Drumming for Autism

Introduction

          In Lichke & Bracken’s (2018) study, they investigated the social-emotional benefits of dyadic drumming for a group of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Dyadic drumming, also known as rhythmic drumming, can enhance attentional and emotional networks in the brain by synchronizing movements to a given beat. As individuals with ASD tend to “seek fewer opportunities to develop social skills” (p.37), dyadic drumming’s social component allows for participants to increase social skills and relation to other participants, while experiencing the cognitive influences of music such as emotional expression and stress reduction.

          The author chose to review this article due to personal interest in the effectiveness of the music interventions. After presenting a cardio-drumming activity with their residents, the author received highly positive feedback about the enjoyment and emotional benefits of the drumming session. The author was encouraged to seek empirical support for the effectiveness of drumming as a TR intervention. Since this study focuses on individuals with ASD, the author recognizes that the potential for cross-demographic benefits can only be inferred, and an evaluation of related senior-orientated studies would yield more relevant results.

          In this review, the author will evaluate the study’s purpose, relevant concepts, and data findings followed by a critical analysis of the study’s importance, limitations, and implications.

Review

         The overall purpose of Lichke & Bracken’s study is to explore the social-emotional benefits of a dyadic drumming intervention, using the Drumtastic Ability Beats® curriculum, for a group of children with ASD. The group selected was comprised of 14 males, ages 5 through 14. The intervention was prescribed over one-hour sessions, twice a week, for four weeks, with a cumulative total of eight sessions. Given the rising rate of ASD, the researchers’ goal is to determine if dyadic drumming is an effective intervention to assist individuals with ASD to improve their quality of life through increasing communication skills and control over their environments.

          The conceptual framework for the article is founded in music therapy and a concept referred to as reciprocal rhythmic entrainment. The authors recognize the analytic support for music-based therapeutic interventions, with benefits that affect “neurological, psychological, and physical functioning in learning, language processing, emotional expression, memory, problem solving, and motor responses” (p.37-38). In reciprocal rhythmic entrainment, two partners coordinate their behaviour, adjusting to a common rhythm. This synchronization is an interpersonal action that can be used to help participants increase their active listening skills, coordination, and self-esteem. These skills can be employed to benefit social interactions with other participants and can lead to a greater awareness of oneself.

            In their study, Lichke & Bracken use a qualitative approach to data collection. With a therapeutic recreation (TR) graduate assigned to each participant, each session was documented through notes based off the observable experience of the participant. After the study concluded, the qualitative data was coded into themes. Each member of the data analysis team independently coded the notes, followed by an extensive review of the codes across the cumulative data. A second level of codes were introduced thereafter, which provided higher-order themes to reflect commonalities between the cumulative data codes.

            The study found three themes from amongst the data: i) familiarization through synchronization, ii) self-regulation of emotions, and iii) creative self-expression. Synchronization played an important role in developing social skills for the participants. Through repetition, the participants became more familiar with the environmental circumstances, including an increasing familiarity with the people in the environment. For individuals with ASD, this can be an area of difficulty as new routines can be overwhelming: the researchers noted that through the program’s progression, the participants who initially engaged in these behaviours eventually accepted their environment as they began utilizing the environmental supports to assist with self-regulation. Therefore, through synchronization and repetition, the participants could trust the predictability of external variables and were able to effectively integrate into the program. Once integration had occurred successfully, participants gained a greater sense of mastery of the exercises, leading to an increase in confidence and social cohesion. Moreover, the Drumtastic Ability Beats® program provided opportunities for participants to self-identify and advocate for their needs without disrupting the program’s sequencing and flow. For example, various cool-down times were included in the program’s scheduled events as an opportunity for participants to self-regulate and refocus before the next activity. Further, safe spaces were created for participants to reduce stimulation and engage in self-care as needed. Once the participants were elevated by their environments through supports and predictable programming, they were able to comfortably express individuality and creativity with their peers.

Analysis

            This study is important to TR as it highlights the impact of an ecological approach. When our environments support activities, individuals can rely on the supports to begin flourishing in programming. Further, when the programming is well designed to meet the needs of the group, the participants gain higher freedom of choice and autonomy over their decisions. To elaborate, the creation of safe spaces and integrated cool-down time between activities allowed the participants to address any needs to maximize their engagement for the program’s duration. The author gained a greater awareness about the importance of effective program planning to optimize participant outcomes. Further, for the analytic development of the TR field, more research is needed: studies like these provide an entry-point for practitioners to collect data from smaller group interventions in hopes of other practitioners duplicating the experiment, ultimately collecting more data towards a meta-analysis study.

            According to the researchers, the limitations of the study include the small sample size and short duration. Small sample sizes make it difficult to draw any substantial inferences about the results in relation to the greater population (i.e., individuals with ASD). While the short duration was cited as a limitation, since results were captured in the given intervention time, the author argues that the study creates a strong opportunity for subsequent studies. However, the author asserts two more limitations of the study. The gender of the sample size is certainly not reflective of the population; it is important to note that gender norms influence creative expression of boys and girls differently. Lastly, qualitative data is inherently subjective and can draw inferences only: the Hawthrone effect may also exert its affects in the behaviour of the participants being observed. Overall, the study provides an opportunity for replication in greater population sizes, genders, and cognitive disorders. For the author’s practice, it will influence design for related programs to include other aspects of social connection (e.g., partner work) and opportunities for self-expression and creativity.

            In conclusion, the social-emotional benefits of a dyadic drumming program for children with ASD include familiarization through synchronization, self-regulation of emotions, and opportunity for creative self-expression. For TR, it provides a strong case study for how environments influence program outcomes and the importance of purposeful program design.