Construct Validation of Two Music-based Assessments for People With Dementia

Journal

Journal of Music Therapy

Year

2007

Volume

44

Issue

4

First Page

369

Last Page

387

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to substantiate the usefulness of the tasks on two music-based assessments in providing information about music cognition among people with dementia and to more fully understand the nature of this construct and its relationship to general cognition. Individuals with dementia (N = 50) received 3 evaluations: the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), the MBECF, and the RMST. Results of the study revealed significant correlations between the MMSE and both music-based assessments. A pattern of correlations between the MMSE and the subsets of tasks contained in both music-based assessments showed that while there are strong relationships between music and general cognition, that there also is uniqueness to the melodic, singing and rhythmic aspects of music cognition.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Alzheimer's and Related Dementias; Cognitive Abilities; Elderly; Mental Health; Music Therapy; Neurodegenerative Disorders

Indexed Terms

Elderly; Elderly; Cognition; Cognition Disorders; Dementia; Geriatric Assessment; Mental Status Schedule

Study Type

Quasi-Experimental Study; Quantitative Methods

Disciplines

Music Therapy

PubMed ID

17997626

Document Type

Article

Access Now

Share

COinS