Derrington 2012 thesis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

5.2 The study design
The overall design of the study was a wait-list controlled trial in which 22 students
took part. The primary objective of the study was to find out whether music therapy
can help to improve the emotional well-being of adolescents who are at risk of underachievement
or exclusion. It also asked whether music therapy can increase a
student’s self-esteem, impact positively on learning, behaviour and attendance and
reduce anxiety. If there was evidence of such an impact, is the change sustained after
therapy sessions have finished
The flow chart of the study (figure 5.2a in appendix 5.2) is an overview of the
compact, composite and creative design that was used and the lines of connection
between the project groups and means of data collection. The design had the benefits
of a parallel group trial but a control arm was unethical (5.2.2). Therefore both groups
did receive therapy but the interventions were staggered. The chart shows how all the
referrals were followed up, whether they chose to be involved in the project or not,
and how the groups received music therapy alternately.
The original design (appendix 5.2b) indicated that 12 sessions would be offered to
students in both groups. However, this was extended to 20 sessions considering the
length of treatment usually offered in practice: students are usually offered 3 terms, or
one school year, of weekly sessions. 20 sessions was the longest period of time that
could be offered within the study’s two-year framework.
Table 5.2 illustrates how students in two groups received music therapy once a week
for 20 weeks, where group A was followed by group B. This longitudinal and
balanced design allowed comparisons between the two groups at four data collection
points in time. In order to maintain important internal validity, the study was designed
with the students and environment in mind, anticipating factors which could impede
results so, for example, the summer holiday in the middle of a block of therapy was
avoided.
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