Recruiting

Drumming LessonsDrumming Lessons' Influence on Children With Down Syndrome

Sponsor:

Vanderbilt University

Code:

NCT07156318

Conditions

Down Syndrome

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 7 - 15

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

2 months of drumming lessons given by a professional drummer with extensive experience working with children with Down syndrome

Lessons after measurement

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if drumming lessons can increase self-control in children with Down syndrome. The main question it aims to answer is whether 2 months of drumming lessons can improve the behavioral control and timing skills in children with Down syndrome. Participants are between 7 and 15 years of age and receive two months of drumming lessons given by a professional drummer with extensive experience working with children with Down syndrome. Children in the experimental group visit our lab once before lessons start and once after lessons are completed. Children in the control group visit our lab twice before they start their lessons. Lab visits include brain recordings taken using a net-style cap, computer tasks, and drumming to music.

Conditions

Down Syndrome

Study ID

NCT07156318

Start date

Feb 15, 2026

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jul, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 7 - 15

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

Down syndrome

Exclusion Criteria:

Already taken drumming lessons
Uncorrected hearing loss
Uncorrected vision loss

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Experimental group

Experimental group will receive the drumming lesson intervention between baseline and testing approximately 2 to 3 months later, so the effects of the intervention can be assessed in the lab measures.

other: Control group

Children in the Control condition will receive drumming lessons only after they have completed lab baseline and testing measures, about 2 to 3 months later.

Interventions

2 months of drumming lessons given by a professional drummer with extensive experience working with children with Down syndrome

Drumming lessons consisting of how to use hands to drum on djembe drum, using alternating hands to drum, drumming to a metronome and to music.

Lessons after measurement

Receiving lessons after the two lab visits should still offer any possible positive effects to participants while still allowing us to compare the Control group children's behaviors to those of the Experimental group.

Primary outcome measure

Zoo task [ Time Frame: Baseline to two months ]
Statue task [ Time Frame: Baseline to two months ]
Beat Perception [ Time Frame: Baseline to two months ]
Beat production [ Time Frame: Baseline to two months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Amy Needham, PhD

16154999992 amy.needham@vanderbilt.edu

Caroline Danforth, MS

(615) 343-1079 caroline.danforth@vanderbilt.edu

Locations

Vanderbilt University

Recruiting

Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37203

Contacts

Caroline Danforth, MS

615-343-1079 vuhandsonplaylab@gmail.com

Alison Rubin, BA

615-343-1079 vuhandsonplaylab@gmail.com

Principal Investigator:

Amy Needham, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

Vanderbilt University

Last update posted

May 19, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Keywords

Children with Down syndrome;
Effects of drumming lessons
Effects on brain and behavior
Inhibitory control
Beat perception
Intervention study

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Vanderbilt University on 2026-05-19.