Music therapy with adults in the subacute phase after stroke: A study protocol

Stroke is a highly disabling condition, for which music therapy is regularly used in rehabilitation. One possible mechanism for the effects of music therapy is the motivational aspect of music, for example regarding treatment adherence based on improved mood. In this study, changes in motivation related to Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) techniques during rehabilitation in the subacute phase after stroke will be investigated. Using a randomised within-subjects cross-over design, the effects of two NMT techniques and related motivational indices will be investigated. Data will be collected at three timepoints: baseline (TP1), after being randomised into groups and receiving NMT or standard care (TP2), and then at a third time point after the cross-over and having received both conditions (TP3). This design allows to counteract order effects, time effects due to spontaneous and/or nonlinear recovery, as well as single-subject comparisons in a relatively heterogeneous sample. Twenty adult participants who have experienced a supratentorial ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke and are experiencing upper-limb impairments and/or cognitive deficits will be included. Behavioural measures of motor function, cognition, and quality of life will be collected, along with self-reported indices of overall motivation. The study outcomes will have implications for the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of music therapy in stroke recovery, more specifically regarding the relevance of motivational states in neurorehabilitation.