| Abstract [eng] |
An overview of the research conducted both in Lithuania and across the world reveals that children growing at the residence for infants are influenced by the specific environment affecting their physiological and psychological state of mind, behavior, and personal development in general. The theme of the research work. “The Effects of Music Therapy on Psychomotor Development of Infants Growing at the Residence for Infants with Developmental Disorders.” Academic advisor: Dr. R. Garunkštienė; consultant Prof. Dr. S. Lesinskienė. The aim of the research is to evaluate the effects of music therapy on psychomotor development of five- and six-month-old infants growing at the residence for infants with developmental disorders. Method. Experimental research. A group of those researched are made up of nine five- and six-month-old infants with pathological psychomotor development from Vilnius Residence for Infants with Developmental Disorders; a comparison group is comprised of seven five- and six-month-old infants with pathological psychomotor development from Klaipėda Residence for Infants with Developmental Disorders. The method of active music therapy is applied – that is, multidimensional stimulation through vocal / instrumental improvisations. The evaluation of each infant’s performed action is recoded; the transformations occurring in the domains of fine motor, auditory attention and memory, expressive language and social skills are observed; every area of functioning is assessed on a zero- to four-point scale. A specific tool is utilized to record the infant’s psychomotor development dynamics, and the areas of functioning for evaluation are selected with reference to the scale of the Diagnostic Inventory for Screening Children (DISC). The data is garnered in tables – protocols; the results are shown in tables, illustrated in diagrams, processed using Excel 2013, and presented in accordance with the requirements of output statistics. The findings. The findings of the research work have demonstrated that the averages of the estimates of psychomotor development of the infants to whom an active music therapy has been applied have increased considerably, that is, a statistically important disparity between the initial and final estimates of those researched in every area of functioning has been established. At the end of the research statistically significant disparities between the estimates of experimental and control groups in every researched area of functioning have been determined. The biggest discrepancy has been observed in the area of social skills, while the smallest – in the area of expressive language. To conclude, active music therapy is an efficient means of harmonizing the psychomotor development of infants with developmental disorders. |
