AIMT: Artificial Intelligence Music Therapy for Psychosocial and Cognitive Functions of Older Adults
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The proposed study is a pilot study that aims to understand if the Pi Speaker dynamic artificial intelligence (AI) empathic music therapy (AIT) is effective to promote positive psychosocial and cognitive outcomes, over and above traditional music therapy (TMT), among healthy older adults. This study will contribute to the ongoing literature on the benefits of music therapy and provide insight on how AI technology can enhance the therapeutic effects of music therapy as a viable intervention for older adults.
The study will adopt a three-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT). Eligible participants will be randomized into one of three groups: traditional music therapy group (TMT), Pi Speaker's dynamic AI empathic music therapy group (AIT), and a waitlist control group (CG). Informed consent will be collected from all participants. All three groups will complete outcome measures at three sessions: pretest, posttest, and at a three-month follow-up, but only the TMT and AIT group will receive music therapy between the pretest and posttest sessions, spanning for 4 weeks, with 4 music therapy sessions per week, and each session lasting about 30 minutes.
Data will be analyzed for each outcome variables to understand the group differences in the performance on the psychosocial and cognitive outcome measures. The study will also validate the Pi Electronics EEG headset with the BioSemi, 64-channel EEG system.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
Objectives:
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to further assess the benefits of traditional music therapy (TMT) in older adults
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to assess the additional benefits of the Pi Speaker's dynamic AI empathic music therapy (AIT) as compared to TMT in older adults
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to assess the long-term durability over a 3-month period of the training benefits, if any
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to validate Pi's real-time EEG headset and corresponding AI speaker for future therapeutic use.
Sample: healthy older adults (65 years and older) will be recruited from the Ryerson Seniors Participants Pool (RSPP) and through advertising. The target sample size will be 45 participants, evenly randomized into the three arms of intervention: TMT, AIT, and no-treatment waitlist control group (CG).
Overall Design and Procedure: informed consent will be collected. All groups will complete behavioural and neurophysiological outcome assessments at three time-points: pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up. EEG and mood validation will be conducted at pretest for the AIT group. During this procedure, participants will be exposed to default music database to induce the target mood while EEG is recorded and mood regulation is monitored (e.g., Sourina et al., 2012). Participants will be asked to self-rate their positive emotional valence (happy and calm) by completing the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson, et al., 1988). Participants in the intervention groups will be given instructions on their respective intervention program to ensure they are fully familiarized.
Intervention: the TMT and AIT groups will span for 4 weeks, requiring engagement in at least four 30-minute sessions of music listening per week, delivered on-line through cloud from the Pi Speakers. The AIT group will be exposed to individually selected music pieces based on the data collected at pretest. The TMT group will be randomly exposed to the same set of music, but not contingent to their mood state.
Data Analysis Plan: a mixed-effects regression model will be performed on each outcome variable at posttest and follow-up sessions, with pretest performance as a covariate, and intervention conditions entered as primary predictor variables. In other words, group differences in the standardized outcome performance at the posttest and the 3-month follow-up sessions will be analyzed, controlling for the baseline pretest performance, to validate the training benefits of TMT and AIT, relative to CG. The study will also validate the Pi Electronics EEG headset with the BioSemi, 64-channel EEG system by comparing the mean peak difference of average waveforms of event related potentials using t-tests.
Timeline:
1-year period starting in 2022, outlined below in months:
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1st-2nd: Research Ethics Board Approval
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2nd-3rd: Design and testing preparation
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2nd-6th: Research Assistant training; participant recruitment
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3rd-9th: Data collection and validation
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8th-11th: Data analysis
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10th-12th: Knowledge dissemination
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12th: Mitacs final report and survey
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Artificial Intelligence Empathic Music Therapy (AIT) The intervention will be artificial intelligence (AI) music therapy, in which participants will listen to music provided by the research team that has been enhanced with frequencies that elicit positive moods using the Pi Electronic Venus speaker for about 30 minutes, at least 4 times in a week over 4 weeks. |
Behavioral: Artificial Intelligence Empathic Music Therapy
Music therapy using music that has been enhanced by frequencies that are associated with positive feelings as measured by EEG data. Music therapy is delivered through the Pi Electronic Inc.'s Venus Speaker that aims to promote psychosocial and cognitive functioning over and above traditional music therapy.
Other Names:
|
| Active Comparator: Traditional Music Therapy (TMT) The intervention will be traditional music therapy, in which participants will listen to music provided by the research team that has not been enhanced with frequencies using the Pi Electronic Venus speaker for about 30 minutes, at least 4 times in a week over 4 weeks. |
Behavioral: Traditional Music Therapy
Music therapy using music that has not been enhanced by frequencies. Music therapy is delivered through the Pi Electronic Inc.'s Venus Speaker that aims to promote psychosocial and cognitive functioning.
Other Names:
|
| No Intervention: Waitlist (no-contact) Control No intervention, participants will be informed that they are on a waitlist and not be receiving music therapy for the next 4 weeks. |
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Depression, anxiety, stress: Psychosocial functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Qualtrics, no cut off scores. Psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the: -Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21. Higher scores indicate higher depression, anxiety, and stress.
- Quality of life: Psychosocial functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Qualtrics, no cut off scores. Psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the: -World Health Organization - 5. Higher scores indicate increased quality of life.
- Resiliency: Psychosocial functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Qualtrics, no cut off scores. Psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the: -Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Higher scores indicates higher resiliency coping.
- Emotional Regulation: Psychosocial functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Qualtrics, no cut off scores. Psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the: -Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Higher scores indicate increased emotional regulation.
- Activities of Daily Living: Psychosocial functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Qualtrics, no cut off scores. Psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the: -Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. Higher scores indicate better everyday functioning.
- Loneliness: Psychosocial functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Qualtrics, no cut off scores. Psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the: - 6-item de Jong Gierveld. Higher scores indicate increased loneliness.
- Processing speed: Cognitive functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Eprime. Cognitive performance will be measured using the: -Letter Comparison. Increased reaction time indicates poorer processing speed.
- Emotional processing: Cognitive functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Eprime. Cognitive performance will be measured using the: -Emotional Stroop Task. Increased reaction time to negative emotional words indicates decreased mood.
- Memory: Cognitive functions of healthy older adults. [Baseline (pretest), 4 weeks (posttest), and 16 weeks (3-month follow-up),]
All computerized on Eprime. Cognitive performance will be measured using the: -Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT). Higher scores indicate better verbal learning and memory (suggested cut-off of 14 for dementia).
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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without previous mental health diagnosis;
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with access to a computer and internet;
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with largely normal or corrected to normal hearing;
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without dementia-related cognitive decline (score of 24 or higher on Mini-Mental State Exam)
Exclusion Criteria:
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with previous mental health diagnosis;
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without access to a computer and internet;
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without largely normal or corrected to normal hearing;
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with dementia-related cognitive decline (score of 23 or lower on Mini-Mental State Exam)
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if participant is an outlier on the cognitive tasks, scoring +/- 2.5 standard deviations on the computerized cognitive tasks.
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if half or more of the psychosocial questionnaires are incomplete.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryerson University (renamed: Toronto Metropolitan University) | Toronto | Ontario | Canada | M5B |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Ryerson University
- Mitacs
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Kathryn Bolton, BA. hons, Ryerson University
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
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- TMU2022-CAL-Pi-AIMT