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Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07375043

Drumming Groups for Parents of Autistic Children

This project aims to encourage a sense of belonging, community, and emotional support for parents of autistic children through a group drumming (music therapy) intervention.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Anxiety Acute Anxiety Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder Autistic Disorder Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Child Development Disorders, Pervasive Depression Depression and Quality of Life Mental Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders Stress Stress in Parents of Autistic Children

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Gateway Building, Room 361 & 363, Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona, 85287, United States

About this study

This pilot one-group pretest-posttest study will investigate the limited efficacy and acceptability of an 8-week drumming group on immediate stress (pre-post session) as measured by the STAI-S Short Form scale (Spielberger, 1977); on anxiety and depressive symptoms, as measured by the K-10 scale (Kessler et al., 2002) before and after the 8-week program, and group cohesion and acceptability as measured by the Group Therapy Experience Scale (GTES, Marziliano et al., 2018) after the program. As a group setting, this program does not substitute clinical treatment.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • parents or main caregivers of children in the Autism Spectrum,
  • able to read and write in English.
  • 18 years or older

Exclusion criteria

  • Paid caregivers
  • Unable to speak, read and write in English
  • Unable to follow instructions in English

Treatment and study plan

Group Drumming

Behavioral

This Drumming program is based on HealthRhythms®, a drumming protocol that has been used extensively in clinical and community populations and has research support (e.g., Grab et al., 2023; Stevens & Fowl, 2024; Wachi et al., 2007). Adaptations will be derived from the PI's clinical and research experience with parents of autistic children. Each drumming session will have the following structure: introduction to the program, light movement & music, icebreakers with small percussions, technique pointers for percussion instruments, rhythmic introductions (sharing names with a percussive rhythm), free group drumming, soundscapes (creating visualizations with drumming), verbal processing, closing drumming exercise. The soundscapes are creative outlets to "paint a picture" with music. These exercises promote community, engagement, emotional expression, and creative thinking, which reduce stress. Specific strategies will include reflecting, mirroring, validating, and solution reframing.

Primary outcomes

  1. K-10

    Time frame: Pretest at the beginning of the first weekly session, and posttest at the end of the 8th weekly session.

    Anxiety and depressive symptoms, as measured by the K-10 scale (Kessler et al., 2002). Maximum score is 50, with each of the 10 items scored 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate higher distress. Optimal cutoff scores for clinically significant nonspecific psychological distress and need for treatment: total score =12, Depression = 7, and Anxiety = 3/4 (Lace et al., 2019).

  2. STAI-S

    Time frame: Pretest at the beginning of the first weekly session, and posttest at the end of the 8th weekly session.

    Measures of state anxiety as measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults- Short Form Y1 (STAIAD-S Y1) scale (Spielberger, 1977). Maximum score is 40, with each of the 10 items scored 1 to 4, and four reverse-coded items. Higher scores indicate less anxiety (more wellbeing).

  3. GTES

    Time frame: Posttest at the end of the 8th weekly session.

    Group cohesion and acceptability as measured by the Group Therapy Experience Scale (GTES, Marziliano et al., 2018). Maximum score is 80 with each of the 16 items scored from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate better group experience.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Arizona State University

Other

Registry information

Acronym: DG_PAC

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 29, 2026
Registry last updated
May 1, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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