How is music beneficial?
Music has long been recognized as a powerful form of expression and communication. Beyond its universal appeal, research has revealed a remarkable array of benefits that music can offer, particularly to autistic children. From decreasing stress to fostering social engagement, music has been proven to be an invaluable therapeutic tool for individuals on the autism spectrum. In this exploration, we delve into the many advantages that music has for autistic children, shedding light on how it can enrich their lives.
1. Emotional Expression and Regulation
2. Sensory Stimulation and Integration
3. Social Interaction and Communication
4. Language and Communication Development
5. Self Expression and Creativity
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Brancatisano, O., Baird, A., & Thompson , W. (2020). The Therapeutic Music Capacities Model [Review of The Therapeutic Music Capacities Model ].
In 2016, a study aimed to assess the impact of improvisational music therapy on four autistic children. Over the course of 13 weeks, each child engaged in twenty-four 30-minute individual DIR-based improvisational music therapy sessions. To measure changes in social communication skills, the study employed the Functional Emotional Assessment Scale (FEAS), a tool used by professionals to design appropriate interventions and support strategies by evaluating a child's emotional and behavioral strengths and weaknesses. The results revealed significant improvements in various areas, including self-regulation, engagement, behavioral organization, and two-way purposeful communication.
Emotional Expression and Regulation
The figures present a comparison of the pre and post-test scores on the FEAS for the four participants. During the pre-test, 50% of the children scored within the normal range for area IV. The six developmental areas of social emotional functioning are represented as levels 1-6, with an expected development timeline of 0-42 months. Level 1 encompasses shared attention and regulation, level 2 is about attachment and engagement in relationships, level 3 involves two-way purposeful communication, level 4 relates to behavioral organization, problem-solving, and internalization, level 5 pertains to representation capacities, and level 6 focuses on representation differentiation. Children with autism typically face challenges in developing these skills. However, after music therapy, all four children showed increased development in one or more of these areas. This highlights the positive impact of music therapy on self-regulation, engagement, and emotional expression.
Source: Carpente, J. A. (2016). Investigating the Effectiveness of a Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR) Improvisational Music Therapy Program on Social Communication for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Music Therapy Perspectives, 35(2), miw013. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miw013
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Carpente, J. (2016). Figure 2. Kyle’s changes in developmental levels. [Review of Figure 2. Kyle’s changes in developmental levels.].
Carpente , J. (2016). Figure 3. Elaine’s changes in developmental levels. [Review of Figure 3. Elaine’s changes in developmental levels.].
Carpente , J. (2016). Figure 4. Anthony’s changes in developmental levels. [Review of Figure 4. Anthony’s changes in developmental levels.].
Carpente , J. (2016). Figure 5. Michele’s changes in developmental levels. [Review of Figure 5. Michele’s changes in developmental levels.].
2. Sensory Stimulation and Integration
A study published in 2013 was done to address the effectiveness of sensory integration interventions in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Children ages 6–12 with ASD were randomly assigned to a fine motor or SI (Sensory integration) treatment group. Pretests and posttests measured social responsiveness, sensory processing, functional motor skills, and social–emotional factors. Results identified significant positive changes in Goal Attainment Scaling scores for both groups; more significant changes occurred in the SI group, and a significant decrease in autistic mannerisms occurred in the SI group. Although both groups demonstrated significant improvements toward goals on the GAS, the SI group demonstrated more significant improvement than the FM group in the attainment of goals as rated by parents (F[1, 34] = 4.87, p < .05, effect size = 0.125) and teachers (F[1, 30] = 16.92, p < .01, effect size = 0.360). The goals focused on the three categories of sensory processing, motor skills, and social functioning.. The SI group displayed significantly fewer autistic mannerisms than the FM group, as measured by a sub scale of the SRS (F[1, 33] = 4.97, p < .05, effect size = 0.131). This proves that music’s sensory stimulation and integration is very beneficial.
Image Source:
BestPracticeAutism . (2016). (BestPracticeAutism, Ed.). https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J3SNKKs5Klo/U_JQCE27m8I/AAAAAAAACis/fLgpEhJXWgg/s1600/SensoryHiRes-4.jpg
Source:
Pfeiffer, B. A., Koenig, K., Kinnealey, M., Sheppard, M., & Henderson, L. (2011). Effectiveness of Sensory Integration Interventions in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Pilot Study. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 65(1), 76–85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3708964/
3. Social Interaction and Communication
Children with autism often face challenges in social interactions, including difficulties with social cues, maintaining eye contact, and developing friendships. They may struggle with language development, exhibit echolalia, and find it challenging to express their needs and emotions effectively. Interpreting and using nonverbal communication can also be difficult for them.
Music has been proven to help foster social interaction and communication. In a study conducted in March 2022, children on autistic spectrum were offered the “Papageno Music Therapy Program” (PMTP) and observed to see if a favorable development was found with regards to social interaction. An observation panel comprising people who could observe the child in either the music therapy setting or other environments evaluated social interactions at various time points across 20 sessions. The analysis of both the CSBQ (Children’s Social and Behavioral Questionnaire) and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) showed significant improvement in social interaction for the majority of the children.
The table presents the RCI (Reliable Change Index), a tool to assess if there is a significant change in an individual's score over time. The RCI is calculated by subtracting the initial score from the follow-up score and dividing it by the standard error of the difference between the two scores. A positive RCI value suggests improvement, while a negative RCI value indicates a decline. As shown in the table, the RCI scores were greater than 1.96 indicating improvement in social interaction and social communication.
Source:
Pater, M., Spreen, M., & Yperen, T. van. (2022). Music therapy for children on the autism spectrum: Improved social interaction observed by multiple informants across different social contexts. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/08098131.2022.2046628
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Spreen, M., & Yperen, T. (2022). Table 4. Distribution of RCI Scores. [Review of Table 4. Distribution of RCI Scores.]. https://www.tandfonline.com/action/downloadTable?id=t0004&doi=10.1080%2F08098131.2022.2046628&downloadType=CSV
4. Language and Communication Development
Individuals with autism often experience challenges in communication development, delayed speech, limited vocabulary, difficulties in initiating and maintaining conversations, and understanding social cues. This affects their ability to express themselves and understand others. Music has been demonstrated as an effective tool to enhance communication in autistic children, with a 2018 trial revealing that 8-12 weeks of music intervention led to improvements in parent-reported outcomes for social communication and overall quality of life in school-age children with ASD.
The CCC-2 is a standardized assessment tool for evaluating communication difficulties in children, with a higher composite score indicating more severe difficulties. The SRS-II T score measures social impairments, with scores above 50 indicating higher-than-average levels of social difficulties. The PPVT-4 Standard Score assesses receptive vocabulary, with scores above 100 showing higher-than-average abilities. The FQoL scale evaluates the overall quality of life within families, with a higher total score indicating better well-being and support.
The image provides an overview of standardized assessment tools used to evaluate communication difficulties (CCC-2), social impairments (SRS-II T score), receptive vocabulary (PPVT-4 Standard Score), and family quality of life (FQoL scale). The findings indicate that music intervention led to decreased CCC-2 and SRS-II T scores, reflecting improvements in communication, while PPVT-4 and FQoL scores increased, suggesting enhanced language development and overall well-being associated with listening to music.
Source:
Sharda, M., Tuerk, C., Chowdhury, R., Jamey, K., Foster, N., Custo-Blanch, M., Tan, M., Nadig, A., & Hyde, K. (2018). Music improves social communication and auditory–motor connectivity in children with autism. Translational Psychiatry, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-018-0287-3
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Sharda, M., Tuerk, C., & Chowdhury, R. (2018). Fig. 2: Behavioural outcomes. [Review of Fig. 2: Behavioural outcomes.]. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-018-0287-3/figures/2
Music has been proven to be a powerful tool for promoting creativity. In 2017, researchers found out that listening to happy music increases creativity as it can help increase the number of ideas you have. Participants exhibited a higher level of overall divergent thinking while listening to happy music, suggesting that it positively influenced their creative performance. This implies that music, particularly uplifting and emotionally rich compositions, not only stimulates creative thinking but also serves as a channel for self-expression.
5. Self Expression and Creativity
The Overall Divergent Thinking (ODT) score measures an individual's ability to generate creative and original ideas. It quantifies their proficiency in divergent thinking, which is the ability to come up with multiple unique solutions or possibilities. A higher ODT score indicates a greater capacity for creative thinking. This study shows that there was a significant difference between the happy music and the silent conditions. These results prove that listening to happy music increases performance on overall divergent thinking.
Source:
Ritter, S. M., & Ferguson, S. (2017). Happy creativity: Listening to happy music facilitates divergent thinking. PLOS ONE, 12(9), e0182210. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182210
Image Source:
Ritter, S., & Ferguson, S. (2017). Fig 1. Overall Divergent Thinking (ODT) score [Review of Fig 1. Overall Divergent Thinking (ODT) score ]. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182210
6. Relaxation and Stress Reduction
While anxiety is not included in the diagnostic criteria for autism, it is widely reported that many individuals on the autism spectrum experience elevated levels of anxiety. Research findings vary, but there is a general consensus indicating that approximately 40-50% of autistic individuals receive a clinical diagnosis of anxiety. Listening to music has been found to calm the nervous system and lower cortisol levels, contributing to stress reduction. Similarly, participating in music creation has been shown to facilitate the release of emotions, decrease anxiety, and enhance overall mental well-being.
The graph shows alpha-amylase levels in women exposed to different stimuli: relaxing music (RM), rippling water (SW), or no stimulus (R). Listening to classical music resulted in a quicker return to normal alpha-amylase levels, indicating that it helps the body transition to a non-stressed state faster.
Image Source:
Thoma MV, La Marca R, Brönnimann R, Finkel L, Ehlert U, Nater UM. "Salivary alpha-amylase activity in response to the TSST." The Effect of Music on the Human Stress Response, NIH, 2013 Aug 5, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC373407/
Sources:
Thoma MV, La Marca R, Brönnimann R, Finkel L, Ehlert U, Nater UM. The effect of music on the human stress response. PLoS One. 2013 Aug 5;8(8):e70156. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070156. PMID: 23940541; PMCID: PMC3734071.
Anxiety. (n.d.). Www.autism.org.uk. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/anxiety#:~:text=Difficult%20social%20situations%20and%20sensory
