Individualized Music Playlist Based on Iso-Principle for De-Escalating Agitation of People With Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of the Individualized Music Playlist based on Iso-Principle for de-escalating agitation of people with dementia and provide preliminary evidence about its efficacy. Methods: The randomized participants listened to either a 30-min music playlist or a book-reading audio script twice weekly for six weeks, and when agitation occurred. Their agitation level was observed every 5 min from the beginning of an agitation episode for an hour to monitor its trajectory over a 2-week period. Multilevel models with maximum likelihood analysis was conducted. The frequency of agitation and other behavioural symptoms was assessed at baseline and the 6th week and analysed with Generalized Estimating Equations. Results: Twenty-four participants were recruited, and 10 presented 36 agitation episodes during the first two weeks of observation. The recruitment and retention rates were 85.7% and 83.3%, respectively. A total of 97.2% of the intervention and control conditions were delivered as planned. The intervention was not more effective than the control condition in de-escalating agitation or reducing agitation and other behavioural symptoms. Overall, agitation symptoms were apparently alleviated in the first 10 min, with a decelerated pace observed thereafter. Conclusions: The intervention was feasible, and its efficacy in de-escalating agitation is yet to be confirmed.