By: Daniela Clarke
Music Helping Autistic
Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Children
For parents of kids with ASD, teachers, social workers, psychologist,
special needs professions, and even the individual with ASD
Rationale/Importance
✓ Explore whether 8-12 weeks of music-
based programming can improve
sociability, family quality of life, and
brain function in children with ASD.
✓ This can show how music can provide
an effective, low-cost, and easy to run
strategy that can be used worldwide in
various cultures.
Results
✓ Social skills and brain function were higher in
music group than non-music group.
✓ Test given after activities showed relationship
between brain function and improvement of
sociability.
✓ In general, over the 8-12 weeks it was shown
that music bettered the levels of parent-
reported social communication, family quality
of life, and brain function in school aged, age 6-
12, children who have ASD.
✓ This shows music as a supporting tool for
children who have ASD.
Method
✓ Experiment used 51 children aged 6-12
with ASD, who were randomly picked to
complete 8-12 weeks of either a music or
non-music group.
✓ Music group had spontaneous
approach by using song and rhythm to
work on social skills while the non-music
group used similar behaviour methods
without music.
✓ Both groups were tested before and
after activities.
Discussion/Implications
✓ Social communication focused on
increased practicality and better social
relations and interest.
✓ When it came to family quality of life, the
focus was increased family interaction,
togetherness, and coping methods.
✓ Found that the only focus should not just
be on reducing symptoms but also the
overall quality of life and improved
function
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6199253/