TME Tuesday - Stereo Symbol Movement
Good morning, fellow therapists, and others interested in using music as a therapeutic modality! It's TME Tuesday, so I'm repeating a TME that's been on my website (www.musictherapyworks.com) for some time now.
This is an example of how I use my TME format to organize actual ideas into therapeutic interventions.
This TME doesn't necessarily use specific music, but the musical intervention can be improvised to encourage clients with any type of musical preference - the therapist has to do his/her job!
Enjoy - mj
Therapeutic Music
Experience
Stereo Symbol
Movement
Mary Jane Landaker,
MME, MT-BC
Purpose:
To increase independence in lifelong leisure skills; increase familiarity with
common symbols for electronic media operation; symbol recognition; divided
attention to task; sustained attention to nonverbal cues; social interaction
Source:
Original idea. © April 26, 2010, by Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC
Materials:
Stereo symbol cards (Play/pause, stop, fast-forward, rewind); music source;
OPTIONAL: dot spots to coordinate movements
Environment:
Large space for movement – no chairs needed or wanted for TME; central location
for leader to sit where he/she can be seen by entire group
Music: Recommend
that music be used as background figure – moderate to fast tempo with or
without lyrics to assist clients in continuing to move as directed
Procedure:
R = Reinforcement opportunities; C = Redirection/Cue opportunities; A =
Assessment
- Start TME by reviewing symbols.
- C=Ask clients what the symbols are, and accept all appropriate answers (arrow and lines, triangles, play, stop, etc).
- R= reinforce all responses.
- A=Note which clients are familiar and which are not familiar with the symbols
- Direct clients to stand and spread out in the space.
- Turn on the music.
- Display the first symbol.
- C=explain the desired movement. Play/pause = moving/ dancing as wished; Stop = freeze in place; Fast-forward = move in forward manner; Rewind = move backwards
- C= remind clients to watch for changes in the symbol presented by the leader
- A= watch who can attend visually
- R= compliment clients who change when cued. Redirect clients who do not appear to be attending to visual stimulus
- Change symbols as desired, offering opportunities for client success and continued visual attention
- R= continue to reinforce clients for appropriate completion of cues
- R= choose client to take place of the therapist
- Repeat steps 7-14, continuing to reinforce group members for attention to task and appropriate interactions.
- Close the TME when clients start to show signs/symptoms of no interest, fatigue, or increased arousal
Therapeutic
Function of Music: Music acts as motivator in this TME as it is an
environmental stimulus to encourage continuous movement. By including music
that has a moderate to fast tempo, the clients have the rhythmic impetus to
move. However, the music may also act as a distraction for clients who have
difficulties with attending to multiple forms of stimulation simultaneously.
Clients with many difficulties may respond better to a sung stimulus paired
with a visual stimulus rather than the use of music as a background figure.
Adaptations:
- Decrease stimuli by removing background music and using a song that includes the directives displayed by the leader
- Use targeted symbols to decrease number of desired responses – e.g., use only play/pause and stop symbols
Extensions:
- Pair visual stimuli with auditory stimuli – e.g., play/pause sign with specific melodic figure, stop sign with different melodic figure. Play melodic figures randomly without regard to the visual stimulus to assess attention to stimulus form as well as to assess attention to task
- Encourage clients to develop own movements for symbols. Keep movements somewhat aligned with what the electronic medium does when specific buttons are pushed.
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