The effects of neurologic music therapy intervention on quality of life, participation and activities of daily life in children with cerebral palsy

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common, life-long neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood. They have limited activity and participation due to motor impairment and other accompanying disorders and so quality of life is negatively affected. Quality of life is affected by functionality and physical health as well as biopsychosocial factors such as social and emotional functions. Our study investigates the effect of "Music in Psychosocial Training and Counseling, (MPC)" which is the special technique in "Neurologic Music Therapy, (NMT)", in children with CP. 20 volunteer children randomly divided into two; 10 NMT and 10 control. All participating children continued their neurodevelopmental therapy. In NMT group, MPC training was administered as a group therapy for 1 hour per day; 3 days a week; 6-weeks. We assesed quality of life with "Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire (CPQOL)"; participation with "Child and Adolescent Participation Questionnaire (CASP)"; and activities of daily life with "Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM)". Total CPQOL values in the quality of life outcomes were similar between the groups (p> 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in favor of NMT group; "school participation" and total in the CASP, the cognitive fields and total WeeFIM (p<0,05). There was a statistically significant difference pre-post assesment in the NMT group; "neighborhood and community participation" and the cognitive fields of WeeFIM (p<0,05). In line with the our study, we believe that inclusion of children with CP into rehabilitation programs, including MPC training to be applied by physiotherapists who completed NMT training, particularly beneficial in the cognitive areas of participation and daily living activities.