“Sounds good, but… what is it?” an introduction to outcome measurement from a music therapy perspective

“Sounds good, but… what is it?” This is a common reaction to outcome measurement by music therapy practitioners and researchers who are less familiar with its meanings and practices. Given the prevailing evidence-based practice movement, outcome measurement does ‘sound good’. Some practitioners and researchers, however, have a limited or unclear understanding of what outcome measurement includes; particularly with respect to outcome measures and related terminology around their use. Responding to the “what is it?” question, this article provides an introduction to such terminology. It explores what outcome measures are and outlines characteristics related to their forms, uses and selection criteria. While pointing to some debates regarding outcome measurement, including its philosophical underpinnings, this introduction seeks to offer a useful platform for a critical and contextual understanding of the potential use of outcome measures in music therapy

Score-dependency: over-reliance on performing music from notation reduces aural pitch replication skills

Background in music performance: Most music is performed or improvised by ear, but Western classical musicians primarily perform music from notated scores. Background in music perception: Classical musicians have greater difficulties playing melodies by ear than musicians with other backgrounds (Woody & Lehman, 2010). This ties in with Harris and de Jong’s (2015) finding that non-improvising musicians exhibit less activation in the right auditory cortex than improvising musicians. The right auditory cortex is known to play a central role in pitch processing (Peretz & Zatorre, 2005). Aims: (1) To investigate score-dependency (SD) in a behavioural study as a tendency for classical musicians to rely on notation over aural engagement in a music-learning scenario, and quantify SD levels for research. (2) To establish whether SD affects pitch perception. (3) To establish whether SD is a result of long term engagement in a score-focussed performance culture that precludes or minimizes participation in ear-playing scenarios. Main contribution: Through a behavioural experiment we explore how score-dependency (SD) affects aural reproduction mechanisms, especially with regards to pitch. We introduce the SDR (score-dependency rating) measure for establishing musicians’ individual levels of SD in relation to that of their peers. 20 notationally literate classical musicians were played a number of melodies and were asked to reproduce them on their instruments while simultaneously referring to provided music notation. By manipulating the degree of pitch and rhythm information shown in the music notation, we controlled the amount of pitch/rhythm information participants had to reproduce by ear alone. Counting how many times they needed to hear each melody again before task completion let us quantify their individual levels of dependence on notation. More score-dependent musicians showed a significant effect of struggling to reproduce pitch content—but not rhythm content—by ear. This effect was not found for nondependent musicians. As pitch and rhythm are likely processed separately, SD may selectively affect aural pitch perception mechanisms, explaining reportedly limited activations in the right auditory cortex among SD musicians. Participants' age and years of music experience correlated with their SD levels, suggesting that long-term reliance on notation may increase this effect. Our results therefore indicate that SD may be an extreme form of overlearning, stemming from a long-term involvement in score-focussed performance practice without engaging in mitigating ear-playing scenarios. This posits SD as an effect of extreme task specialisation that creates a dependency on a specific technology (notation). We argue that this may limit a wider embodied engagement with music in favour of developing skill-specific cognitive mechanisms. Implications: Our data suggests that a score-specific musical focus as often found in classical music education can endanger aural reproduction skills for pitch and associated perception/action mechanisms. Consequently, results have implications for music education and performance, as well as for cognitive and neuroscientific research into perception of music

The views and practice of oncologists towards nutritional support in patients receiving chemotherapy

Malnutrition in patients with cancer is common and an adverse prognostic indicator. A questionnaire answered by 357 (72%) UK specialist oncological trainees suggests that they lack the ability to identify factors that place patients at risk from malnutrition. Major barriers to effective nutritional practice included lack of guidelines, knowledge and time

Outcome Measures in Music Therapy: A Free Online Resource by the Nordoff Robbins Research Team

Welcome to the Outcome Measures in Music Therapy resource. Developed by the Nordoff Robbins research team, this resource provides information about outcome measures1 developed in the field of music therapy.sch_occpub4429pu

The Type IIP SN 2007od in UGC 12846: from a bright maximum to dust formation in the nebular phase

Ultraviolet (UV), optical and near infrared (NIR) observations of the type IIP supernova (SN) 2007od are presented, covering from the maximum light to the late phase, allowing to investigate in detail different physical phenomena in the expanding ejecta. These data turn this object into one of the most peculiar IIP ever studied. The early light curve of SN 2007od is similar to that of a bright IIPs with a short plateau, a bright peak (MV = -18 mag), but a very faint optical light curve at late time. However, with the inclusion of mid infrared (MIR) observations during the radioactive decay we have estimate a M(56Ni) ~ 2\times10^-2 M\odot. Modeling the bolometric light curve, ejecta expansion velocities and black-body temperature, we estimate a total ejected mass was 5 - 7.5 M\odot with a kinetic energy of at least 0.5 \times 10^51 erg. The early spectra reveal a boxy H{\alpha} profile and high velocities features of the Balmer series that suggest interaction between the ejecta and a close circum-stellar matter (CSM). SN 2007od may be, therefore, an intermediate case between a Type IIn SN and a typical Type IIP SN. Also late spectra show a clear evidence of CSM and the presence of dust formed inside the ejecta. The episodes of mass loss short before explosion, the bright plateau, along with the relatively small amount of 56Ni and the faint [O I] observed in the nebular spectra are consistent with a super-asympthotic giant branch (super-AGB) progenitor (M~9.7 - 11 M\odot).Comment: V2, some test added and three figures changed from the first version. 21 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS on May 24, 201

The luminosity constraint on solar neutrino fluxes

A specific linear combination of the total solar neutrino fluxes must equal the measured solar photon luminosity if nuclear fusion reactions among light elements are responsible for solar energy generation. This luminosity constraint, previously used in a limited form in testing the no neutrino oscillation hypothesis, is derived in a generality that includes all of the relevant solar neutrino fluxes and which is suitable for analyzing the results of many different solar neutrino experiments. With or without allowing for neutrino oscillations, the generalized luminosity constraint can be used in future analyses of solar neutrino data. Accurate numerical values for the linear coefficients are provided.Comment: related material at http://www.sns.ias.edu/~jn

The Mersey Estuary : sediment geochemistry

This report describes a study of the geochemistry of the Mersey estuary carried out between April 2000 and December 2002. The study was the first in a new programme of surveys of the geochemistry of major British estuaries aimed at enhancing our knowledge and understanding of the distribution of contaminants in estuarine sediments. The report first summarises the physical setting, historical development, geology, hydrography and bathymetry of the Mersey estuary and its catchment. Details of the sampling and analytical programmes are then given followed by a discussion of the sedimentology and geochemistry. The chemistry of the water column and suspended particulate matter have not been studied, the chief concern being with the geochemistry of the surface and near-surface sediments of the Mersey estuary and an examination of their likely sources and present state of contamination

Personality and health: Disentangling their between-person and within-person relationship in three longitudinal studies

Personality traits and physical health both change over the life span. Theoretical models and empirical evidence suggest that these changes are related. The current study investigated the dynamic relations between personality traits and physical health at both the between-person and the within-person levels. Data were drawn from three longitudinal studies: the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study (NAS; N = 1,734), the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS; N = 13,559), and the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA, N = 2,209). Using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) and the continuous time (CT) models, after controlling the between-person variance, generally, evidence was found for bidirectional associations between changes in neuroticism and extraversion and changes in self-rated health and general disease level. Bidirectional associations between changes in neuroticism and change in cardiovascular diseases and central nervous system diseases were observed only when time was modeled as continuous. We also found within-person associations between changes in neuroticism and extraversion and changes in performance-based ratings of motor functioning impairment. According to the current findings, the dynamic within-person relations between personality traits and health outcomes were largely in the direction consistent with their between-person connections, although the within-person relationships were substantially smaller in strength when compared their between-person counterparts. Findings from the current study highlight the importance of distinguishing between-person and within-person effects when examining the longitudinal relationship between personality traits and health

Cultivating progressive development in the cultural industries: challenges and support needs identified by the creative workforce in the United Kingdom

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the creative and cultural industries have been closely tracked by researchers, professional bodies, and arts organisations. In the period of recovery that has followed, emphasis has moved towards building a more inclusive and sustainable industry. Yet beyond the headline statistics, accounts of the support needs of creative workers – as identified in their own words – are less forthcoming. This paper reports on open responses collected during April-May 2021 as the United Kingdom began to lift lockdown restrictions. Thematic analysis of responses identified three overarching themes identified by respondents as central to sustainable recovery: (i) Financial Infrastructures; (ii) Artistic communities; and (iii) Future-proofed professional landscapes. The findings support previous research that has emphasised the need for recovery to prioritise supporting individual artists and the importance of freelance voices at all stages of policy and decision making to ensure equitable development for the future