Preliminary Impact of an African Drumming for Dementia Intervention on Psychosocial Outcomes In African Americans with Alzheimer’s Disease and Their Caregivers

Background: Culturally relevant interventions that optimize the functioning of African Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), alleviate caregiver burden, and promote person-centered care are imperative. African Americans face disproportionately high rates of AD, experience AD-related health disparities, and remain underrepresented in AD research. Music interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in previous studies, improving anxiety, depression, agitation, mood, and autobiographical memory recall.

Method: Participants in this stage 1A pilot trial (N=36) included racial/ethnic minority older adults living with early-stage AD (n=14) and their caregivers (n=12), and a sample of active seniors (n=10). This pilot study aimed to assess a novel west African drumming intervention’s feasibility and acceptability, as well as preliminary impacts on psychosocial outcomes such as mood, quality of life, self-esteem, and self-efficacy for individuals with early-stage AD and active seniors, as well as burden for caregivers.

Results: The intervention demonstrated high feasibility and acceptability, with strong retention and positive feedback from participants. Quantitative results showed statistically significant improvements in caregiver quality of life and self-efficacy, and reduced caregiver burden (p<.05). Among older adults, improvements were observed in mood, quality of life, and self-esteem, providing evidence of clinical significance, though not statistically significant. Qualitative interviews displayed enhanced emotional well-being and improved memory recall among care recipients, as well as stress relief and increased connection for caregivers.

Conclusions and Implications: The results of this study suggest that culturally grounded, arts-based interventions like African Drumming for Dementia hold promise for enhancing the emotional well-being, self-efficacy, and quality of life of individuals living with dementia and their caregivers. The observed improvements in psychological outcomes underscore the potential of rhythm-based group activities to foster connection, reduce stress, and promote resilience in caregiving relationships. Importantly, the intervention’s cultural relevance may have contributed to its acceptability and engagement, highlighting the value of integrating culturally meaningful practices into health promotion strategies for diverse communities. Given the hybrid delivery model necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the study also offers insights into the adaptability of such interventions across in-person and virtual formats. This flexibility could be particularly valuable in expanding access to underserved or geographically isolated populations. Further research is needed to test its effectiveness.