• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 2015

This study examined the effects of a tablet PC-based music-making program on the executive function of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Four adolescents with intellectual disabilities participated in this program. Each participant received 45-minute individual sessions twice a week for a total of 16 sessions. The music-making program was designed in the sequence of planning; learning table PC operations; exploring musical elements; making rhythm, melody, and lyrics; composing loop sections; and presentation of the completed music. The Stroop test, Children's Color Trails Test, and Digit Span and Letter-Number sequencing tests were measured at pretest, midtest, and posttest in order to examine changes in executive function. The participants showed increased scores on all three tests. The participants' attention span also increased and their attempts to correct errors during tasks occurred more frequently at posttest. This study supports the effects of the technology-based program on the executive function of adolescents with intellectual disabilities and presents its expanded applicability for adolescents who show low cognitive function and limited motivation for cognitive engagement.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.55-80
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• 2022

This study aimed to examine the effects of songwriting on the self-acceptance of adolescent in palliative care. Three participants were recruited from a university hospital in an urban area in South Korea. The songwriting intervention was conducted in six sessions, and each session was composed of an introduction, song writing and wrap-up. Participants were asked to complete the Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (USAQ) before and after the intervention. Their verbal expressions and written song lyrics observed during the intervention were also measured. The results showed that the USAQ scores increased after the intervention, indicating the improvement in their acceptance of the self without judgement or high reactivity to feedback. In addition, the participants exhibited greater recognition of their emotions and acceptance of themselves as they are. They were also better able to discover internal resources and psychological competence. The participants reported that they could more freely express their emotions through song writing and that recording the songs they created was a means of communicating their feelings to others. Based on this study, it is expected that adolescents in palliative care will be able to experience self-acceptance through such brief song writing interventions.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.17-39
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• 2008

This study aims to decrease aggressiveness and anger of neglected children through anger-control music program. In this study, 4 neglected children were provided with 15 anger-control music programs for 30 minutes twice a week. Based on anger-control program, song writing and music therapy such as playing musical instruments were applied to the children according to the objective of each stage of the program. The changes in aggressiveness and anger were measured, and the behaviors of the participants during the musical activity were analysed. According to the analysis of the data, the anger-control music program proved to be effective in reducing aggressiveness and anger of the neglected children. What this result means is that the neglected children, who lack social skills and confidence, are able to express their emotions without difficulty and anxiety by playing musical instruments and singing songs.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.45-66
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• 2021

This study aimed to develop a group rap making program and examine its applicability to improve communication skills of adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities (ID). Three adolescents with ID participated in a total of six 50-minute group sessions over 4 weeks. The group rap making program included three stages: understanding the context of communication, learning how to communicate with others, and applying the communicative behaviors in a group setting. To examine changes in the participants' communication skills, the rap lyrics constructed by participants were analyzed and communicative behaviors were observed during sessions and analyzed in terms of asking questions and providing information to others. Also, a social communication skills checklist was rated by the participant's caregivers. The analysis of rap lyrics showed that the expressions included in the rap were diversified as the session proceeded. Changes in observed behaviors supported that participants became to engage in communication with others more actively in order to complete the group rap. While the social communication skills checklist tended to increase, there was a difference in degree of change depending on the level of language communication skills. These results indicate that a group rap making can be an effective option for these adolescents to learn how to communicate with their peers, which presents implications for how rap making can be used for therapeutic purpose with more diversified population.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.37-59
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine how a creative musical play program affected peer relational skills of children in a community child center. The creative musical play program was implemented with six children in K Community Child Center for twenty (20) sessions. To investigate quantitative change, the Peer Relational Skills Scale and the Revised Social Skills Scale (for teachers) were filled out by children and teachers before and after the program. Also, to investigate musical and behavior changes related with peer relational skills in the creative musical program, the responses of children were categorized from the data of the children's responses according to previously identified sub-factors of peer relational skills. The results show that the participants' average scores presented an improvement in peer relational skills. Qualitative analysis of session logs presented that negative factors which had appeared in early sessions changed to positive traits as the sessions went on. In conclusion, the creative musical play program was effective in increasing peer relational skills of children in the community child center.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.19-39
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• 2014

This study investigated whether a song psychotherapy based on the change stages of alcohol addiction impacted the change readiness of alcoholics. The song psychotherapy intervention consists of six activities (listening to a song, singing, songwriting, song sharing, lyrics analysis, and discussion and analysis of a song), which considers the change stages of alcohol addiction. A total of 64 inpatients diagnosed with alcoholism were randomly assigned to either the control (n = 33) or experimental group (n = 31). The experimental group took part in the intervention program for 45 minutes twice a week for 6 weeks (total of 12 sessions). The intervention effect was evaluated with SOCRATES-K. The results showed that the SOCRATES-K score significantly increased by 14.6% (p < .001) for the experimental group, whereas it remained almost unchanged (0.8% increase, p = .141) in the control group. For subcategory scales, the experimental group showed the highest increase in the ambivalence factor, followed by the recognition and taking-steps factors. Meanwhile, no significant changes in all three scales were found in the control group. Therefore, the song psychotherapy intervention based on the change stages of alcohol addiction was found to significantly increase the change readiness of alcoholics.