| RMM Research Summary |
Recreational Music Making Research: current and future perspectives
by Barry Bittman, MD
The purpose of this article is to provide an update on the current state of our research in the field of Recreational Music Making (RMM) as well as the direction we're pursing for ongoing studies.
Since 2001, our research teams have performed a number of controlled scientific RMM investigations that have been published and featured in peer-reviewed medical journals. We have documented numerous biological and psycho-social RMM benefits. Subjects have included normal populations of individuals along the aging continuum, nursing students and stressed long-term healthcare workers.
Perhaps it's best to begin by looking back in time, reviewing our findings and then moving forward to our latest studies. Yet before we proceed, let's take a few moments to focus on our objectives. This requires a review of the current RMM definition noted in our earliest publications.
To quote Karl Bruhn, "RMM encompasses "enjoyable, accessible and fulfilling group music-based activities that unite people of all ages regardless of their challenges, backgrounds, ethnicity, ability or prior experience. From exercise, nurturing, social support, bonding and spirituality, to intellectual stimulation, heightened understanding and enhanced capacity to cope with life's challenges, the benefits of RMM extend far beyond just music."
The implications of this early definition set the stage not only for our research, but also for the development of a series of original protocols (reproducible steps) that are currently used in multiple venues. Essentially we set forth to explore non-musical outcomes.
Rather than attempting to merely develop a series of introductory music lessons, we sought to eliminate the obstacles to creative musical expression faced by individuals without prior music making experience. We hoped to document personal and group benefits that could ultimately lead to widespread utilization in conventional health and wellness settings.
An Historical Perspective
Our first publication in 2001 documented biological impact. For the first time in the history of music and medicine, we performed a controlled scientific investigation of stress-reversal elicited by group drumming in 111 subjects. Frankly, our initial attempts failed miserably. In fact, we actually induced stress in a number of our subjects. Eventually however we discovered that most people are absolutely convinced they are not musical. Just the prospect of playing, or worse yet performing, leads to negative biological outcomes in the vast majority of people. The stress-reduction elements that were eventually incorporated into the protocol's success ultimately led to the development of HealthRHYTHMS (Remo Inc.). The study was the first to show that an hour of RMM increased the activity of Natural Killer cells charged with seeking out and destroying cancer and virally infected cells.
Yet biological impact was insufficient to fully describe RMM's full impact. Our next study published in 2003 addressed the question of whether or not certain aspects of the early definition were accurate. We were especially concerned with social support and enhanced capacity to cope with life's challenges. Using the HealthRHYTHMS protocol along with innovative strategies incorporating the Yamaha Clavinova, we discovered for the first time that RMM reduced burnout, improved mood states and decreased turnover in 112 long-term care workers.
We were convinced however that our findings were insufficient to sway the healthcare industry. We needed additional data to support the use of RMM in the conventional medical environment. Ultimately we incorporated a detailed independent economic impact analysis in our publication. It disclosed total annual potential cost-saving projections to the long-term care industry of $1.46 billion each year. An associated editorial confirmed our projections at the research site, and strongly suggested widespread potential for multiple industries. That analysis resulted in extensive press and a CNN Headline News interview in 2004.
A natural extension of that study led to a detailed exploration of RMM in 2004 on quality of life across the aging spectrum. Using a new program called the Clavinova Connection, along with Clavinova Sing-alongs and Clavinova-assisted HealthRHYTHMS drum circles, we documented positive impact on attentiveness, active participation, socialization, positive mood, affect, happiness/contentment/joy and meaningful self-expression in 550 seniors living in two long-term care centers located in Pennsylvania and California respectively. From healthy seniors to individuals facing the challenges of dementia, a total of 22,440 total assessments were analyzed.
Next we set forth to extend our investigation to stressed students. In 2004, our findings were featured in a highly regarded international nursing journal. The study utilizing Clavinova-assisted HealthRHYTHMS drum circles demonstrated reduced burnout, improved mood states and decreased attrition in 75 first-year nursing students. Cost-savings were projected at $322,000 for each acute care hospital, and more than $1.5 billion annually for the healthcare industry. The paper received extensive press coverage and was featured by the American Nurses Association (ANA) on their home page.
Our latest publication clearly took us back to our biological roots with technology never before available to the scientific community. Working with Applied Biosystems (the research firm that successfully deciphered the human genome) we demonstrated effective stress reversal on the DNA level. The study, published in Medical Science Monitor (2005), was the first of its kind in the field of molecular genomics.
Present and Future Studies
RMM has substantial societal value, as well as profound biological impact. As an extension of our earlier research, we are now engaged in new and exciting studies that have great potential to alter the perception of active music participation as a life-long tool for success.
Along the psycho-social frontier, our team is presently engaged in it's second year studying the impact of RMM on troubled youth— adolescents and teens committed by the legal system to residential facilities. With research sites in Pennsylvania and California, we are in the process of determining the impact of RMM on the attitudes and behaviors of these children. We are also beginning to explore RMM as a tool for building mentoring and leadership skills in this at-risk population. Ultimately we hope to determine whether or not this approach can generate a sustainable effect on community building, neighborhood transformation and long-term success beyond the teenage years.
We're also pleased to announce that a new genome study is in the works. Partnering with a team of scientists at the Windber Research Institute (a Department of Defense-funded Genome laboratory), we are now beginning to evaluate the impact of RMM on individuals with cardiovascular disease. However, rather than limiting our analysis to 47 genes that impact cancer, heart disease and inflammatory syndromes, we are excited to be studying the entire human genome (more than 18,000 functional genes). Our hope is to learn more about the role of RMM as an effective stress-reduction strategy in individuals facing life-threatening illnesses.
In conclusion, our research findings at the most basic level, have established a primordial foundation for understanding RMM's potential benefits. Frankly we have only just begun to explore the many positive ways it can impact our society. We are deeply grateful and encouraged by the number of individuals and organizations worldwide who now support and offer RMM programs.
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