Fact or Fiction – Music Therapy

Music therapy is a relatively new treatment for autism that some parents and caregivers swear by.  Below, we discuss what music therapy is and review scientific literature testing the efficacy of music therapy for treating autism.

What is music therapy?

Music therapy is the clinical use of music to accomplish individualized goals such as reducing stress, improving mood, and self-expression. It is an evidence-based therapy that may include listening, singing, composing music, or playing instruments.

Does music therapy work?

Maybe. There is evidence both supporting and denying the efficacy of music therapy.  Research supporting music therapy claims that it reduces anxiety and can alleviate social problems in autistic children.  However, other studies found that music therapy has no effect on improving social flexibility, responsiveness, or attentiveness.  It is possible that different people may achieve different results with intervention.  Similarly, music therapy may be a good treatment for certain symptoms of autism but not others.  It is important to note that music therapy should be discussed with your primary care provider to ensure that this therapy is used properly.

If you would like to learn more about music therapy and autism, please see the articles below:

• Music Therapy as a Treatment Modality for Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Music therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder: This study assessed music therapy for those with autism spectrum disorder through randomized, controlled trials with different groups receiving music therapy, standard care, and no treatment. The findings of this updated review provide evidence that music therapy may help children with ASD to improve their skills in primary outcome areas that constitute the core of the condition, including social interaction, verbal communication, initiating behavior, and social-emotional reciprocity. Music therapy may also help to enhance non-verbal communication skills within the therapy context. Furthermore, in secondary outcome areas, music therapy may contribute to increasing social adaptation skills in children with ASD and promote the quality of parent-child relationships. In contrast to the studies included in an earlier version of this review, published in 2006, the new studies included in this update enhanced the applicability of findings to clinical practice. More research using larger samples and generalized outcome measures is needed to corroborate these findings and to examine whether the effects of music therapy are enduring. When applying the results of this review to practice, it is important to note that the application of music therapy requires specialized academic and clinical training.
• Music interventions for children with autism: narrative review of the literature: This is a literature review emphasizing the contradiction in support of music therapy in those with autism. After searching relevant databases, 128 articles were identified, of which 20 met the study’s inclusion criteria. Composed songs and improvisational music therapy were the predominant music techniques used in the included studies. There was somewhat limited evidence to support the use of music interventions under certain conditions to facilitate social, communicative, and behavioral skills in young children with autism. The implications of these findings in terms of use of music interventions, issues related to generalization and maintenance, and future research are discussed.
• The Effect of Music Therapy and Aromatherapy with Chamomile-Lavender Essential Oil on the Anxiety of Clinical Nurses: A Randomized and Double-Blind Clinical Trial.: This study aimed to determine the anxiolytic (anxiety reducing) effects of music therapy, lavender essential oil, and chamomile essential oil. The study was performed by nurses and measured anxiety after usage of the targeted methods. Results showed that the interventions of music therapy and chamomile-lavender essential oil could reduce the anxiety of the participants and was recommended for use.

Article by: Katie Mcgraw and The Autism ToolKit