Clinical trial NCT03160391: Cognitive Effects of Music and Dance Training in Children
Official title: Cognitive Effects of Music and Dance Training in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cognitive Change
Lead sponsor: York University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2017-05-19
Enrollment: 75
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 6
Maximum age (years): 9
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: The study used a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of two interventions (dance and musical training) for typically developing children. Interventions were run for three weeks in local community locations. Participants were tested before and after the intervention on a battery of cognitive and behavioural measures. They were compared across groups, and to a control group who do not receive the intervention.

The purpose of the current study was to assess the influence of dance and musical training on cognitive development. Research has indicated that musical training is associated with improve cognitive functioning, although the direction of such an association is unclear. Further, it is uncertain whether any benefits are specific to musical training or can also be demonstrated with other training activities. The current study used a randomized controlled trial to assess the causal effects of dance and musical training.

Detailed description: Participants Monolingual children aged between six and nine years old were recruited from two local communities in Ontario, Canada. Children with developmental delays, learning disabilities, or previous arts training were excluded from the study.

Participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups

1. Dance intervention group
2. Music intervention group

To establish baseline performance levels and have a comparison, a passive control group was collected from the same towns using the same exclusion criteria.

Data analysis Difference scores were calculated for each measure by subtracting each participant's second testing session data from the first. When appropriate, iterative trimming with a 3 SD cutoff was used, by subject and by condition, to remove outliers. Results for each measure were analyzed using one-way ANOVAs (analysis of variance) for the between-subjects factor of training group (music, dance, or control).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Monolingual

Exclusion Criteria:

* Developmental delays or learning disabilities
* Previous arts training (in dance, drama, or music)

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in visuospatial working memory
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in interference control on flanker
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in color-shape task switching
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in verbal working memory
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in interference control on Stroop
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in quantity-identity task switching
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in processing speed using box completion
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in Non-verbal intelligence
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in Receptive vocabulary
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in processing speed using digit symbol
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
measure: Change in processing speed using symbol copy
timeFrame: Before and after intervention (3 weeks gap)
Other outcomes:
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