Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Musical Behaviour – the Significance of Context and Implications for Pedagogy
Tuesday 13th February 2024, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (London Time)
The focus for the presentation is in (a) reporting the nature and incidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), (b) offering an understanding of how engaging successfully in music can modify and reduce ADHD behaviour and (c) exploring the implications for music pedagogy in general and singing in particular.
According to the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, August 2023), the global prevalence of ADHD in children is estimated as around 5%, although US studies report a higher incidence of 8-10% of young people.
Concerning the nature of ADHD, it tends to be reported more in boys than girls - a sex ratio that is in line with other types of special needs, such as autism. In adults, the reported proportion tends to be lower at 3-4%, and still with a bias towards males of 3:1. The incidence is also reported to be associated with poverty, lower family income and social class. In adults, it is more prevalent in the unemployed, those with disabilities and those with mental health issues.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Of these three types, the inattentive subtype accounts for 20-30% of cases, and the hyperactive-impulsive subtype accounts for around 15% of cases, whereas the combination of all three accounts for 50-75% of cases (BMJ Best Practice, 2023). Negative impacts of ADHD are often reported in academic performance, emotional and cognitive functioning, and peer relationships.
The presentation will report evidence of recent research into ADHD and music education, highlighting the potential benefits of structured personalised music education (Wilde & Welch, 2022) and also music therapy (Martin-Maratinos et al, 2023). The research findings suggest that, notwithstanding ADHD-related symptoms, individuals can engage successfully in music and acquire musical skills. Moreover, ADHD is not a static condition in music, but variable according to pedagogical and musical context.
Dr Eva Wilde
Dr Eva Wilde is a researcher in the fields of music education and music psychology, and completed her PhD in 2019 at the UCL Institute of Education, University College London, UK.
Professor Graham Welch
Professor Graham Welch PhD is Established Chair of Music Education at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Education (formerly University of London), a role he has held since 2001.
Sorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Tuesday 7th May 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Parallels in learning to talk and sing: Social mechanisms of vocal learning in baby humans and songbirds
Michael Goldstein
To gain a better understanding of the development and evolution of vocal learning, we will examine the processes by which birds learn to sing and human infants learn to talk.
Thursday 9th May 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
On the Nose: Nasality as Percept and Physical Reality
Nicholas Perna
This course will address three perspectives on nasality: distinctions between nasal airflow and audio signal (velopharyngeal opening) and perception; deciphering between the two timbral qualities commonly related to nasality - twang and honk - and which are related to velopharyngeal opening; and the pedagogic usefulness of velopharyngeal opening to reduce laryngeal instabilities near points of registration shifts.
Tuesday 14th May 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Tuvan Overtone Throat Singing
Jerry Walsh
This two-hour class on Tuvan throat singing will be an opportunity to learn five different styles of overtone singing that first originated in Central Asia. Several styles can be learned quite quickly while others are more complex and require deeper study. This class is great for singers of all levels from absolute beginners to professionals.