Psychotherapy with mentally disabled persons: the importance of non-verbal qualities in music therapy with adults with severe autism

Abstract

Background: Adults with severe autism or mental disability in general have limited abilities in both understanding and usage of verbal language. Music Therapy is the psychotherapeutic approach that is addressing their emotional needs. The study describes the significance of the tonal/musical interaction on the client’s difficult journey towards intensive social interaction. At the end of the process, first moments of jointly making music has become a reality with the assistance of the Music Therapist.Methods: Twenty-two Individual Music Therapy sessions with an adult with ASD including a qualitative evaluation.Discussion: Music Therapy is the appropriate psychotherapeutic treatment for adults with ASD. Especially the non-verbal qualities of Music Therapy empower these clients to respond to this kind of treatment. An increasing emotional participation by using their musical and interactive potential can be observed and will be proved by evidence-based secondary studies.Conclusions: Adults with ASD who have...