Effects of Preferred Music Listening on Adherence to Upper Extremity Home Programs

Abstract

Aims

This study investigated the effect of preferred music listening on adherence to home practice.

Methods

This study implemented a single-subject, reversal design with additional pre/post- measures. Seven participants with chronic hemiparesis and aphasia completed the study. Participants received an individualized, repetitive task practice upper extremity home program and a preferred music playlist to listen to during intervention phases. The primary outcome was adherence to practice as measured by self-reported session duration and number of repetitions recorded in an aphasia-friendly logbook. All logbook data were analyzed visually for within phase and between phase differences.

Results

Visual analysis revealed no consistent effect of preferred music listening on adherence to home practice for either variable. C-statistic analyses confirmed these findings.

Conclusions

In this sample, preferred music listening during practice did not modify adherence variables. Future studies should explore other strategies to increase home program adherence.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02906956

Keywords:

• Aphasia
• music
• upper extremity
• paresis
• exercise therapy

Acknowledgment

We would like to acknowledge the contributions to data collection and data management completed by Avigayil Diamond, MT-BC, Lauren Torisky MS, CCC-SLP, and Anna Saylor, MS.

Disclosure statement

Funding for this project was provided by a seed grant from the Duquesne University Aging Research and Teaching Consortium. Ms. Eskander was a paid student worker on the project.