SUMMARIES OF RESEARCH STUDIES
FROM EUROPE AND THE USA
A Retrospective Study from five centres in Europe.
A retrospective study was carried out in 1997 when
five centres using JST -in Scotland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden -each submitted details of
five randomly selected subjects for analysis. Twenty four files were randomly drawn from a
total of 975 subjects who had listened to JST tapes for at least 17 weeks. Their mean age was
10 years. Some of these centres were also working with additional stimulation techniques e.g.
reflex inhibition and visual training so it was impossible to rule out positive effects on
learning from these techniques. However, the authors concluded that JST is a means of
influencing both auditory acuity and laterality in a positive way. Parents' and teachers'
comments suggested that all the subjects had markedly improved language functions following
JST training.
For further information on this project contact:
info@johansensoundtherapy.com
A single case-study in Helsinki, Finland
In 1997/1998 an independent researcher at the University of Turku, Finland measured Event Related Potentials (ERPs) to study brain activity before and after JST while the subject listened to familiar single words. The subject - a boy of 4 years 9 months - watched a silent video while familiar words were presented through headphones. He was told to concentrate on the video and ignore the words. Following JST, the time and energy levels required to process - i.e. to register the incoming words - as measured by ERPs, was found to be reduced. The authors concluded that this might suggest an increase in speed, efficiency and automaticity in dealing with rapid auditory stimuli. Further studies using ERPs are currently being conducted.
For further information on this project see: www.dyslexia-lab.dk
A four year implementation project in Minneapolis
The largest studies to date, each with around 100 children, have been led by a speech and language therapist in a special school in Minneapolis USA since 1997/1998. Behaviours measured included auditory processing, auditory perceptual skills, pragmatic language, and communication skills. The authors concluded that JST can be implemented in a school setting with a large number of students and that the JST programme does positively change auditory processing skills. The more time spent listening to the JST tapes the better were the auditory processing skills.
For further information on this project see: www.dyslexia-lab.dk
A Retrospective Study at the Sensomotoric Center in Mjölby, Sweden
In the light of published results following the use of reflex- and visual stimulation programs together with Johansen Sound Therapy (Sohlman, 2000), and in the light of recent research, it was decided to carry out a retrospective study of students who had attended the Sensomotoric Center in Sweden.
The reported results from the clinical work in Mjölby (although the number of participants
in this retrospective study is limited) indicate that assessment procedures utilizing such
simple tools as audiometry and dichotic listening may provide valuable information about the
auditory difficulties of a language impaired child. At the same time they can provide the
necessary information for a remedial technique of which listening to specially composed and
specially recorded (individually formatted) music is an essential part.
For further information on this project see: www.dyslexia-lab.dk