Merton Music Therapy Community-based Dementia Project

NCT07701044 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 373667
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 28
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this single arm interventional, pre-post study is to learn about the feasibility and impact of group music therapy sessions for people living with dementia in two different community settings. This research will answer the following questions:

1. 1.What is the impact of the music therapy groups upon attendees (people with dementia and informal carers) and does this differ between the two settings?
2. 2.What is the impact of the music therapy groups upon staff and culture in the settings (day centre and memory hub staff)?
3. 3.Is it feasible to conduct the study in these two settings? (recruitment, retention, attendance, delivery, data collection)
4. 4.What are the barriers and facilitators to implementation in each setting?

Conditions

Dementia (Diagnosis)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale - 7-item version

  A validated 7-item questionnaire designed to measure positive mental wellbeing. Derived from the original 14-item WEMWBS, it focuses on psychological functioning and emotional resilience over the past two weeks. Will be conducted by both the PwD and their Carer.

  Pre and post 10-week programme

• ICECAP-O (ICEpop CAPability measure for Older people)

  A self-administered questionnaire used to evaluate the broader quality of life and wellbeing of older individuals. Will be conducted by both the PwD and their carer.

  Pre and post 10-week programme

• EQ-5D-5L

  A standardized, patient-completed questionnaire used to measure an individual's overall health-related quality of life. The accronym stands for EuroQol-5 Dimension 5 Levels. Will be conducted by both the PwD and their Carer.

  Pre and post 10-week programme

• QCPR - Quality of the Caregiver-Patient Relationship Scale

  A 14-item questionnaire designed to measure the emotional quality of relationships between caregivers and patients. It operates independently of kinship and features two parallel versions-one completed by the caregiver and the other by the care recipient.

  Pre and post 10-week programme - one for the PwD and one for the Carer

• 3 item loneliness scale

  A brief, validated survey tool designed to measure subjective feelings of loneliness and social isolation. It evaluates three distinct dimensions: relational connectedness, social connectedness, and self-perceived isolation. Only the PwD will complete this questionnaire.

  Pre and post 10-week programme

• CES - Carer Experience Scale

  A preference-based, validated index used to evaluate the care-related quality of life for informal or unpaid caregivers. It measures the broader personal and social impacts of caregiving, rather than just the physical or health-related quality of life of the caregiver. Only the carers will complete this questionnaire.

  Pre and post 10-week programme

• MIDAS - Music in Dementia Assessment Scale

  A validated observational tool used to measure the musical engagement and wellbeing of individuals with moderate to advanced dementia. This will be conducted by the Music Therapist, about their observations about the PwD's behaviour during the session.

  Conducted on weeks 2, 5 and 9. Pre- and post programme potentially.

• Post-Intervention Semi-structured Interview

  The music therapist will be asked to complete a structured pro-forma after each session to collect data about the session content and participants' responses in the moment. The music therapist will be interviewed following the end of the sessions, using a semi-structured interview format, with questions focusing on their observations about the responses of participants individually and as a group, changes over the course of the sessions, and their opinions about the format and delivery of the sessions. The staff who have supported the sessions will also be invited to be interviewed following the completion of the sessions. Again, a semi-structured format will be used, with questions focusing on their experiences of the sessions, participants' responses, the impact on their own practice, and any changes they have observed in participants following the sessions. All interviews will be audio recorded if participants give consent, otherwise the interviewer will make notes during.

  After each session during the 10-weeks, and post-programme

Study Arms (1)

Group Music Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

A 10-week programme will be conducted on a weekly basis at the Merton Memory Hub, and at the Eastways Day Centre

Behavioral: Group Music Therapy

Interventions

Group Music Therapy BEHAVIORAL

The music therapy sessions in this study will be delivered by a fully qualified, HCPC registered music therapist with experience in working with people with dementia. The 10-week programme will include accessible musical resources and activities which participants can integrate into their daily lives, allowing the benefits of music therapy to be sustained longer-term, and potentially beyond the duration of the intervention itself. Session activities will include some combination of the following: singing familiar songs, receptive music listening, improvised music making, music-based games (such as rhythmic copying or turn taking), movement to music, and songwriting, as well as time for sharing, discussion and reflection.

Group Music Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• With a diagnosis of dementia (or the informal/family carer to someone with a diagnosis of dementia who is participating in the study)
• Able to provide informed consent to take part in the study, or with a consultee who knows the person well and is able to provide a judgement about whether they would want to take part in the study
• Able to speak and understand English, or with a supporter who can act as translator for research methods
• Be willing in principle to take part in a music therapy group and attend weekly

You may not qualify if:

• Lacking capacity to provide informed consent and no consultee available
• Having an uncorrected hearing impairment which would significantly impact upon their ability to engage with the music therapy group
• Already receiving music therapy in a different context (they may participate if they are participating in other music activities that are not music therapy)
• Concurrently participating in another trial of a psychosocial intervention (or ceased participation within the past 6 weeks)
• Anticipated not to be able to attend at least 50% of sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Anglia Ruskin University: lead
• London Borough of Merton Council: collaborator

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dementia; Disease

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences

Model Details: Single arm, 10-week group music therapy for people with dementia and their carers living in two different community settings.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 8, 2026
• First Posted: July 14, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: July 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07