Poster Session 6, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Concourse [B9]

A Study of Music's Impact on Cognitive and Emotional Expression in Memory Care Residents with Dementia

Presenter: Michael Gillespie

Faculty Sponsor: Elena T. Carbone

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

ABSTRACT

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is characterized not only by progressive cognitive decline but also by depression, agitation, and social withdrawal that diminish quality of life for both individuals and their caregivers. Emerging evidence suggests that musical memory often remains relatively preserved despite neurodegeneration, making music a promising non-pharmacological intervention to improve quality of life. The primary aim of this study is to determine whether familiar music produces greater improvements in mood and cognitive engagement than unfamiliar music. A secondary aim is to evaluate whether tempo (slow vs. upbeat) influences behavioral activation.

In this mixed-methods study, ten residents in a memory care unit will participate in eight one-hour individualized music listening sessions over approximately two months. Personalized playlists will be developed using a Music Familiarity Inventory to reflect each participant’s history and preferences. Standardized measures, including the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease scale (QoL-AD), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q), will assess baseline and post-intervention outcomes, along with session-level mood and behavioral observations. Participants’ caregivers will also be evaluated using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL-5) to assess their well-being and compassion-related stress.

It is hypothesized that familiar music will lead to greater improvements in mood and cognitive engagement. Tempo is expected to exert secondary effects, with slower music promoting relaxation and faster music increasing observable engagement. Findings may inform scalable, low-cost, personalized music interventions in memory care settings and clarify how familiarity and tempo can be optimized to enhance patient quality of life.

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