MACT

Today is the final post for my video series on Music Therapy + Cognition. I’ve had so much fun putting these videos together! You can catch up on the past posts and videos here:

Part 1: Using the clarinet to work on localization

Part 2: Using rhythm instruments to work on auditory perception skills

Today I’m sharing a video of a Musical Attention Control Training (MACT) experience.

MACT experiences can target one or more of the following types of attention: sustained, divided, selective, and alternating.

This video demonstrates an intervention where I use two different color scarves, an original song, and my uke to address sustained attention and a bit of alternating attention.

Watch to see how:

There is a LOT going on here. Through this one musical experience I’m targeting:

  • Sustained attention
  • Direction following
  • Stop & go and impulse control (“shake scarf annnnnd…..freeze!”)
  • Color identification
  • Body part identification
  • Alternating attention (“shake the pink scarf on your nose, shake the blue scarf on your back!”)

That is one of the things I love the most about music therapy – although we have one overarching goal for an intervention (to improve attention skills), there are so many other skills we can sneak in there to practice.

Now I’d love to hear from you about how you address cognitive skills in a creative way in your sessions.

Leave a comment to let us know!