Abstract
Drumming, an ancient practice used throughout the world, was originally intended for ceremony, bonding, healing, communication, music, and more. Today, drumming has become recognized as a complementary therapy that can help a multitude of populations improve their physical and mental health. Research has specifically shown that drumming may ease anxiety and depression, help children and adults with autism, and aid in addiction recovery and more. One of the significant benefits of drumming is that people without prior experience can jump right in without musical training or knowledge.
Jim Donovan, MEd, Chair of Fine Arts, Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania, and a multi-platinum recording artist, commented, “The documented health benefits of drumming are many. During my 18 years of teaching experience, I have repeatedly witnessed health benefits that include stress reduction, increased ability to focus, increased social connection, improved mood, and brain stimulation, to name a few. Specifically, I have seen people with depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and people who feel socially isolated have significant positive responses to drumming.”
Formerly voted Drum Circle Facilitator of the Year by Drum! Magazine, Donovan now teaches organizations, therapists, healthcare professionals, occupational therapists, teachers, and teachers' aides how to facilitate drumming groups, including training that is appropriate for non-musicians and is designed specifically to help people with autism. 1 Donovan said that drumming helps people with autism by helping them to focus for longer periods of time, by slowing down the speed of brain waves, and by creating social connection. He commented, “When people with autism have opportunities to drum together, they experience social connection without having to have a conversation. If facilitated correctly, these experiences are zero pressure and fail proof so that the focus is on the process of making music together rather than the perfection of it. In other words, we care less about what it sounds like and more about the fact that people are doing it together.”
With a good teacher or drum circle leader, Donovan suggested that drumming is accessible to anyone who is willing. “The system I teach encourages a focus on creative expression and achieving the wellness benefits of drumming over becoming the perfect musician,” Donovan said. He added, “I have found this philosophy to be a key element that makes drumming accessible to everyone because we eliminate the fear of failure. It also accepts people exactly as they are regardless of ability and musical skill.”
Debbie Bates, a music therapist at Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, agreed that being actively engaged in a music experience can positively affect one's physical and emotional health. She commented, “Active music making of any kind can create a sense of connection, which can positively affect mood and decrease feelings of isolation or anxiety. It can help to build rapport or promote feelings of control through instrument or intervention choice. Drumming, specifically, can encourage movement, which can be physically motivating.”
Drums and other rhythmic percussion instruments are particularly approachable and provide an opportunity for immediate engagement in a music experience, since extensive instruction is often not needed, according to Bates. She said, “A person can tap on a drum with one finger, one or both hands, or a mallet and be part of the music that is happening within a music therapy session.” She added, “Music therapists may use different types of hand drums that vary in size, shape, and type, and variety is important. If a patient is feeling withdrawn or hesitant, a very small drum might be appealing. If a patient is feeling confident or angry, a larger or louder drum might be a better match for the person.”
Bates said that she often uses drums in improvisation. She commented, “I remember starting a session with a patient on the bone marrow transplant unit and asking about songs that matched how she felt. She wasn't able to identify any, so I asked if she would be willing to choose a drum and improvise how she was feeling. She did this and then talked about the improvisation and how it reflected her feelings, which allowed her to choose a song that really resonated with her emotions and experience in that moment. Improvisation was a key factor in helping her to connect with her emotions in a different way, and both music experiences provided opportunities for self-expression.”
Research
Donovan et al. at Saint Francis University studied whether simple rhythm strategies or percussion interventions could help people with autism increase attention to task (i.e., the length of time they focus on a task). 2 In this study, occupational therapists were trained in percussion exercises to use with their autism population. Donovan commented on the results: “The surprising result after our 10-week study was an average increase of 189% in length of time the child would pay attention. Some of the outliers increased as much as 400% in length of time in attention.” Other findings from the study included the fact that extremely sound sensitive people needed softer instruments, and a variety of ability levels in drumming interventions are recommended because for high-functioning children, the intervention strategies offered in this study were too simple and the students became bored easily, according to Donovan. In the study, the authors commented that research suggests that percussion instrument techniques also “work well with people diagnosed with stroke, traumatic brain injury, mental illness, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias.” 2
Another study explored the effects of drumming on depression, anxiety, and social resilience as well as inflammatory markers among a population utilizing mental-health services. 3 Participants experienced a 90-minute session of call-and-response drumming and learned drumming patterns once a week for 6–10 weeks. Compared to a control group, the drumming group significantly improved their sense of well-being, had decreased anxiety and depression scores, and improved social resilience. In addition, upon measuring salivary inflammatory markers, the authors reported a shift away from a pro-inflammatory toward an anti-inflammatory immune profile. The authors stated, “Consequently, this study demonstrates the psychological benefits of group drumming and also suggests underlying biological effects, supporting its therapeutic potential for mental health.” 3
Looking at the connection between drumming and mental-health recovery, Perkins et al. reported that drumming acts “as a connection with life through rhythm, and as a grounding experience that both generates and liberates energy.” 4 The authors reported that group drumming facilitates “feelings of belonging, acceptance, safety and care, and new social interactions.” 4 In terms of the mechanism of action of how drumming may help improve health and well-being, Perkins et al. stated that focusing on music may help decrease worry and depression, deep breathing may help reduce anxiety, learning keeps the brain active, and the social aspects of drumming may decrease loneliness and lead to relaxation.
Conclusion
Clinicians might consider the health benefits and power of drumming for their patients who suffer from a wide variety of conditions and who would benefit from participating in the expressive arts. Donovan stated, “In the time I have been sharing the benefits of drumming with people, I've seen it go from a practice that was widely dismissed to one that increasing numbers of people are paying attention to. Of course, peer-reviewed research helps the cause immensely. Beyond that, drumming provides a non-pharmaceutical way to address and make an impact on so many populations.” ■