Evaluating the validity, reliability and clinical utility of the Music therapy Sensory Instrument for Cognition, Consciousness and Awareness (MuSICCA): protocol of a validation study

Abstract

IntroductionA growing number of children and young people are surviving severe acquired brain injuries due to advances in healthcare. However, many fail to emerge from coma and continue to live with disorders of consciousness (DOC). Diagnostic, clinical and ethical challenges are prominent in this group. Misdiagnosis can have severe consequences for children and their families, including inadequate care, insufficient access to rehabilitation and stimulation, reduced accessibility to services and inappropriately limited opportunities for participation. The proposed project will develop and validate a diagnostic measure that supports detailed goal-planning—the Music therapy Sensory Instrument for Cognition, Consciousness and Awareness (MuSICCA).Methods and analysisFace validity will be assessed using a short questionnaire and the MuSICCA will be amended if face validity is insufficient. Once face validity is sufficient, 80 participants with suspected DOC will be recruited from multiple sites around the UK, USA and Ireland.Validity will be assessed using external reference standards (Coma Recovery Scale-Revised, Coma Near-Coma Scale and Nociception Coma Scale). Intra-rater reliability will be established using repeated ratings of video recordings from the assessment sessions. Inter-rater reliability will be assessed through video ratings by a second blinded assessor. In addition to these analyses, the clinical utility of the MuSICCA will be evaluated using a questionnaire to be completed by clinicians and relatives of the participants following the completion of the MuSICCA assessment.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained for this study from the Research Ethics Committee and Health Research Authority of the National Health Service of the UK (ID: 167534). Results will be presented at national and international conferences, published in scientific journals and disseminated to participant representatives, clinicians, educators and care providers.Trial registration detailsThis study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System on 7th August 2019 (ID: NCT04050995); Pre-results.

A Musicoterapia como estratégia de cuidados a criança elegível para cuidados paliativos: revisão integrativa / Music therapy as a care strategy for children eligible for palliative care: integrative review

“…intervenções musicoterapicas e deste modo possibilitar segurança ao profissional e permitir que essas crianças possam receber cuidado adequado (POOL et al, 2020).…”

New Insights into Brain Imaging Methods for Rehabilitation of Brain Diseases

“…One vital strategy in accomplishing music therapy is to select songs that patients enjoy and have them performed live by music therapists (Magee et al, 2014). The songs sung by the music therapist in the present study were chosen accurately based on the patients' preferences and emotional engagement (Pool et al, 2020). The effects of music intervention, including both active and receptive music therapy, had a positive impact on patients with DOC .…”

The effect and mechanisms of music therapy on the autonomic nervous system and brain networks of patients of minimal conscious states: a randomized controlled trial

“…One vital strategy in accomplishing music therapy is to select songs that patients enjoy and have them performed live by music therapists (Magee et al, 2014). The songs sung by the music therapist in the present study were chosen accurately based on the patients' preferences and emotional engagement (Pool et al, 2020). The effects of music intervention, including both active and receptive music therapy, had a positive impact on patients with DOC (Zhang et al, 2021).…”