This study supports the use of the AME intervention to encourage coping-related behaviors in hospitalized children aged 4-7 receiving cancer treatment.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of caregiver-implemented music applications on engagement with their care receivers. Eight couples participated individually in a series of sessions, where a music therapist trained and cued the caregivers to implement a music application of choice. Changes in engagement frequency over a series of five sessions was highly statistically significant. The authors conclude that music therapy applications are effective in increasing mutual engagement in caregiving and care receiving couples with dementia, and that caregivers can effectively facilitate the engagement using music. Furthermore, once the engagement is established, it carries over into visitation without music.

Adults aged 55 to 80 years participated voluntarily in a wait-list control study during in-patient physical therapy following first stroke. All participants (N = 15) received conventional physical therapy gait training throughout 30 treatment sessions. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS)-enhanced gait training was nested within conventional treatments in three conditions: (1) RAS throughout 30 treatments (N = 5); (2) RAS in the last 20 treatments (N = 5); and (3) RAS in the last 10 treatments (N = 5). Cadence and balance outcome measurements were taken at baseline, and following 10, 20, and 30 treatment sessions. Improvements across time were statistically significant in all conditions for one-limb stance, cadence, velocity, stride length, and posture head tilt with no statistically significant improvements for the Timed Up and Go Test and the Functional Reach Test. Statistically significant gains were made in the one-limb stance and cadence with earlier implementations of RAS. Results of the study demonstrate the feasibility of RAS to enhance gait training that warrants further investigation of the protocol to demonstrate the effects of RAS in stroke rehabilitation.

Thirteen older persons (seven men and six women) in residential care participated as subjects in this study. All participants had histories of confusion due to dementia and were identified by staff as being consistently resistant to medication administration as indicated by vocal outbursts, moving away, or physical combativeness. Subjects were exposed to four aroma interventions during medication administration: 1) lavender vera (lavendula officinalis); 2) sweet orange (citrus aurantium); 3) tea tree (malaleuca alternifolia); and 4) no aroma (control). All medication administrations were videotaped for later data collection. Observers were trained to record frequency and duration of resistive behaviors during medication administration in allfour interventions for each subject. Reliability between two observers was extremely high. Results showed no statistically significant differences across all aroma conditions for either resistive behavior or duration of administration. Also, there were no statistically significant differences based on gender. This study indicates that aromatherapy does not reduce combative, resistive behaviors in individuals with dementia. Research with a larger sample in future studies may yield other results.