Improv Music Therapy for Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease

This study is exploring whether "Clinical Improvisation" music therapy can help older adults (60 years and older) who have mild Alzheimer's Disease. This therapy involves group sessions led by a board-certified music therapist. The researchers want to see if participating in these sessions can improve mood, stress levels, and emotions. You would be eligible if you are 60 or older, live independently, have a medical diagnosis of Alzheimer's with mild dementia, and have sufficient sight and hearing. The study plans to enroll 40 participants, but its current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design: This study is an interventional study planning to enroll 40 participants. It is not specified if it is randomized or blinded.
What's involved: You and your care partner would participate in music therapy sessions for about 8 weeks. You would also fill out questionnaires about your mood, stress, and emotions at the beginning and end of the 8-week period.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Participants will be assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks, which is the end of the intervention period. No further follow-up is specified.

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Improv Music Therapy for Older Adults

Not Yet Recruiting

NAAges 60+InterventionalSupportive care

University of California, San Francisco

~40 participants

Updated 2026-02-23 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:Clinical Improvisation

At a glance

Recruiting sites

0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Brief-COPE

Measured over Baseline and Post-Intervention, 8 weeks

+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

Older Adults (65 Years and Older)

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states

California1

Study leadership

Karen Barrett, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of California, San Francisco

Who to contact

Karen C Barrett, PhD

[email protected]

4153534501

Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Age 60 and over, living independently in the community

Medical diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

Mild dementia defined as MoCA score between 16-20, or MMSE score between 19-24

Sufficient visual and hearing acuity (age-related to normal hearing loss with assistive devices)

English fluency rated fairly well to well (self-rated English fluency)

Age 18 or Older

Moderate to good English fluency (self-rated English fluency)

Willing to participate in intervention with PLWD

Exclusion

Medical diagnosis of severe dementia (any etiology)

Non-AD dementia diagnosis (e.g., frontotemporal dementia)

Serious medical condition (e.g., an end-stage disease requiring hospice, aphasia from stroke, paralysis, brain injury) requiring active medical management that would interfere with participation in the study

Significant difficulty moving the hands or arms (severe arthritis, neuropathy)

Plans to move out of the area within six months

Current but not prior severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)

Plans to move out of the area

What this trial measures

Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Brief-COPEBaseline and Post-Intervention, 8 weeks
The Brief COPE is a 28 item measure of strategies used for coping or regulating cognitions in response to stressors. The questions assess the frequency with which a person uses different coping strategies (e.g. "I've been turning to work or other activities to take my mind off strings") and the respondent gives a rating on a 5 item scale (1= I haven't been doing this at all to 4 I've been doing this a lot).
SOBC Perceived Stress ScaleBaseline and Post Intervention, 8 weeks
The Perceived Stress Scale ask participants about their feelings and thoughts during the last month. There are 10 items and participants are asked how often they felt orr thought a certian way (0 = never to 4 very often)

Trialytics