Music Therapy and Autism – A Scoping Review
Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes music and other elements to facilitate communication and expression, with the potential to address some of the core problems experienced by autistic individuals.
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Music therapy’s effectiveness for autistic children can be measured through various outcomes. These include behavioral, cognitive and emotional improvements [1, 2, 3]. Studies have revealed that both active music-making and receptive music engagement provide cognitive benefits to these kids with autism (mainly sustained attention and memory retention) as well as improved verbal communication skillsets.
Music therapy encompasses a range of methods, with the effectiveness depending on individual factors. Some therapists focus on teaching individuals how to communicate through music and incorporating it into daily life for increased independence and quality of life; others may seek to reduce symptoms like anxiety, aggression, and depression.
This review seeks to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the effects of music therapy on individuals with autism, encompassing behaviour, psychosocial and intellectual parameters. Furthermore, it highlights specific factors which have been shown to influence its effectiveness across different studies.
This research method utilized a scoping review of relevant studies using search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE and Scopus. Furthermore, articles were identified using keywords related to this study’s topic: music therapy, autism awareness, sound healing and therapeutic uses of sound.
From 2000 to 2015, two reviewers independently searched the literature for randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials comparing music therapy with standard care, or “placebo” therapy (no treatment or control). After categorising articles as ‘included’, ‘excluded’ or ‘unclear’, a summary table was constructed.
A total of 36 articles investigating sound-based interventions among children with autism were identified. Results showed that those who participated in a music intervention showed improvements in their language, social relationships and family quality of life compared to nonmusic controls. They also had improved functional connectivity between auditory and subcortical regions of their brain as well as between auditory and motor areas – circuitry which is over-connected in autism compared to nonmusic controls.
Music therapy is a well-established intervention for autistic children, yet more effective methods need to be discovered. Finding strategies that integrate social skill development into music therapy programs will be essential in order to guarantee the best possible outcomes for those with ASD.