Musical Training to Enhance Resilience of Underprivileged School-aged Children

Instrumental musical training will progress from basic (playing simple notes) to advanced levels (playing an entire song). Key training elements will include fundamental music knowledge and skills, music improvisation, rhythm, and pitch identification exercises. In particular, the core concepts of resilience will be incorporated into the training process through various gamified music activities.

Participants in the active placebo control group will participate in weekly 1-hour group-based indoor community leisure activities for 6 months. These activities will include (i) drawing, (ii) drama workshops, (iii) cartoon film screenings, (iv) handcraft workshops, (v) board games, and (vi) exercise classes. Each activity will span for four sessions, that is, totally 24 sessions and will be delivered by trained staff at the study centres of the collaborating non-governmental organisations.