The voice of parents who have used Rhythmic Movement Training with their child A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education University of Canterbury College of Education, Health and Human Development Tessa M Grigg 2016 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... V ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ VI CHAPTER 1. WHY RESEARCH RETAINED PRIMITIVE REFLEXES? ....................................... 1 1.1. AN INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1. Aim of the project ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1.2. Research questions .............................................................................................................. 2 1.1.3. Researcher interest in the topic and pre-study understandings ....................................... 2 1.2. REFLEXES DEFINED ......................................................................................................................... 4 1.3. INTRODUCTION SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER 2. WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT REFLEXES? LITERATURE REVIEW ......................... 7 2.1. METHODS OF THE REVIEW .............................................................................................................. 7 2.2. RETAINED PRIMITIVE REFLEXES ...................................................................................................... 8 2.2.1. Motor development, cognitive development and retained reflexes ................................. 9 2.2.2. Behavioural issues and children with retained infant reflexes ....................................... 10 2.3. PROGRAMMES TO ADDRESS RETAINED PRIMITIVE REFLEXES .......................................................... 12 2.3.1. INPP and Primary Movement Programme ...................................................................... 13 2.3.2. RMT .................................................................................................................................... 17 2.4. PARENTAL EXPERIENCES ................................................................................................................ 18 2.5. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDIES SELECTED ...................................................................................... 19 2.6. IDEAS FOR FURTHER REFLEX INTEGRATION STUDY ....................................................................... 20 2.7. LITERATURE REVIEW SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 22 3.1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 22 3.2. HOW DOES THE RESEARCHER VIEW THE WORLD? ......................................................................... 22 3.1. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK – INTERPRETIVISM ............................................................................ 23 3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN ....................................................................................................................... 26 3.2.1. Phenomenological research .............................................................................................. 27 3.3. PHENOMENOLOGY AS A METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 28 Tessa M Grigg Page i 3.3.1. Hermeneutical phenomenology ........................................................................................28 3.4. METHODS AND TOOLS OF THE RESEARCH .................................................................................... 29 3.4.1. Participant selection ..........................................................................................................29 3.4.2. Ethical issues – Gaining consent ...................................................................................... 31 3.4.3. Data gathering ................................................................................................................... 33 3.4.4. Rigour and trustworthiness .............................................................................................. 34 3.4.5. Crystallisation or triangulation ........................................................................................36 3.4.6. Data analysis......................................................................................................................36 3.5. METHODOLOGY SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 4. FINDINGS ......................................................................................................... 42 4.1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 42 4.2. STEP 1 – THE CHILD – IDENTIFYING A NEED FOR INTERVENTION ................................................... 43 4.3. THEME 1: PLEASE HELP ME! ........................................................................................................... 43 Sub-theme: Stress and frustration ................................................................................................................ 46 4.3.1. Theme 2: Self-responsibility ............................................................................................. 47 Sub-theme: Research ..................................................................................................................................... 48 Sub-theme: Programmes used ...................................................................................................................... 49 Sub-theme: Finding RMT .............................................................................................................................. 50 4.3.2. Summary of Step 1 – Theme 1 and 2 .................................................................................. 51 4.4. STEP 2 - RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT TRAINING – PERCEPTIONS OF THE PROGRAMME ........................ 51 4.4.1. Theme 3: Creativity with RMT .......................................................................................... 51 Sub-theme: Ease of use ................................................................................................................................... 53 Sub-theme: Commitment .............................................................................................................................. 54 4.4.2. Theme 4: Relationships and RMT ..................................................................................... 54 Sub-theme: Child ........................................................................................................................................... 54 Sub-theme: Practitioner ................................................................................................................................55 4.4.3. Summary of Step 2 – Theme 3 and 4 ................................................................................ 56 4.5. STEP 3 – EVALUATION - PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF RMT ............................................................ 56 4.5.1. Theme 5: RMT made a difference ...................................................................................... 57 Sub-theme: Skill Development ..................................................................................................................... 58 Physical ............................................................................................................................................................ 59 Cognitive and Social Skills ............................................................................................................................. 60 4.5.2. Theme 6: Low impact cost effective intervention ........................................................... 64 4.5.3. Summary of Step 3 – Theme 5 and 6 ................................................................................ 66 4.6. FINDINGS SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 66 Tessa M Grigg Page ii CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 67 5.1. THEME 1: PLEASE HELP ME! .......................................................................................................... 67 5.1.1. Sub-theme: Stress and frustration ................................................................................... 68 5.2. THEME 2: SELF-RESPONSIBILITY ................................................................................................... 70 5.2.1. Sub-theme: Research ......................................................................................................... 71 5.2.2. Sub-theme: Programmes used .........................................................................................