Using music to decrease disruptive vocalizations in a man with dementia

Music played through headphones was noted to reduce the disruptive chanting and speech‐like vocalizations of a 68‐year‐old man who lived in a secure dementia unit. We conducted a variety of assessment procedures, including a functional analysis ‘alone’ condition, to identify why this simple intervention may have been effective for this individual. The data suggest that music provided an alternative source of auditory stimulation to that produced by automatically reinforced vocal behavior. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.