Journal article
Adults With Down Syndrome Performed Continuous Bimanual Drumming Faster Than Unimanual Drumming
Journal of motor learning and development, Vol.14(1), pp.1-8
01/01/2026
DOI: 10.1123/jmld.2025-0032
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine how music cues affect drumming performance in unimanual and bimanual movements in persons with DS and to compare music with other types of timing cues. Twenty persons with Down syndrome (DS), 20 mental age-matched (MA), and 20 chronological age-matched (CA) participants hit one or two drum(s) with their hand(s) for 12 s while following 1 Hz pacing cues. There were four cue types: music (e.g., a tune with various decibel drum beats), rhythm (e.g., sound of drumbeat), verbal (e.g., computer saying “drum”), and visual (e.g., video of one or both hand(s) moving up and down to hit the drum). The results showed that, compared to the MA and CA groups, persons with DS made faster drumming movements across all cue types. Across all groups, bimanual movements were performed faster than unimanual movements. These findings suggest that unimanual and bimanual tasks are distinct movements for all groups. Furthermore visual instructions produced the largest movements; however, this was most evident in the CA group. Our results were interpreted with respect to theories of cerebral specialization, group, cue, and task differences.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Adults With Down Syndrome Performed Continuous Bimanual Drumming Faster Than Unimanual Drumming
- Creators
- Shannon D.R. Ringenbach - Arizona State UniversityTaylor Ulery - Arizona State UniversityChih-Chia Chen - University of IowaBreanna E. Studenka - Utah State UniversityMiya K. Rand - Arizona State University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of motor learning and development, Vol.14(1), pp.1-8
- DOI
- 10.1123/jmld.2025-0032
- ISSN
- 2325-3193
- eISSN
- 2325-3215
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Grant note
- Jrme Lejeune Foundation Arizona State University and his family
This research was supported by the Jerome Lejeune Foundation. Much appreciation goes to our participants, Sharing Down Syndrome, Down Syndrome Network, Tom Lambke, Raising Special Kids, and all the students who helped with data collection in the Sensorimotor Developmental Research Laboratory. Authors' Note: In memoriam of Tom Lambke who passed away in July of 2016, who was the biggest supporter of his son Bryan, who had Down syndrome, and of my research. There was always a smile on his face and he was always willing to help. Also, in memoriam of Taylor Ulery, who passed in August 2017. Taylor was an undergraduate student at Arizona State University who completed this research as part of his Undergraduate Honors Thesis. Taylor was curious and kind, and often asked about continued research in my lab and loved Arizona State University and his family.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/01/2026
- Academic Unit
- Health, Sport, and Human Physiology
- Record Identifier
- 9985139303702771
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