Working Elements of Music Therapy for Children and Young People with Autism

Mathieu Pater,Paula De Graaf,Tom Van Yperen

doi:10.4236/ojmp.2019.84008

Abstract

Music therapy is used in the treatment of children and young people with autism. Several studies show that it has positive effects, especially in the areas of social behavior and communication. However, there has been no research into which elements are responsible for these effects. This study explores which elements facilitate a change in social behavior. To research this, a combination of the Grounded Theory and the Stimulated Recall Method was used. Therapies with 14 clients were analyzed and the music therapists were interviewed using the Stimulated Recall Method. After the data analysis, five element categories were presented that stimulated a change in social behavior in children and adolescents with autism: Format, Communication, Musical Elements, Connecting and Challenging. Those categories were then incorporated into a first working model, which demonstrates how changes in the social behavior of children and young people with autism occur during the music therapy process. The therapist’s continuous adaptation to the client proves to be an important element of this process.

Highlights

Autism is a qualitative deficit of social and communicative skills
Research Method To investigate which elements in music therapy facilitate a change in social behavior, we used the principles of the Grounded Theory [40] [41]
Generalization Knowing that it is difficult to encourage children and young people with autism to improve their social behavior [10], we have described a first working model of the therapeutic process, which aims for this improvement

Summary

Introduction

Autism is a qualitative deficit of social and communicative skills. There are stereotypical behavioral patterns, interests and activities [1] [2] [3]. Autism is often visible in early childhood and has lifelong consequences. Limitations in the ability to communicate and in social interactions are often the most noticeable. This is a permanent limitation that is present in various situations and in different ways [4] [5]. Studies show that children with autism engage in considerably fewer social interactions than children with a normal development

Methods

Results

Conclusion