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Episcopal Day School student chosen for
national ‘Discovery Young Scientist’ competition

LAKE CHARLES – Can the mere sound of music help human beings improve their tolerance for pain?

That was the question Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School sixth grader Annabel Rose posed for her science project.

Although a seemingly simple question, the experiment itself proved no easy task. The young student researcher had to round up 50 test subjects, get them to complete a consent form to participate in the experiment – and then convince them to plunge their arms into a bucket of ice water for as long as they could stand it; not just once, but twice.

The effort paid off, however. Rose won first place in Behavioral and Social Sciences at the Louisiana International Science & Engineering Fair last month in Baton Rouge – as well as an invitation to compete in the national Discovery Young Scientist Challenge 2001. The daughter of William and Della Rose, granddaughter William and Kay Blake and great-granddaughter of Violet Hardtner Howell, all of Lake Charles, also received a second-place award for Outstanding Achievement in Social and Behavioral Science Research from Douglas A. Green and Associates, Inc.

“I was very surprised,” Rose says of being a top student scientist in the state. “It was very exciting. We went anyway because we thought it would be a really good educational experience; I didn’t expect to win.”

Indeed, the middle school pupil was surprised that the eight-judge panel selected her project not only for first-place honors, but for two special awards as well – particularly since it took third in the Region 5 Science Fair at McNeese State University in March. Ironically, the young student wasn’t able to attend the state awards ceremony; her cousin accepted her accolades for her.

Rose chose the research topic after reading about alternative pain therapies in a magazine her mother shared with her. “I wanted to test people because I thought it would be more interesting,” Rose says. “It was fun, but it was a lot harder than I thought it would be to convince people to do it. A lot of the younger kids were afraid. Nobody was like, ‘Yes! I get to do it again!’”

The project – entitled “Can Music Affect Pain Tolerance?” – first had to be approved by an Institutional Review Board made up of professional scientists who reviewed her proposed methods for testing human beings. Over a two-month period, Rose prepared an ice chest filled with ice and water chilled to about 38 degrees. Subjects were asked to submerse their forearm into the water for as long as they could tolerate it while Rose monitored their progress with a stopwatch. They were then asked to repeat the act with the other arm – this time donning a set of headphones and listening to music from a selection she provided, ranging from The Beatles to the multi-artist album Now5.

Her findings: The test subjects were able to withstand pain an average of 21 seconds longer when they had musical distraction.

Rose noted that research indicates treatment for pain can be as simple as providing distraction or as complicated as providing anesthesia. “People may try to ease pain with pharmacological or non-pharmacological management techniques,” Rose noted in her report. “Many people prefer non-pharmacological treatment when it is possible.”

She hypothesized that distraction from pain increasingly could be used by hospitals and physicians as an alternative to drug therapy. She suggested such wide-ranging methods as praying, watching videos, blowing bubbles and, of course, listening to music. In fact, Rose discovered while conducting her trials that some area medical professionals are beginning to offer such pain management therapies in their practices. “This experiment,” Rose noted in her conclusion, “shows that there are simple, yet effective methods of managing human pain – especially in children. This information could help doctors to keep patients (mostly children) from being overly anxious about medical procedures …. Children would greatly appreciate this effort!”

Rose’s project will be entered this summer in the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge 2001. The national science contest for middle school students is designed to encourage the exploration, understanding and communication of science among the next generation of America’s youth. From 6,500 competitors, judges will choose 40 finalists to travel to Washington, D.C., and compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships.

“The Science Fairs at the local, regional, state and national levels provide a unique opportunity for students to learn sound research techniques in areas of special interest. These experiences help students develop valuable research skills,” says the Rev. Frances “Boo” Kay, principal of Episcopal Day School. “Annabel took her project from a simple idea through all the stages to a presentation that was both fact-finding and rewarding. It shows that young minds can make a difference in ‘real world’ problems.”

Despite having an apparent natural knack for the scientific method, Rose hasn’t yet made up her mind about the role it will play in her plans for the future. For now, she’s happy getting to do something more in the classroom than just read about other people’s findings in a textbook.

“I like doing hands-on science work,” she says. “Science is my favorite subject this year because like on the first day we did a lab experiment and that was really fun. It’s better than just sitting there in a class hearing about it.”

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