We are excited to tell you about a research project that we are completing with Colorado State University to learn more about the impact of group music therapy sessions on cognitive skills such as attention, flexibility, and independence. These are skills that help you with every day social, school, and challenging tasks. We are sharing this research opportunity with you because you are between the ages of 8 and 13-years-old. You also identify as Autistic or an ADHD-er.   

 

There are no benefits for taking part in this research. We hope to learn more about how music-based activities support cognitive skills such as attention, flexibility, and independence in neurodivergent children and adolescents.

 

If you choose to be in the study, you will attend the 8 group music therapy sessions for 60 minutes each week. You will also: 

• Complete an at-home questionnaire about yourself and your cognitive skills. This will take about 30 minutes.  

• Complete a pretest with the researcher to look at your cognitive strengths and challenges. This will take about 90 minutes.

• Attend 8 group music therapy sessions, each lasting 60 minutes, once per week. We will video record these sessions to observe participant behaviors.  

• After 8 sessions, you will complete the survey about your cognitive skills again. This will take about 30 minutes.

• Complete a post-test with the researcher to look at your cognitive strengths and challenges. This will take about 60 minutes.

• You will also be asked about what you liked or did not like about the group music therapy sessions during an interview. This will take about 40 minutes. You can have a parent or support person with you.  

 

The pretest, group music therapy sessions each week, and post-test will take place at Dynamic Lynks in Oak Park, IL.

 

Agreeing to be in this project cannot hurt you.  It won't help you, either.  You won't get any gift for doing it.  You don't have to do it.  If you say "yes" now but later change your mind, you can stop being in the research any time by just telling us.  

 

If you would like to participate, you can email Alyssa Wilkins Stone, alyssa.wilkins@colostate.edu or Blythe LaGasse, blythe.lagasse@colostate.edu.

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