Neoplasms

Nervous System Diseases

All Conditions

Brain Neoplasms

Central Nervous System Neoplasms

Nervous System Neoplasms

Brain Diseases

Central Nervous System Diseases

In addition to medical follow-up, the subjects in the experimental group will receive weekly 45-minute lessons on musical training for one year (52 weeks), conducted by the Music Children Foundation. Qualified orchestral performers will provide the musical training. Training will start at the lowest level (hitting simple notes) and end at the highest level (able to play an entire song). The subjects will continue on to the next level if they successfully pass the relevant test; those who do not will be encouraged to repeat test.

The subjects will receive medical follow-up according to the schedule of the oncology units.

They will receive the same amount of time and attention as those in the experimental group but not in a way designed to have any specific effect on the outcome measures. They will be invited to attend free, weekly 45-minute tutoring classes organised by the community for one year (52 weeks).

The subjects in the experimental group will receive weekly 45-minute lessons on musical training for one year (52 weeks), conducted by the Music Children Foundation.

musical training

They will be invited to attend free, weekly 45-minute tutoring classes organised by the community for one year (52 weeks).

tutoring classes

Ho Cheung William Li

This study aims to examine the effects of musical training on improving the neurocognitive function and psychological well-being of children surviving brain tumours. Half of the participants will receive weekly 45-minute lessons on musical training for one year (52 weeks) while the other half are the placebo controls.

Children surviving brain tumours have the highest risk of suffering neurocognitive late effects, such as impairment of intellectual development and deficits in attention and concentration, working memory, processing speed and executive function. Such effects severely affect their levels of academic achievement, psychosocial function and quality of life. Musical training is considered to have potential for treating neurocognitive impairment,mostly because the extensive brain networks engaged in musical training can induce substantial neuroplasticity changes in cortical and subcortical regions of motor, auditory and speech processing networks. A review of musical training for neuro-rehabilitation revealed that it can enhance motor recovery and neuroplasticity after stroke and improve motor deficits observed in Parkinson's disease. A growing body of evidence points to the beneficial effects of musical training on the cognitive development of children. The results of a longitudinal study on the effects of musical training on children's brain and cognitive development demonstrated that such training results in long-term enhancement of visualspatial, verbal and mathematical performance. Moreover, engaging in musical practice in childhood predicts academic performance and IQ at the university level. Thus, there appears to be some support for the effects of music lessons on intellectual development.

Nevertheless, although musical training is popular and is considered to be a beneficial intervention in the treatment of neurocognitive impairment, longitudinal studies that examine the efficacy of music-making in clinical settings are limited. Importantly, there is to date no study that examines the effects of musical training on induction of neuroplasticity in childhood cancer survivors with neurocognitive impairment. There is an imperative need for rigorous empirical scrutiny of the ability of musical training, in particular, to achieve neuroplasticity and thus promote the cognitive function and psychological well-being of children surviving brain tumours.

Effectiveness of Musical Training in Children Surviving Brain Tumours

Effectiveness of Musical Training in the Improvement of the Neurocognitive Function and Psychological Well-being of Children Surviving Brain Tumours

Subjects' IQ scores will be obtained at 12 months after starting the intervention using the Hong Kong Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (HK-WISC) for subjects younger than 16 years of age and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised (WAIS-R) for those aged 16 years and older.

In addition, the neuropsychological profile of each subject will also be examined at 12 months after starting the intervention. A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment is usually conducted on a one on-one basis with standardised procedures.

Subjects' IQ scores will be obtained at baseline using the Hong Kong Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (HK-WISC) for subjects younger than 16 years of age and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised (WAIS-R) for those aged 16 years and older.

In addition, the neuropsychological profile of each subject will also be examined at baseline. A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment is usually conducted on a one on-one basis with standardised procedures.

The subjects' self-esteem will be assessed at baseline, using the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

The RSES is designed to measure the global self-esteem of children and adolescents. The scale comprises 10 items, rated using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree), with total possible scores ranging from 10 to 40. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-esteem. Participants will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the RSES at baseline.

The subjects' self-esteem will be assessed at 6 months after starting the intervention, using the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

The RSES is designed to measure the global self-esteem of children and adolescents. The scale comprises 10 items, rated using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree), with total possible scores ranging from 10 to 40. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-esteem.Participants will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the RSES at 6 months after starting the intervention.

The subjects' self-esteem will be assessed at 12 months after starting the intervention, using the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

The RSES is designed to measure the global self-esteem of children and adolescents. The scale comprises 10 items, rated using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree), with total possible scores ranging from 10 to 40. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-esteem.Participants will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the RSES at 12 months after starting the intervention.

The subjects' quality of life will be assessed at baseline, using the Chinese version of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0). The PedsQL is designed to measure children's healthrelated quality of life. It comprises 23 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. These items are categorised into four domains: physical functioning (eight items), emotional functioning (five items), social functioning (five items) and school functioning (five items). The total possible range of scores is from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better quality of life.Participants will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the PedsQL 4.0 at baseline.

The subjects' quality of life will be assessed at 6 months after starting the intervention, using the Chinese version of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0). The PedsQL is designed to measure children's healthrelated quality of life. It comprises 23 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. These items are categorised into four domains: physical functioning (eight items), emotional functioning (five items), social functioning (five items) and school functioning (five items). The total possible range of scores is from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better quality of life. Participants will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the PedsQL 4.0 at 6 months after starting the intervention.

The subjects' quality of life will be assessed at 12 months after starting the intervention, using the Chinese version of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0). The PedsQL is designed to measure children's healthrelated quality of life. It comprises 23 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. These items are categorised into four domains: physical functioning (eight items), emotional functioning (five items), social functioning (five items) and school functioning (five items). The total possible range of scores is from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better quality of life. Participants will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the PedsQL 4.0 at 12 months after starting the intervention.

The University of Hong Kong

Behaviors and Mental Disorders

Rare Diseases

Quality of Life

Brain Tumor, Childhood

Apart from receiving scheduled medical follow-up, the subjects in the experimental group will receive a weekly 45-minute lesson on musical training for 52 weeks. The musical training will be conducted by the Music Children Foundation and be implemented in a ratio of one subject to one qualified orchestral performer at the subjects' homes. A musical instrument will be assigned to each subject based on their interests and the results of the prior assessment of subjects' expiratory function and fine motor skills. The musical training will start at the lowest level, such as hitting simple notes and end at the highest level, such as playing an entire song.

The subjects will receive usual care, such as medical follow-up according to the schedule of the oncology units.

The subjects in the experimental group will receive weekly 45-minute lessons on musical training for 52 weeks.

The subjects in the control group will receive usual care, such as medical follow-up according to the schedule of the oncology units.

usual care

This study aims to work out the effectiveness (effect size) of the musical training intervention in reducing depressive symptoms, improving self-esteem and quality of life among childhood brain tumour survivors and to examine the feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of implementing musical training intervention in clinical practice. Subjects in the experimental group will receive weekly 45-minute lessons on musical training for one year (52 weeks), while those in the control group will receive usual care.

Musical training has been increasingly implemented to promote one's psychological well-being and cognitive functioning. For instance, to reduce depression, anxiety in psychiatric patients, to improve self-esteem and mood recognition in hospitalized adolescent patients diagnosed with "adjustment reaction to adolescence", to improve social skills of children with autism, to enhance reading skills and academic achievement in young poor readers, and to facilitate children's cognitive development. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of musical training in promoting psychological well-being, particularly to reduce their depressive symptoms and enhance self-esteem, and enhancing quality of life among the childhood brain tumour survivors is remain underexplored. It is of paramount importance to examine the effectiveness of musical training so as to ameliorate adverse disease- and treatment-related late effects, such as depression and low self-esteem, hence enhancing childhood brain tumour survivors' quality of life.

Effectiveness of Musical Training in Hong Kong Chinese Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors

Effectiveness of Musical Training in Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Enhancing Self-esteem and Quality of Life Among Hong Kong Chinese Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors - A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

The subjects' depressive symptoms will be assessed at 12-month after starting the intervention using the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC).

The CES-DC is a commonly used tool in assessing the number of depressive symptoms of children and adolescent (Radloff, 1977). It consists of 20 items which are rated on a 4-point Likert scale from 0 to 3 (0= "not at all", 1 = "a little", 2 = "sometimes", 3= "a lot") regarding the subjects' feelings and experiences of last week. A possible scores ranging from 0 to 60 will be obtained after summing up all the items. Higher scores indicate greater number of depressive symptoms experienced. The cut-off score of this scale is 16, which indicates the children or the adolescents are currently experiencing a significant level of depressive symptoms.

Subjects' depressive symptoms will be assessed at baseline using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC).

The CES-DC is a commonly used tool in assessing the number of depressive symptoms of children and adolescent. It consists of 20 items which are rated on a 4-point Likert scale from 0 to 3 (0= "not at all", 1 = "a little", 2 = "sometimes", 3= "a lot") regarding the subjects' feelings and experiences of last week. A possible scores ranging from 0 to 60 will be obtained after summing up all the items. Higher scores indicate greater number of depressive symptoms experienced. The cut-off score of this scale is 16, which indicates the children or the adolescents are currently experiencing a significant level of depressive symptoms. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the CES-DC at baseline.

Change in depressive symptoms will be assessed at 6-month after starting the intervention using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC).

The CES-DC is a commonly used tool in assessing the number of depressive symptoms of children and adolescent. It consists of 20 items which are rated on a 4-point Likert scale from 0 to 3 (0= "not at all", 1 = "a little", 2 = "sometimes", 3= "a lot") regarding the subjects' feelings and experiences of last week. A possible scores ranging from 0 to 60 will be obtained after summing up all the items. Higher scores indicate greater number of depressive symptoms experienced. The cut-off score of this scale is 16, which indicates the children or the adolescents are currently experiencing a significant level of depressive symptoms. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the CES-DC at 6-month after starting the intervention.

The subjects' self-esteem will be assessed at baseline, using the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

The RSES is a tool designed to measure the global self-esteem of children and adolescent. The scale contains 10 items, which are rated on a 4-point Likert scale with score 1 to 4 (1= "strongly disagree", 2= "disagree", 3= "agree", 4 = "strongly agree"), with total possible scores ranging from 10 to 40. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-esteem. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the RSES at baseline.

The subjects' self-esteem will be assessed at 6-month follow-up, using the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

The RSES is a tool designed to measure the global self-esteem of children and adolescent. The scale contains 10 items, which are rated on a 4-point Likert scale with score 1 to 4 (1= "strongly disagree", 2= "disagree", 3= "agree", 4 = "strongly agree"), with total possible scores ranging from 10 to 40. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-esteem. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the RSES at 6-month after starting the intervention.

The subjects' self-esteem will be assessed at 12-month follow-up, using the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).

The RSES is a tool designed to measure the global self-esteem of children and adolescent. The scale contains 10 items, which are rated on a 4-point Likert scale with score 1 to 4 (1= "strongly disagree", 2= "disagree", 3= "agree", 4 = "strongly agree"), with total possible scores ranging from 10 to 40. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-esteem. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the RSES at 12-month after starting the intervention.

The subjects' quality of life will be assessed at baseline, using the Chinese version of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0). The PedsQL is designed to measure children's health-related quality of life. The scale consists of 23 items which are categorized into four dimensions, namely physical functioning (8 items), emotional functioning (5 items), social functioning (5 items) and school functioning (5 items). All items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 (never) to 4 (almost always) by which the participants will be asked how much of a problem has been experienced over the last month. A total possible scores ranging from 0 to 100 will be obtained, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the PedsQL 4.0 at baseline.

The subjects' quality of life will be assessed at 6-month after starting the intervention, using the Chinese version of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0). The PedsQL is designed to measure children's health-related quality of life. The scale consists of 23 items which are categorized into four dimensions, namely physical functioning (8 items), emotional functioning (5 items), social functioning (5 items) and school functioning (5 items). All items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 (never) to 4 (almost always) by which the participants will be asked how much of a problem has been experienced over the last month. A total possible scores ranging from 0 to 100 will be obtained, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the PedsQL 4.0 at 6-month after starting the intervention.

The subjects' quality of life will be assessed at 12-month after starting the intervention, using the Chinese version of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL 4.0). The PedsQL is designed to measure children's health-related quality of life. The scale consists of 23 items which are categorized into four dimensions, namely physical functioning (8 items), emotional functioning (5 items), social functioning (5 items) and school functioning (5 items). All items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 (never) to 4 (almost always) by which the participants will be asked how much of a problem has been experienced over the last month. A total possible scores ranging from 0 to 100 will be obtained, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life. Subjects will be asked to respond to the Chinese version of the PedsQL 4.0 at 12-month after starting the intervention.

Study title	NCT ID	Conditions	Interventions	Eligibility	Organization
Effectiveness of Musical Training in Children Surviving Brain Tumours	NCT02754908	Brain Neoplasms Child	musical trainin... tutoring classe...	7 Years - 19 Years	The University of Hong Kong
Effectiveness of Musical Training in Hong Kong Chinese Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors	NCT03399864	Brain Neoplasms Child	musical trainin... usual care	7 Years - 16 Years	The University of Hong Kong
Effectiveness of Musical Training in Children Surviving Brain Tumours	NCT02754908	Brain Neoplasms Child	musical trainin... tutoring classe...	7 Years - 19 Years	The University of Hong Kong

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for musical training