Group drumming for social and emotional regulation

At the end of the Indonesian gamelan workshop, the hearing-impaired boy came up to me with a big smile. I'd purposefully put him on the biggest gong, knowing that he should be able to feel the vibrations clearly. He signed to me, ‘I feel great! Look! I've got my gong face on!’

Over the past 20 years of leading global arts workshops in schools, my team and I often had children expressing joy at the end of workshops. But it had always puzzled me – was this just an expression from having participated in an uplifting group-drumming activity or did it go deeper? Was there really any benefit to the social and emotional wellbeing of the children participating and, if so, how could we prove it?

Broader context

This was my starting point for what ended up becoming a core part of our work in schools. I attended a Mental Health Youth First Aid course which gave the following shocking statistics:

• 50% of mental health issues are established by age 14
• 10% of people aged 5–16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder
• Suicide is the most common cause of death for people aged 5–19.

And these in relation to a class of 30 15-year-olds:

• 10 are likely to have watched their parents separate
• 7 are likely to have been bullied
• 6 may be self-harming
• 1 could have experienced the death of a parent.

The most common mental health issues in young people are anxiety and depression, and the First Aid course does a superb job of highlighting how to spot the early signs.

Further study

Through my research, I came across the HealthRHYTHMS protocol developed by Remo (the world's largest drum company) and neuroscientists at the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute. Through rigorous scientific research and testing, which including taking blood samples, this study found that people who participated in group drumming had boosted immune systems and reduced levels of stress, burnout or anxiety. I travelled to the US to undergo HealthRHYTHMS training and have since been facilitating HealthRHYTHMS workshops in a wide range of settings, from school staffrooms to prisons or corporate events. I find that participants have a lighter mood by the end of workshops.

As part of my journey, I also trained as a facilitator for Rhythm2Recovery and Beat the Odds. The programme Rhythm2Recovery, led by Australian psychologist Simon Faulkner, offers some great rhythmic games to use in the classroom that are based on the latest neuroscience research into the benefits of group drumming. The Beat the Odds programme, developed by UCLA and Remo, is an eight-week course specifically designed for school children who are struggling with their social and emotional regulation.

Putting learning into practice

At the height of COVID, when schools were due to reopen in September 2020, UK government guidance stated that musical instruments couldn't be shared and that singing was not allowed in the classroom. Using funding from the Arts Council England Emergency Response Fund, we released in August 2020 the #BodyPercussion #RecoveryCurriculum which was based on the HealthRHYTHMS, Rhythm2Recovery and Beat the Odds insights, and on guidance from Oxford Brookes University and professor Barry Carpenter's Recovery Curriculum. We were amazed that in just three weeks the #BodyPercussion #RecoverCurriculum had been downloaded and used by over 200,000 children in schools spanning 27 countries!

One of the key benefits of the Beat the Odds programme is how the drum becomes a form of expression for children who struggle to express themselves verbally. Last term, a 10-year-old girl in one of my Beat the Odds groups (in a west London school), started the programme quite loud and gregariously, often wanting to be the centre of attention. After a couple of weeks, she was withdrawn in the sessions and unwilling to share her emotions. Over the weeks, the drumming activities helped her open up and at the end of one activity, which used shakers as analogy for feelings, she shared that she was feeling sad as her grandmother was unwell. This was a big step forwards for her, to feel comfortable sharing her feelings with the group. In Week 7, she came late into the room with a sad demeanour and didn't join in the drumming activities initially. However, when the opportunity came to use the drum as a tool to express emotions, she willingly and creatively shared how she was feeling. The activities in Week 7 were focused on managing stress and anxiety. She shared at the end of the session how drumming was the highlight of her week and she wanted to continue drumming, despite the end of the session. In any event, she danced out of the room!

Another child at the beginning of the programme appeared anxious at trying new things, preferring to watch others before joining in with the drumming. However, by Week 4, they became one of the most responsive members of the group; they often wanted to take the lead in activities and use the drum as a tool to express their feelings (positive and negative). This positive engagement encouraged their friends to participate fully, too.

Practical tips

So, if you would like to facilitate a group-drumming programme for children who need help with their social and emotional regulation, what are the key things to consider?

Preparation:

• Work with school staff and Key Workers to build profiles of the children using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs), to ensure you are sensitive to their needs.
• Keep the age-range of groups narrow to ensure that children are comfortable sharing emotions and not hindered by older or younger children.
• Choose instruments carefully. For example, many children who struggle with social and emotional regulation also struggle with loud sounds, so consider softer-sounding drums and mallets, softer shakers and woodblocks.

Process, not performance:

• Many children become anxious at the thought of playing something wrong. They also have increased anxiety when performing to others at the end. There should be no pressure; sessions shouldn't culminate in a performance.
• Make sure that the children are aware of common ‘drum-circle’ principles: every drum and every person is important; the drum-circle is a community that supports each other; and the aim is to have fun while drumming!
• Be prepared to spend longer on a rhythmic activity if it's obvious that this is benefiting the group. Also, don't be afraid to scrap an activity if it isn't working.

Personal expression:

• Use a variety of rhythmic games to help build confidence. Include fun rhythmic icebreakers (games using shaky eggs are my favourite!) and call-and-response games.
• Don't teach! Children often experience feelings of anxiety and failure if they are not able to achieve a task that their peers can, or if they anticipate they won't. Therefore, to foster an environment of acceptance and positivity, don't ‘teach’ rhythms – simply offer suggestions of grooves/feels, regardless of ability or perceived ability. Adopting this approach will allow children to express and improve their creativity, and creates a positive environment in which they can open up about their feelings and emotions.
• Follow the participants' direction. Every individual has different needs and therefore every group is different. Be aware that many rhythmic exercises are reflective and may open deep feelings that need time for discussion.
• Use calming breathing activities over a slow heartbeat pulse, played on a low-sounding drum. Neuroscientists have discovered how controlled breathing (e.g. breathing out twice as long as breathing in) dramatically reduces anxiety.

Positive declarations:

• Neuroscientists have discovered that words spoken in time to a rhythmic pulse release dopamine in the body. Use rhythmic positive word-phrases or declarations to affirm and encourage the children in a positive outlook on life.
• If all this is out of your comfort zone, keep reminding yourself: ‘I can do it!’

Inspire-Works' Beat-the-Odds programme: inspire-works.co.uk/school-health

#BodyPercussion #RecoveryCurriculum: inspire-works.co.uk/recovery-curriculum