference to post-traumatic amnesia. Severe behavioral disorders stemming from brain injury are challenging for both the affected individual and their support network. Managing neurobehavioral disorders requires specialist skills and knowledge of various strategies to minimize behavioral incidents and decrease episodes of agitation. Music therapy interventions are effective in increasing orientation and decreasing agitation in people with post-traumatic amnesia following brain injury (Baker, 2001). However, there is little published guidance or research on music therapy interventions for use in interdisciplinary rehabilitation programs for patients with short-term or chronic neurobehavioral disorders following traumatic brain injury. Music therapy is well-placed as a part of interdisciplinary rehabilitation with this population, offering opportunities to enable emotional expression and improve pragmatic communication skills and social interaction. This case material provided illustrates how music therapists integrate family members into treatment programs, and work with others to enable multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary outcomes.
-
ItemAssessment of Breathing Patterns and Respiratory Muscle Recruitment During Singing and Speech in Quadriplegia(Elsevier, 2011-02-01)OBJECTIVES: To explore how respiratory impairment after cervical spinal cord injury affects vocal function, and to explore muscle recruitment strategies used during vocal tasks after quadriplegia. It was hypothesized that to achieve the increased respiratory support required for singing and loud speech, people with quadriplegia use different patterns of muscle recruitment and control strategies compared with control subjects without spinal cord injury. DESIGN: Matched, parallel-group design. SETTING: Large university-affiliated public hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Consenting participants with motor-complete C5-7 quadriplegia (n=6) and able-bodied age-matched controls (n=6) were assessed on physiologic and voice measures during vocal tasks. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Standard respiratory function testing, surface electromyographic activity from accessory respiratory muscles, sound pressure levels during vocal tasks, the Voice Handicap Index, and the Perceptual Voice Profile. RESULTS: The group with quadriplegia had a reduced lung capacity (vital capacity, 71% vs 102% of predicted; P=.028), more perceived voice problems (Voice Handicap Index score, 22.5 vs 6.5; P=.046), and greater recruitment of accessory respiratory muscles during both loud and soft volumes (P=.028) than the able-bodied controls. The group with quadriplegia also demonstrated higher accessory muscle activation in changing from soft to loud speech (P=.028). CONCLUSIONS: People with quadriplegia have impaired vocal ability and use different muscle recruitment strategies during speech than the able-bodied. These findings will enable us to target specific measurements of respiratory physiology for assessing functional improvements in response to formal therapeutic singing training.
-
ItemThe Effect of Singing Training on Voice Quality for People With Quadriplegia(Elsevier, 2014-01-01)Objectives: Despite anecdotal reports of voice impairment in quadriplegia, the exact nature of these impairments is not well described in the literature. This article details objective and subjective voice assessments for people with quadriplegia at baseline and after a respiratory-targeted singing intervention. Study Design Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty-four participants with quadriplegia were randomly assigned to a 12-week program of either a singing intervention or active music therapy control. Recordings of singing and speech were made at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months postintervention. These deidentified recordings were used to measure sound pressure levels and assess voice quality using the Multidimensional Voice Profile and the Perceptual Voice Profile. Results: Baseline voice quality data indicated deviation from normality in the areas of breathiness, strain, and roughness. A greater percentage of intervention participants moved toward more normal voice quality in terms of jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio; however, the improvements failed to achieve statistical significance. Conclusions: Subjective and objective assessments of voice quality indicate that quadriplegia may have a detrimental effect on voice quality; in particular, causing a perception of roughness and breathiness in the voice. The results of this study suggest that singing training may have a role in ameliorating these voice impairments.
-
ItemNo Preview AvailableRespiratory muscle training for cervical spinal cord injury (Protocol)(Cochrane Collaboration, 2010)This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of respiratory muscle training on function for people with cervical spinal cord injury.
-
ItemNo Preview AvailableRespiratory muscle training for cervical spinal cord injury (Review)(Cochrane Collaboration, 2013-01-01)BACKGROUND: Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) severely comprises respiratory function due to paralysis and impairment of the respiratory muscles. Various types of respiratory muscle training (RMT) to improve respiratory function for people with cervical SCI have been described in the literature. A systematic review of this literature is needed to determine the effectiveness of RMT (either inspiratory or expiratory muscle training) on pulmonary function, dyspnoea, respiratory complications, respiratory muscle strength, and quality of life for people with cervical SCI. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of RMT versus standard care or sham treatments in people with cervical SCI. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Injuries and Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Groups' Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2012, Issue 1), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, and clinical trials registries (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ClinicalTrials, Controlled Trials metaRegister) on 5 to 8 March 2013. We handsearched reference lists of relevant papers and literature reviews. We applied no date, language, or publication restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised controlled trials that involved an intervention described as RMT versus a control group using an alternative intervention, placebo, usual care, or no intervention for people with cervical SCI were considered for inclusion. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected articles for inclusion, evaluated the methodological quality of the studies, and extracted data. We sought additional information from the trial authors when necessary. We presented results using mean differences (MD) (using post-test scores) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for outcomes measured using the same scale or standardised mean differences (SMD) and 95% CI for outcomes measured using different scales. MAIN RESULTS: We included 11 studies with 212 participants with cervical SCI. The meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant effect of RMT for three outcomes: vital capacity (MD mean end point 0.4 L, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.69), maximal inspiratory pressure (MD mean end point 10.50 cm/H2O, 95% CI 3.42 to 17.57), and maximal expiratory pressure (MD mean end point 10.31 cm/H2O, 95% CI 2.80 to 17.82). There was no effect on forced expiratory volume in one second or dyspnoea. We could not combine the results from quality of life assessment tools from three studies for meta-analysis. Respiratory complication outcomes were infrequently reported and thus we could not include them in the meta-analysis. Instead, we described the results narratively. We identified no adverse effects as a result of RMT in cervical SCI. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the relatively small number of studies included in this review, meta-analysis of the pooled data indicates that RMT is effective for increasing respiratory muscle strength and perhaps also lung volumes for people with cervical SCI. Further research is needed on functional outcomes following RMT, such as dyspnoea, cough efficacy, respiratory complications, hospital admissions, and quality of life. In addition, longer-term studies are needed to ascertain optimal dosage and determine any carryover effects of RMT on respiratory function, quality of life, respiratory morbidity, and mortality.
-
ItemNo Preview AvailableA systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of respiratory muscle training on pulmonary function in tetraplegia(NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2014-03)STUDY DESIGN: Systematic reviewObjectives:To determine the effect of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on pulmonary function in tetraplegia. METHODS: A comprehensive search of the research literature included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, the relevant Cochrane and clinical trials registers and hand-searching the reference lists of appropriate papers. There was no language restriction. All randomised controlled trials that involved RMT vs. control were considered for inclusion. Two reviewers independently selected articles for inclusion, evaluated the methodological quality and extracted data. Additional information was sought from the authors when necessary. RESULTS: Eleven studies (212 participants) were included. A significant benefit of RMT was revealed for five outcomes: vital capacity (mean difference (95% confidence interval))=0.41(0.17-0.64) l, maximal inspiratory pressure=10.66(3.59, 17.72) cmH2O, maximal expiratory pressure=10.31(2.80-17.82) cmH2O, maximum voluntary ventilation=17.51(5.20, 29.81) l min(-1) and inspiratory capacity=0.35 (0.05, 0.65) l. No effect was found for total lung capacity, peak expiratory flow rate, functional residual capacity, residual volume, expiratory reserve volume or forced expiratory volume in 1 second. CONCLUSION: RMT increases respiratory strength, function and endurance during the period of training. Further research is needed to determine optimum dosages and duration of effect. This article is based in part on a Cochrane review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) 2013, DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD008507.pub2. Cochrane reviews are regularly updated as new evidence emerges and in response to feedback, and the CDSR should be consulted for the most recent version of the review.
-
ItemNo Preview AvailableThematic analysis of the experience of group music therapy for people with chronic quadriplegia.(American Spinal Injury Association, 2014)BACKGROUND: People living with quadriplegia are at risk for social isolation and depression. Research with other marginalized groups has indicated that music therapy can have a positive effect on mood and social interaction. OBJECTIVE: To gather descriptions of participants' experience of 2 types of group music therapy - therapeutic singing or music appreciation and relaxation - and to determine commonalities and differences between participants' experience of these 2 methods. METHODS: We interviewed 20 people with quadriplegia about their experience of participating in 12 weeks of therapeutic singing (n = 10) or music appreciation and relaxation (n = 10). These methods of group music therapy were the interventions tested in a previously reported randomized controlled trial. The interview data were subjected to an inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Six main themes were generated from the interview data. Four of these were shared themes and indicated that both types of group music therapy had a positive effect on mood/mental state and physical state, encouraged social engagement, and reconnected participants with their music identity or relationship with music. In addition, the participants who participated in the singing groups found singing to be challenging and confronting, but experienced a general increase in motivation. CONCLUSIONS: Group music therapy was experienced as an enjoyable and accessible activity that reconnected participants with their own music. Participants frequently described positive shifts in mood and energy levels, and social interaction was stimulated both within and beyond the music therapy groups.
-
ItemNo Preview AvailableFamily-centered music therapy in the home environment: Promoting interpersonal engagement between children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents(Oxford University Press, 2012-01-01)Family-centered practice is a widespread approach guiding how early intervention services support families with children with special needs such as autism spectrum disorder. An important feature of this support is its provision in natural settings such as the home environment. Ultimately, family-centered practitioners endeavor to embed therapeutic approaches into the child's daily routines so that they can be facilitated in part by the family. This approach is particularly useful with young children with autism spectrum disorder as a way of promoting interpersonal engagement and therefore the development of early social and communication skills. A model for applying family-centered practice to music therapy methods is discussed through reflections on practice and case examples.