The opportunities that music brings to the therapeutic process are endless. Communication, motor movement, processing, stimulation, sensory elements, and so much more are easily accessed through the use of music alone. As a certified music therapist, I have had the privilege to witness first hand how the power of music increases growth and empowers individuals and families in this way. I love getting to watch music benefit the lives of individuals everyday through this growing profession. Considering this, I decided to elaborate on how music therapy compliments the therapeutic goals and IEP goals for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). I am passionate about this population, among many others and feel strongly that individuals with ASD should receive quality care in all areas of life.
In my experience, ASD looks, sounds, and presents itself differently in every child. The saying, “If you have met one child with autism, you have met one child with autism” rings true every. Single. Time. There is beauty in this, but it definitely does NOT make an easy job for science. ASD can still be a highly controversial diagnosis in many settings and even in many homes. The history of therapy for this population can be both inspiring and heartbreaking to those who know how far the world of healthcare has come in regards to individuals diagnosed with ASD. All of this is exciting as we see research lead to successes being documented, especially with music therapy.
According to this particular article, statistics show that 1 in 88 children in the United States are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (LaGasse, 2014). However, recent statistics in the US report a frequency as high as 1 in 59 children (CDC, 2019). ASD is defined in short, as a neurodevelopmental disorder. Current research suggests that neurological aspects influence specific features of ASD. Some of these directly relate to motor deficits and difficulties with sensory processing. However, research also confirms that individuals with ASD demonstrate different musical processing skills, in that the activation of their brain surpasses that of neurotypical or normally developing individuals (LaGasse, 2014). So, good news: music is a multisensory medium! AND it works!
You may ask, “What is one of the biggest challenges for children with ASD?” I would venture to say that one of the largest areas of focus in general is socialization and communication. Therefore, it may be language development we are trying to foster; other times it is socialization skills and interactions that are required on a daily basis that we are trying to build on or make more tolerable through music therapy. Expressive, receptive, verbal, nonverbal- all of these fall under social and communicative areas of development. One way music therapy can help children that battle issues like this is through group interventions.
Studies show that music therapy can improve social behaviors and joint attention in children with ASD. LaGasse delves into what impact music therapy has in a group setting along with areas of focus within the groups, which included eye gaze, joint attention, and communication. To examine this in the study children ages 6-9 with ASD were assigned a music therapy group or a non-music therapy group. The children participated in ten 50-minute sessions over the next 5 weeks. Each group was designed to target social skills.
Social skills are important to be addressed in children with autism because the lack of development in these skills will have lifelong implications(LaGasse, 2014). It is stressed that social skills are needed in every relationship and activity. Noting this, another important piece of research is referenced in this article, stating that, “ The notion that persons with ASD do not want to be involved in their environment is being challenged as self-advocates with autism indicate that it is not a matter of wanting to interact; rather, they have an inability to follow through or tolerate the desired interaction”. Key words there are inability and desired. As research like this advances, it is becoming more apparent that by helping develop these skills in children with ASD, we are also giving them tools to enhance their overall quality of life.
The outcome of this study was very interesting. Through the use of uniform scales to measure the changes in social behaviors, the results found over this brief period of time that the music therapy group showed more improvements. Positive differences primarily showed up in attention with peers and eye gaze towards individuals (LaGasse, 2014).
These results are important because they validate techniques being used in music therapy and highlight an issue that has a lasting impact on the ASD population. In the music therapy group of this study, some intervention tools used were rhythmic cueing, rhythmic deep pressure exercises with songs, instrument playing, as well as music and movement. For both groups the goals were the same, however, outcomes for the music therapy group were different. Both groups had interventions revolving around group interactions, cooperative play, and sensory experiences. Musically, rhythmic and structural components can provide a cue or foundation externally that assist individual’s with ASD in organizing their responses to their surroundings (LaGasse, 2014). This one fact supports why the music therapy group had higher positive outcomes.
This article is one of many that scientifically support the use of music therapy for children with ASD. The importance of early intervention and consistent complimentary treatments like music therapy cannot be advised enough by professionals. It is my hope that through being able to share small pieces of this, that parents, teachers, and current therapists will continue to take initiative and stay updated on ASD research. This relates to our professions, our caregivers, our community, and most importantly our loved ones impacted by this diagnosis everyday. Lets keep advocating for and supporting these individuals! If you don’t already receive music therapy services, or want to know more about how music therapy helps other populations, lets talk! Three-Chord Music Therapy Services can help you connect with a music therapist near you.
Blythe LaGasse (2014). Effects of a Music Therapy Group Intervention on Enhancing Social Skills in Children with Autism, Journal of Music Therapy, 51,(3). 250–275.