Mastery, Preventative Health, Salutogenesis, Well-Being, Psychological
Conditions
Keywords
Music therapy, Mental health, Adolescent, Music-based intervention, High school, Young adult, School dropout, Positive youth development
Brief summary
RESONATE is a cluster-randomised crossover trial focusing on reducing school dropout rates and fostering belonging through co-created music-based activites, by combining music therapy (MT), psychology, and social sciences. About 200 participants will be recruited in the area of Bergen, Norway. They will be randomized into the following intervention arms: group music activity followed by usual school schedule or usual school schedule followed by group music activity.
Detailed description
RESONATE is a research initiative with researchers from Norway, Finland, and Denmark, and cultural organizations, the project employs an interdisciplinary approach combining music therapy, psychology, and social sciences. By engaging pupils, teachers, and community stakeholders, RESONATE develops and implements music interventions that promote emotional well-being, social inclusion, and resilience. These interventions align with Norway's current national school curriculum (LK20) and are informed by evidence-based research, including studies from WHO and music therapy scholars. Activities such as music-making and listening enhance social interaction, self-expression, and emotional support-key factors in reducing dropout risks. The project follows a co-creation process, ensuring that interventions are designed with direct input from pupils and educators. A mixed-methods research approach, evaluates the impact of music activities on pupil engagement and well-being. Findings will be shared with policymakers, educators, the school sector, and welfare services to develop a transferable model applicable to schools nationally and internationally.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALGroup music activity, co-created by pupils and music therapists, 1x/week over 1 school semester
Group music activity is a music therapy intervention where participants will performe activites such as songwriting, music production and singing. The sessions will be conducted by an appropriately qualified music therapist, with support from the teacher and the researcher.
BEHAVIORALUsual school schedule over 1 school semester
The participants will at first only attend a ordinary school schedule over 1 semester without group music activity. The next semester the participants will be followed by group music activity plus orinary school schedule.
Sponsors
NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS
University of South-Eastern Norway
Nordahl Grieg videregående skole
STIFTINGA BERGEN KATEDRALSKOLE
Årstad videregående skole
Hyssingen Produksjonsskole
Knarvik videregående skole
Sotra videregående skole
Amalie Skram videregående skole
Olsvikåsen videregående skole
VESTLAND FYLKESKOMMUNE OPPLÆRING OG KOMPETANSE
STIFTELSEN VESTNORSK JAZZSENTER
Fyllingsdalen videregående skole
Møhlenpris idrettslag
GIVE MUSIC A CHANCE - NORWAY
NAV Vestland
Bergen kommune, Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek
Aalborg University, Department of Communication & Psychology
University of Jyvaskyla
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Cluster-randomised, school-based, crossover trial, with semester as intervention period and school holidays as washout period
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
15 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Pupils from the area Bergen, Norway. * High school pupils. * Sufficient Scandinavian language skills. * Between age 15-25.
Exclusion criteria
* Does not speak a Scandinavian language sufficiently. * Planning to change school during the school year. * Uncorrected hearing impairment.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Absence from school (any reason) | 4 months, 10 months | Days of absence from school for any reason per semester, from school records |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Absence from school (unexcused) | 4 months, 10 months | Days of unexcused absence from school per semester, from school records |
| Healthy Use of Music Scale (HUMS Healthy) | 0 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months | Self-reported healthy music use. The scale consists of 5 items, each scored 1-5, to produce a total sum score from 5-25. Higher scores indicate more favourable use of music. |
| Generalised Resistance Resources in School Scale (GRRS) | 0 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months | Self-reported generalised resistance resources in school. The scale consists of 9 items, each scored 1-5, to produce a total sum score from 9-45. Higher scores indicate a more favourable outcome (high degree of generalised resistance resources). Additionally there are 3 subscales (relational quality; task mastery in school; school motivation). |
| Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) | 0 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months | Self-reported well-being. The scale consists of 14 items, each scored 1-5, summed to to produce a global score from 14-70. Higher scores indicate better mental well-being. |
| Academic engagement (subscale of Positive Youth Development, PYD) | 0 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months | Self-reported academic engagement. The scale consists of 5 items, each scored 1-5. Mean scores are estimated. Score from 1-5. Higher scores indicate higher levels of academic engagement. |
| Positive values (subscale of Positive Youth Development, PYD) | 0 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months | Self-reported positive values. The scale consists of 10 items, each scored 1-5. Mean scores are estimated. Score from 1-5. Higher scores indicate higher levels of positive values. |
| Social competencies (subscale of Positive Youth Development, PYD) | 0 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months | Self-reported social competencies. The scale consists of 8 items, each scored 1-5. Mean scores are estimated. Score from 1-5. Higher scores indicate higher levels of social competencies. |
| UCLA Loneliness Scale, short version | 0 months, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months | Self-reported loneliness. The scale consists of 3 items, each scored 1-3, to produce a total sum score from 3-9. Higher scores indicate less favourable outcomes (greater loneliness). |
| Adverse events | 4 months, 10 months | Serious or non-serious, related or unrelated to study activities; reported by teachers |
Countries
Norway
Contacts
CONTACTViggo Krüger, PhD
CONTACTMay Olaug Horverak, PhD
Outcome results
None listed