Wings Learning Center: Music Therapy

Music Therapy and Autism
In the Special Education Setting

Defining Music Therapy

Due to its unique characteristics when compared with spoken language or the visual modality, music is an effective tool to mediate change in non-musical functioning for certain individuals. Research supports parallels between speech/singing, rhythm/motor behavior, memory for song/memory for academic material, and overall ability of preferred music to enhance mood, attention, and behavior to optimize the student's ability to learn and interact. Music therapists receive specialized training to address these areas by completing a baccalaureate or advanced degree program in music therapy in addition to national board certification.

Within a music therapy session, a targeted task relating to an IEP goal (e.g., counting to 10, learning prepositions, following a 2-step direction, taking turns, or describing an object) is presented through song or rhythmic cueing. The focus of sessions is first to provide the student with an assist through musical cueing followed by fading of music to aid in transfer to the non-music setting.

Link Between Autism and Music

Research documents that students with autism often exhibit a high level of preference for the music modality and show little deficit in processing musical components although they may have processing difficulties in non-musical areas. Many individuals with autism demonstrate a highly accurate memory for song lyrics, increased initiation of singing compared with speaking, and significant increases in attention, motivation, and emotional engagement during music activities.

Music Therapy as a Related Service

Before referring a student for an evaluation, the IEP team first considers whether the student has demonstrated enhanced responses to music and is also in need of supplemental assistance due to insufficient progress or severity of needs. If this is the case, a direct evaluation is then conducted to determine if the student's performance is significantly improved on IEP-related tasks when musical cueing is used. Because music therapy is an "overlap" service, it is not considered necessary if the student can achieve similar levels of success through services already being offered. If the student does qualify, services are provided by a credentialed music therapist on a direct or consult basis.

For additional questions or criteria sheet for school evaluations, please contact Michelle Lazar, MT-BC, Director of Coast Music Therapy and Consulting at (858) 453-5211

Coast Music Therapy: Revised 3/01

Rationale For Music Therapy Interventions

Cognitive / Academic

Songs act as a "mnemonic" device to aid in memory of new or difficult academic concepts by organizing information into smaller chunks making it easier to encode and retain. Musical presentation also provides an optimal learning environment for those students who are highly attentive to music activities but are often distractible with other modalities. Educational research supports that our ability to learn and later use new concepts and information is best when we are motivated and the material presented is meaningful to us.

Communication / Social Interaction

Because singing and speech share many similarities, yet are accessed differently by the brain, music strategies can be used as a rehabilitative approach to functional communication. Language skills such as asking and answering questions, maintaining a conversation, and using new vocabulary are embedded in song lyrics that the student is encouraged to sing during sessions followed by fading of music to spoken language.

In small groups, musical instruments and interactive songs are presented to address turn-taking, cooperative interaction, and other social skills including learning and role playing "social stories." Individualized tapes are often made for additional home practice of skills.

Motor Abilities

Research is highly conclusive in supporting rhythm as an external timekeeper for movement. Due to the nature of educational motor goals (e.g., handwriting, cutting, using playground equipment, etc.), music therapy is most often recommended as a direct intervention for students with severe orthopedic impairments, or basic goals such as imitating movement. In these cases, musical instruments are used with song cueing to target various grasps, improve coordination, and increase duration of participation. For higher functioning students, the music therapist can offer consult to the adapted physical education provider, occupational therapist, or physical therapist if needed.

Behavior / Sensory Concerns

These areas are frequently addressed through consult if it is shown that music is one of the key motivators for a particular student. Activities are designed to use music as a reward, contingency, transition aid, or to calm the student.

For additional questions or criteria sheet for school evaluations, please contact Michelle Lazar, MT-BC, Director of Coast Music Therapy and Consulting at (858) 453-5211

Coast Music Therapy: Revised 3/01

References

Music Therapy: Autism and Related Topics

General

Alvin, J. (1968): Music Therapy for the Autistic Child. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Alvin, J. & Warwick, A. (1991): Music Therapy for the Autistic Child (2nd ed.): Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Applebaum, E.,Egel, A.;Koegel, R.; and Imhoff, B. (1979): Measuring musical abilities of autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 9(3), 279-285.

Bettison, S. (1996): The long-term effects of auditory training on children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 26(3), 361-374.

Brown, S. (1994): Autism and music therapy-is change possible, and why music? Journal of British Music Therapy, 8(1), 15-25.

Bryan, A. (1989): Autistic group case study. Journal of British Music Therapy, 3(1), 16-21.

Kostka, M.J. (1993): A comparison of selected behaviors of a student with autism in special education and regular music classes. Music Therapy Perspectives, 11(2), 57-60.

Mahlberg, M. (1973): Music therapy in the treatment of an autistic child. Journal of Music Therapy, 10, 135-138.

Nakamura, K.; Toshima, T.; and Takemura, I. (1986): The comparative and developmental study of auditory information processing in autistic adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 16(2), 105-118.

Nelson, D.; Anderson V.; and Gonzales A. (1984): Music activities as therapy for children with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Music Therapy, 21(3), 100-116.

Robarts, J. (1998): Music therapy for children with autism. Children with Autism: Diagnosis and Intervention to Meet Their Needs: London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 172-202.

Stevens, E. (1969): Music therapy in the treatment of autistic children. Journal of Music Therapy, 6l4), 98.

Thaut, M. (1984): A music therapy treatment model for autistic children. Music Therapy Perspectives. 1(4), 17-19.

Thaut, M. (1987): Visual versus auditory (musical) stimulus preferences in autistic children: a pilot study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 17, 425-432.

Thaut, M. (1988): Measuring musical responsiveness in autistic children: a comparative analysis of improvised musical tone sequences of autistic, normal, and mentally retarded individuals. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 18(4), 561-571.

Thaut, M. (1992): Music therapy with autistic children. In W. Davis, K. Gfeller, and M. Thaut (eds) An Introduction to Music Therapy: Theory and Practice Dubuque, Indiana: William C. Brown Publishers, 180-196.

Tiogo, D. (1992): Autism: Integrating a personal perspective with music therapy practice. Music Therapy Perspectives,10, 13-20. (insights from Temple Grandin) Toolan, P. & Coleman, S. (1994). Music therapy, a description of process:

Engagement in five people with learning disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 38(4), 433-44.

Warwick, A. (1995): Music therapy in the education service: research with autistic children and their mothers. In T. Wigram, B. Saperston, and R. West (eds) The Art and Science of Music Therapy: A Handbook 209-225.

Wimpory, D.; Chadwick, P.; and Nash, S. (1995): Brief report: Musical interaction therapy for children with autism: An evaluative case study with two-year follow-up. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25(5), 541-552.

Young, R. and Nettetbeck, T. (1995): The abilities of a musical savant and his family. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25(3), 231-248.

Cognitive/ Academic

Abikoff, H.; Courtney, M: Szeibel, P.; and Koplewicz, H. (1996): The effects of auditory stimulation on the arithmetic performance of children with ADHD and nondisabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities 29(3), 238-246.

Chan, A.; Ho, Y.; and Cheung, M. (1998): Music training improves verbal memory. Nature, 396(6707), 128.

Gervins, A. (1991): Music therapy compensatory technique utilizing song lyrics during dressing to promote independence in the patient with a brain injury. Music Therapy Perspectives, 9, 87-90

Gfeller, K. (1983): Musical mnemonics as an aid to retention with normal and learning disabled students. Journal of Music Therapy, 20(4), 179-189.

Graziano, A.; Peterson, M.; and Shaw, G. (1999): Enhanced learning of proportionate math through music training and spatial-temporal training. Neurological Research 21(2), 139-152.

Morton, L.L. (1990): The potential for therapeutic applications of music on problems related to memory and attention. Journal of Music Therapy. 27(4), 195-208.

Rauscher, F.; Shaw, G.; Levine, L.; Wright, E.; Dennis, W.; and Newcomb, R. (1997): Music training causes long-term enhancement of preschool children's spatial-temporal reasoning. Neurological Research. 19, 2-8.

Standley, J. and Hughes, J. (1997): Evaluation of an early intervention music curriculum for enhancing pre-reading/writing skills. Music Therapy Perspectives, 15, 79-86.

Wolfe, D. and Hom, C. (1993): Use of melodies as structural prompts for learning and retention of sequential verbal information by preschool students. Journal of Music Therapy, 30(2), 100-118.

Communicative / Social

Braithwaite, B. and Sigafoos, J. (1998): Effects of social versus musical antecedents on communication responsiveness in five children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Music Therapy. 35(2), 88-104.

Buday, E.M. (1995): The effects of signed and spoken words taught with music on sign and speech imitation by children with autism. Journal of Music Therapy 32(3), 189-202.

Cohen, N. (1993): The application of singing and rhythmic instruction as a therapeutic intervention for persons with neurogenic communication disorders. Journal of Music Therapy, 30(2), 91-99.

Colwell, C. (1994): Therapeutic applications of music in the whole language kindergarten. Journal of Music Therapy. 31(4), 238-247.

Edgerton, C.L. (1994): The effect of improvisational music therapy on the communicative behaviors of autistic children. Journal of Music Therapy, 31(1),31-62

Hoskins, C. (1988): Use of music to increase verbal response and improve expressive language abilities of preschool language delayed children. Journal of Music Therapy. 25(2), 73-84.

Krauss, T. and Galloway, H. (1982): Melodic intonation therapy with language delayed apraxic children. Journal of Music Therapy, 19(2), 102-113.

Levinge, A. (1990): The use of "I" and "Me": music therapy with an autistic child. Journal of British Music Therapy. 4(2), 15-18.

Saperston, B. (1973): The use of music in establishing communication with an autistic mentally retarded child. Journal of Music Therapy, 10(4), 184-188.

Seybold, C. (1971): The value and use of music activities in the treatment of speech delayed children. Journal of Music Therapy,8(2), 102-110.

Wylie, M. (1983): Eliciting vocal responses in severely and profoundly mentally handicapped subjects. Journal of Music Therapy,204), 190-200.

Motor

Brown, J.; Sherrill, C.; and Gench, ?. (1981): Effects of an integrated physical education/ music program in changing early childhood perceptual-motor performance. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 53(1), 151-154.

Thaut, M. (1985): The use of auditory rhythm and rhythmic speech to aid temporal muscular control in children with gross motor dysfunction. Journal of Music Therapy. 22(3), 108-128.

Thaut, M. (1991): Analysis of EMG activity in biceps and triceps muscle in an upper extremity gross motor task under the influence of auditory rhythm. Journal of Music Therapy, 28(2), 64-88.

Physiological

Field, T.; Martinez, A.; Nawrocki, T.; Pickens, J.; Fox, N.; and Schanberg, S. (1998): Music shifts frontal EEG in depressed adolescents. Adolescents 33(129), 109-116.

Levin, Y. (1998): "Brain music" in the treatment of patients with insomnia. Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology. 28(3), 330-335.

Rider, M. (1985): Entertainment mechanisms are involved in pain reduction, muscle relaxation, and music-mediated imagery. Journal of Music Therapy, 22(4), 183-192.

Thaut, M.; Kenyon, G.; Schauer, M.; and McIntosh, G. (1999): The connection between rhythmicity and brain function. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, 18(2) 101-108.

Watkins, G. (1997): Music therapy: proposed physiological mechanisms and clinical implications. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 11(2), 43-50.

Disclaimer

Autism is a complex disorder. The information presented here is, of necessity, general in nature. Please consult with a qualified professional concerning your specific questions. The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors.