The Ronnie Gardiner Method Effectiveness Study

Summary

The investigators want to investigate the feasibility and transdiagnostic effectiveness of the Ronnie Gardiner Method (RGM) in a sample of Flemish psychogeriatric residential patients (≥60 years old) admitted to the Psychiatric Clinic of Alexianen Zorggroep Tienen. No control group will be used in this study, as every patient in the clinic is entitled to receive treatment. The investigators expect to observe significant improvements in the core executive functions (core EFs) by RGM participation. The investigators expect that the more sessions participants follow, the larger the effects will be. Given the strong connection between executive functions and emotion regulation, the investigators anticipate that strengthening the core EFs will in turn contribute to better emotion regulation. More specifically, the mediating role of core EFs in the relationship between the number of RGM sessions attended and improvement in emotion regulation is investigated. Given RGMs previously reported effects on quality of life, the investigators also expect to observe improved well-being. Additionally, the investigators want to examine to what extent positive experiences with RGM and temperament based personality types influence the effectiveness of the RGM training.

The RGM training will be organised twice a week for a period of 12 weeks. The training sessions will be provided by trained RGM-practitioners in the Psychiatric Clinic of the Alexianen Zorggroep Tienen. Each session will last at least 45 minutes. Core EFs, emotion regulation and well-being are evaluated pre-, mid- and post-RGM (at 6-week intervals) using a number of relevant instruments (i.e. questionnaires and neuropsychological tests). At baseline, the information and consent forms will be delivered to the patient and exclusion criteria will be checked using the MMSE and the patient file. Experiences with RGM training will be evaluated midway and post-intervention by means of a brief questionnaire developed by the research team. Personality type questionnaires (The Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS)/Behavioural Activation System (BAS) scales and the Effortful Control (EC) scale), which allow us to study whether a particular temperament based personality type is predictive of RGMs success, are routinely administered in the psychiatric clinic upon admission.

Conditions

• Psychiatric Disorder

Interventions

OTHER

Ronnie Gardiner Method

The Ronnie Gardiner Method (RGM), developed in 1993 by Swedish jazz drummer Ronnie Gardiner, is a promising multimodal, music-based intervention with potential to stimulate and improve several cognitive functions, motor skills, reading and speech skills and social interaction. RGM participants are required to follow (what is known as) "choreoscores". This is a visual representation of the sequence of movements using four unique symbols. Each symbol represents a body half via color (red = left side, blue = right side) and the use of a body part via shape (the symbols resemble hands or feet). In addition, each movement has a specific name, based on drum sounds, which must be pronounced simultaneously. The exercises are guided by trained 'RGM-practitioners'. The course and difficulty of the session can be adapted in different ways by the RGM Practitioner, according to the capabilities of the participants.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Psychiatric Clinic of Alexianen Zorggroep Tienen

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Xenia Brancart · Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Ghent University

• Gina Rossi, Prof. Dr. · Vrije Universiteit Brussel

• Eva Dierckx, Prof. Dr. · Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Alexianen Zorggroep Tienen

• Rudi De Raedt, Prof. Dr. · University Ghent

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-03-10

Primary Completion

2027-06-30

Completion

2027-06-30

Countries

• Belgium

Study Locations