JC Project MuSE: Continuous Music and Sports Training for Primary School Children
Phase: NA
Conditions: Primary School Students
Sponsor: Hong Kong Baptist University

 
 
 
 
Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan 
 
Unique Protocol ID: REC/24-25/0141 
 
Brief Title: Continuous Music and Sports Training for Children 
 
Official Title: JC Project MuSE: Continuous Music and Sports Training for Primary School Children 
 
Document Creation Date: March 11, 2026 
 
Document version: 3 
 
 

 
 
 
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Abstract 
JC Project MuSE is a multi-year project aimed at initiating transformative changes in the lives of young 
learners in schools with a lower socio-economic background through the integration of music and sports 
education. The research project posits that engaging in structured music and sports programmes can lead 
to significant improvements in educational performance through the enhancement of executive 
functions. The research further explores the longitudinal effects of continuous music and sports training, 
examining the impact of these interventions on developing a greater sense of appreciation for these 
activities in these young learners. This research is a 3-year study that examines theoretical 
underpinnings, methodological approaches, and the impact of music and sports interventions to 
empower youth in schools of lower socio-economic background and promote holistic development 
through the synergistic effects of sports and music education. 
Background of the Project  
JC Project MuSE is a school-based music (Mu) and sports (S) education (E) programme, initiated and 
funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The programme offers free, high-quality, and 
tailored music and sports programmes to primary school children in the most impoverished areas of 
Hong Kong. It aims to develop children’s artistic and physical literacy and to enhance their positive 
whole-person development, emotional well-being, and academic advancement, thereby endowing them 
with the best opportunities for future growth and development.  
Project Aims and Objectives  
The aim of this research is to examine whether there is improved overall youth development through 
enhanced participation in structured programs (i.e., music and sports) leading to better emotional, 
cognitive, and social outcomes. 
The overall research will study the impact of the sports and music interventions provided in Tier 2, 
Continuous Music and Sports Training, of the project and aims to bring transformative changes to 
underprivileged children by enhancing their social, emotional, and cognitive development through sports 
and music education: 
1. foster positive youth character development and enhance physical wellbeing; 
2. strengthen educational performance through improved cognitive functions resulting from 
developing physical and musical skills; 
3. increase social opportunities by developing strong social networks; 
4. improve exposure to different forms of music and sports with continuous trainings; 
5. enhance motivation and appreciation in music and sports participation. 
 
 

 
 
 
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Methodology  
Study Design 
This proposed study adopts a parallel-group, 4-arm randomized controlled trial design. Outcome 
measures will be assessed on six time-points (T0: Baseline, the start of the first school year; T1: the end 
of the first school year; T2: the start of the second school year; T3: the end of the second school year; 
T4: the start of the third school year; and T5: post-intervention, the end of the third school year) to 
assess the effects of the 3-year continuous music and sports training on the students’ psychological well-
being, executive functioning, social-emotional competence, and academic performances. Figure 1 
presents the CONSORT flow diagram of the present study.  
Participants and Recruitment 
Participants are students recruited from local Hong Kong government schools or aided schools with 30% 
or more of the total student population receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) and 
School Textbook Assistance. All students entering primary 2 to 4 in the 2026/2027 academic year and 
provided informed consent to participate will be eligible, unless the students present significant physical, 
psychological, and cognitive comorbidities that will hinder participation in research procedures and the 
designed interventions of continuous music or sports training. Recruitment will be conducted in each 
participating school through mass invitations circulating within the schools and conducting parents’ 
workshops. Screening for eligibility will be conducted by the research team at the university and the 
corresponding staff at each school.  
Sample Size 
The study involves multiple outcomes, and the required sample size was estimated by using multivariate 
analysis of variance global effects, using the power analysis software G*Power 3.1. We assume an 
attrition rate of 40% over three years and a relatively small effect size (Cohen’s d =0.3). A total size of 
620 students (i.e., 155 per arm) will provide 80% statistical power to detect an effect size of 0.3 in the 4-
arm RCT at 5% level of significance.  
Group Allocation 
Eligible students will be randomly assigned to one of four groups (Continuous Music Training (CMT), 
Continuous Sports Training (CST), Continuous Music and Sports Training (CMST), and treatment-as-
usual (TAU)) on a 1:1:1:1 basis using block randomization with a block size of 4. The allocation list will 
be generated by an independent research staff. The list will also be concealed from other researchers and 
participants until the group assignment.  
(a) Continuous Music Training (CMT): Students in this group will receive weekly group class, 
ensemble class, and guided practice sessions. Optional summer classes will also be available.  
(b) Continuous Sports Training (CST): Students in this group will receive weekly sports training.  
(c) Continuous Music and Sports Training (CMST): Students in this group will receive both 
continuous music and sports training concurrently.  

 
 
 
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(d) Treatment-as-usual (TAU): Students in this group will continue with their routine and will not 
receive specific continuous music and/or sports training offered by the research team.  
Treatment Fidelity  
All music and sports instructors are qualified instructors with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent 
qualifications in their respective domains – Sports or Music. All instructors will receive training sessions 
covering the details of the curriculum and other techniques, such as classroom management skills, 
instrumental pedagogies, teaching eurhythmics, etc. Regular meetings and retreats will also be hosted to 
support the instructors. Videos were also taken during music lessons for the research team to keep track 
of the intervention progress and assess the adherence to the curriculum.  
Research Ethics 
Ethical approval has been obtained from the Research Ethics Committee at the Hong Kong Baptist 
University (Reference no. REC/24-25/0141). The protocol of the study will also be registered in the 
ClinicalTrials.gov under the National Institutes of Health. 
Figure 1. The flow diagram of the randomized controlled trial design 
 

 
 
 
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Outcome Indicators and Measurement Tools 
Outcome Indicator 
Measurement Instrument 
Data Collection 
Timeline  
1. Demographic 
characteristics 
• Demographic characteristics (e.g., age, grade, class, 
gender, ethnicity, family financial status, education 
level of the parents, any special educational needs, 
date of birth, any prior music and/or sports training, 
any other extra curriculum activities*) 
*Will collect at each wave of data collection 
-2026/09-10 
2. Psychological 
Well-Being 
• The World Health Organization-Five Well-Being 
Index (WHO-5) (Lin et al., 2013) 
o WHO-5 includes 5 items and items are rated
from a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 “at 
no time” to 5 “all of the time”.  
• The raw score ranges from 0 to 25 and is converted 
to a percentage score, ranging from 0 to 100. Higher 
scores demonstrate a higher level of well-being.  
-2026/09-10 
-2027/06-07 
-2027/09-10 
-2028/06-07 
-2028/09-10 
-2029/06-07 
3. Executive 
Functioning 
• Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory 
(CHEXI) (Thorell & Nyberg, 2008; Thorell et al., 
2013) 
o CHEXI consists of 24 items, rating from a 5-
point Likert scale, from 1 “definitely not 
true” to 5 “definitely true”.  
o CHEXI yields four total scores of 4 
subscales, working memory, planning, 
regulation, and inhibition. Higher scores 
indicate a higher level of difficulties in 
executive functioning.  
• CHEXI will be filled in by parents or guardians of the 
students who participated.  
-2026/09-10 
-2027/06-07 
-2027/09-10 
-2028/06-07 
-2028/09-10 
-2029/06-07 
4. Social 
Emotional 
Competence 
• Devereux Student Strengths Assessment mini Second 
Edition (DESSA 2 mini) (Aperture Education, 2024) 
o DESSA 2 mini consists of 8 items, rating 
from a 5-Likert scale, from 0 “never” to 4 
“very frequently”. 
o DESSA 2 mini yields a social emotional 
competence score. 
-2026/09-10 
-2027/06-07 
-2027/09-10 
-2028/06-07 
-2028/09-10 

 
 
 
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o Alternative forms will be administrated to 
minimize practice effects.  
o DESSA 2 mini will be filled in by teachers of 
the students who participated.  
 
-2029/06-07 
5. Academic 
Performance 
• End-of-year report cards and grades 
o Assess the scores of the core and related 
subjects (Chinese Language, English 
Language, Mathematics, General Studies, 
Music, Physical Education (Physical Fitness 
Record (if any)) 
o Assess the students’ behavioral indicators 
(conduct, punctuality, and attendance) and 
teachers’ comments 
-2026/09-10 
-2027/07 
-2028/07 
-2029/07 
 
Data analysis  
Data from the randomized controlled trial will be analyzed using one-way ANOVAs (for scale 
variables) and Chi-squared tests (for categorical variables) to compare baseline demographic 
characteristics across the four groups (Continuous Music Training (CMT), Continuous Sports Training 
(CST), Continuous Music and Sports Training (CMST), and treatment-as-usual (TAU)). The effects of 
continuous music or sports training will be assessed using linear mixed models (LMMs) for repeated 
measures to examine time-by-group interactions, controlling potential confounders such as age and 
grade. Supplementary paired t-tests will be conducted for pairwise comparisons between two time 
points. All analyses will be performed using statistical software such as SPSS, JASP, or R. Tests will be 
two-tailed, with statistical significance set at 0.05. 
Considerations  
As the participants are under 18 years, informed consent will be collected from the parents or guardians 
of the students. Student assent forms will also be collected from the students. As data will also be 
collected from parents and teachers, informed consent will also be obtained from the respective 
stakeholders.  
Part of the participants involved in the randomized controlled trial will be assigned to the control group 
and will receive no treatment. The research team will explain the procedures with the parents and 
students clearly to ensure that they understand the procedures of the study.  
Consent forms and questionnaires will be collected via paper or web format. Video and/or audio 
recordings will be involved throughout the research and study process. The research team will ensure 
that the research data will be stored properly with encryption.  
 
 

 
 
 
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References 
Aperture Education. (2024). What you need to know about the DESSA.  
            https://apertureed.com/research/about-the-dessa/ 
Lin, C. H., Lee, S. M., Wu, B. J., Huang, L. S., Sun, H. J., & Tsen, H. F. (2013). Psychometric    
            properties of the Taiwanese version of the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being       
            index. Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, 127(4), 331. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.12040 
Thorell, L. B., & Nyberg, L. (2008). The childhood executive functioning inventory (CHEXI): A new  
            rating instrument for parents and teachers. Developmental Neuropsychology, 33(4), 536–552.  
            https://doi.org/10.1080/87565640802101516  
Thorell, L. B., Veleiro, A., Siu, A. F., & Mohammadi, H. (2013). Examining the relation between  
            ratings of executive functioning and academic achievement: Findings from a cross-cultural  
            study. Child Neuropsychology, 19(6), 630–638.  
             https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2012.727792