"Experimental Analysis of Sound-Music Improvisation as a Stimulus for Social Interaction and Communication in Individuals with Severe/Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities (S/PIMD)"

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of musical sound improvisation on communication and social interaction in people with severe/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (S/PIMD). Using a 6-month crossover experimental approach, six people participated in weekly music therapy sessions. They alternated between structured meetings and improvisation-only meetings. Results showed that improvisation embedded in a structured session dynamic was more successful than improvisation alone. There was evidence of a qualitative increase in social interactions and communication over time.

Introduction

Music is easily accessible, highly motivating, and can be used as an
effective in supporting well-being, communication, and social interactions (Hallam and
MacDonald, 2013; Murphy and McFerran, 2017)
People with S/PIMD experience the world in particular ways because of their disabilities, which affect physiological functioning and expressiveness. Sound-music interaction emerges as a promising field for making connections and supporting the development of early communication and interaction skills. The present study aims to explore the effectiveness of sound-music improvisation in broadening the perceptions of people with profound and multiple disabilities: from passive individuals to active subjects in their interactions and relationships (Nind & Strnadova´, 2020).

Participants

Six participants diagnosed with S/PIMD, aged 26 to 47 years, were selected for the study. The communication of these individuals was nonverbal, expressed through body movements, gestures and vocalizations. There are two main defining characteristics of PIMD: (I) profound intellectual disability and (II) established motor impairment (Nakken and Vlaskamp 2007).

Objectives

The primary objective of the study was to assess which between musical improvisation, embedded in a structured session and that embedded in a 'pure' session with only improvisation, was more effective for social interactions and communication

Methods

Each person participated in two weekly sessions for six months. The sessions alternated between a structured meeting with improvisation inside as well and an improvisation-only session .
The structured meeting included: a welcome song, listening to 2 songs (always the same), sensory sound stimulation , S.M. improvisation and a final song.
The 'pure' meeting included: a welcome song, S.M. improvisation and a concluding song.
The 'improvisation involved spatial, bodily, verbal and instrumental aspects. Techniques used included: mirroring, matching, empathic improvising and reflection, stabilising techniques:grounding, holding and containing. (Wigram ([2004])
The effectiveness of the sessions was measured using The Intramusical Relationship Scale - Karina Daniela Ferrari (2018)

Results

In 'pure' improvisation sessions, participants fluctuated between the first three levels of the scale: Register, Handing and Exploration. There was, however, a temporal progression in moving from one level to the next. Differently, structured sessions also allowed participants to reach the highest levels of the scale: Exploration and Persistence in Using Instrument. There has been both qualitative and temporal

Discussion

The results suggest that structured music therapy sessions could facilitate more complex communication and richer social interactions in people with S/PIMD than improvisation alone. This reinforces the idea that adapted time, environment, materials, and approaches may enable more accessible and meaningful interventions, promoting a more active perception of these people in their interactions and relationships.
The structural and spatial adaptation of the musical instruments allowed greater access in explorations and direct use.

References

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