Hartpury University Repository

Draper, Steve

Lowry, Ruth G.

Marino, L.

Corrigan, Richard

Smith, M.

Williams, S.

THE EFFECTS OF A ROCK DRUMMING INTERVENTION ON CHILDREN WITH ADDITIONAL 
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS 
 DRAPER, S.1, LOWRY, R.2, MARINO, L.1, CORRIGAN, R.1, SMITH, M.3, WILLIAMS, S.4  
1. HARTPURY UNIVERSITY, 2. UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX, 3. CHICHESTER UNIVERSITY, 4. KINGS COLLEGE 
LONDON  
INTRODUCTION: Rock drumming is a powerful model as a physical activity intervention since it 
combines physical activity, music and four limb coordination into an engaging and enjoyable activity. 
We have demonstrated how drumming can; be developed into a form of vigorous activity [1], result 
in significant changes in the brain [2] and be incorporated into the school day [3]. The aim of this 
study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a group drumming intervention in children with a wide 
range of additional educational needs including autistic spectrum disorder.  
METHODS: Fourteen children (aged 12-14 y) from a large special education school, took part in the 
study. The children learned drumming at electronic drum kits arranged in a circle around the tutor’s 
kit. Lessons were 30-40 minutes, twice per week for 10 weeks and included instruction as well as 
playing to popular music in the classroom. Pre and post the intervention, the children were assessed 
for motor skill (ABC2) and teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In 
addition, an electronic record of all lessons was made by capturing the MIDI data from the drum kits. 
Finally focus groups were held with parents and teachers post intervention to investigate benefits 
beyond those seen at the drumming lessons.  
RESULTS: There was a significant improvement (P=0.039) in the internalising score for the SDQ 
(combination of emotional and peer problems). Whilst motor skill improvement was clear in the 
MIDI data capture, ABC2 scores were not significantly different (in this highly variable sample). 
However, focus groups indicated that parents and teachers had seen profound changes in behaviour 
and motor skill, for example one child could successfully clean his own teeth properly for the first 
time by the end of the short intervention.  
CONCLUSION: Rock drumming using electronic kits is a valid and powerful form of physical activity 
intervention, yielding both physical and behavioural improvements in this population. Children 
involved in this study were also able to perform for their parents and carers for the first time in their 
school life. Furthermore, the school has adopted drumming onto their curriculum and continues to 
see benefits in the children participating.  
References: 1. De La Rue, et al. (2013) International Journal of Sports Medicine 34, 868-872 2. Amad 
et al. (2017) Cerebral Cortex 27, 2010-2021 3. Lowry et al. (2019) International Journal of 
Development Disabilities 65, 152-161 


English

The effects of a rock drumming intervention on children with additional educational needs

Greening, Linda

Downing, Josh

Amiouny, Daniella

Lekang, Line

McBride, Sebastian

• Whilst mammals sleep, the brain cycles through different stages of non rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement 
(REM) sleep.1  Sleep can be characterised by a decrease in motor activity and the presence of recumbent postures (Fig. 1 &2).2
• The role sleep plays is not completely understood, however, it is recognised how vital this function is for memory and learning.3
• Several studies have demonstrated that the domestic environment 
of the horse can impact the duration of different sleep states.4,5
• The aims of this study were to determine whether altering routine 
husbandry practices involving lighting and bedding would affect 
1. the type/quantity of equine sleep, and 2. memory consolidation.
Introduction
Sleep Monitoring 
• 10 horses (mixed gender/breed, average age = 14.9 years) were selected at random and split into two groups of 5; continuous 
focal observations of nocturnal behaviours were achieved with Reolink infrared security cameras.
• A two factor experimental design assessed the effect of straw bedding depth (15cm or 5cm) and overnight light (lights on 
[lux125] lights off [lux0]) on duration of lateral REM, sternal REM, sternal NREM and standing NREM. 
• Each of the four treatment combinations (bedding 15cm-lights on, bedding 5cm-lights off, bedding-15cm lights off and 
bedding 5cm-light on) lasted for six days and each group received the treatments in reverse order.
Spatial Memory Testing
• Memory consolidation was tested during two of the four treatments (optimal = lights off with 15cm 
beds and sub-optimal = lights on with 5cm beds) using a spatial memory test.
• Three buckets of the same colour and one bucket of a different colour which contained food (the correct 
bucket) were randomly moved to different positions (1-4) between trials (Fig.3).
• For both the training (18) and probe (6) trials, horses were randomly released from different 
starting points (a-e) and the number of correct responses and difference in latency between training 
and testing phases to locate food placed in the correct bucket were recorded. 
• Between the memory tests, a washout exercise was conducted to maximise the treatment effect
for the second memory study, during which food was placed in all buckets, with unlimited location time.
Sleep Monitoring 
• Smaller bed depth (5cm vs. 15cm) significant reduced the duration of sternal
NREM (p= 0.007), lateral REM (p= 0.032) standing NREM (p= 0.024) 
(Fig 4. A,C,D).  
• Lights off at night significantly increased duration of sternal REM (p= 0.031) 
Figure 4 (B). 
Spatial Memory Testing 
• None of the variables within the spatial memory testing were significantly 
different between treatments. However, difference in latency approached 
significance (p=0.07) with lights on-5cm bedding showing the greater 
difference between the training and testing phases.
Conclusion
• Both bedding and light significantly affected equine sleep behaviour
across all sleep states. These results show that changes to husbandry 
techniques may have a positive impact on equine welfare via sleep. 
• Increasing the sensitivity of the spatial memory test, coupled with a larger sample group may have yielded different results.
Study Design
Results
30 m
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B  E
C
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2 1
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References
1. Weber, F. (2017). Modelling the mammalian sleep cycle. Current opinion in neurobiology, 46, 68-75.; 2. Datta, S. (2010). Cellular and chemical neuroscience of mammalian sleep. Sleep medicine, 11(5), 431-440.; 3. Siegel, J. M. (2005). Clues to the functions of mammalian sleep. Nature, 437(7063), 
1264-1271. 4. Hartman, N., & Greening, L. M. (2019). A Preliminary Study Investigating the Influence of Auditory Stimulation on the Occurrence of Nocturnal Equine Sleep-Related Behaviour in Stabled Horses. Journal of equine veterinary science, 82, 102782.  5. Raabymagle, P., & Ladewig, J. (2006). 
Lying behaviour in horses in relation to box size. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 26(1), 11-17.
Figure 1 : A horse displaying lateral REM                   Figure 2. Display of sternal NREM
Figure 3:The diagram shows the testing 
area,  labelled with release points and
bucket placement points 
The Effect of Altering Routine Husbandry Factors on Sleep Duration and Memory Consolidation in the Horse
Downing, J.T.1 Amiouny, D.1 Lekang, L.1 Greening, L.2 McBride, S.D.1
1 IBERS, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA , 2 Hartpury University and Hartpury College, Gloucester, GL19 3BE
Figure 4: Mean (±SEM) (n=10) time spent expressing the 4 different sleep behaviours, (A) 
lateral REM, (B) sternal REM, (C) sternal NREM and (D) standing NREM. Treatment: CB-CL 
(15cm bedding, lights off), TB-CL (5cm bedding, lights off), CB-TL (15cm
bedding, lights on) and TB-TL (5cm bedding, lights on). Significant differences between
treatments are indicated, *p<0.05


The Effect of Altering Routine Husbandry Factors on Sleep Duration and Memory Consolidation in the Horse

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