2016 Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate Program

Music Therapy Interventions

Explore the rationale for using music therapy techniques with persons with autism spectrum disorders. Identify the non-musical domains targeted through music experiences, and learn specific strategies to facilitate growth in each of these areas.

Objectives:

Objective 1: Participants will be able to accurately define music therapy.

Objective 2: Participants will identify rationale for using music therapy techniques with people with ASD.

Objective 3: Participants will identify five non-musical domains targeted by music therapy interventions.

Objective 4: Participants will learn five specific music strategies that they can use with individuals with autism.

Outline:

  1. Opening example: Hello song
  2. What is music therapy?
  3. Music therapy is the clinical and evidenced-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional.
  4. Music is something all human societies and time periods share
  5. Individuals with ASD are often also drawn to music so this medium can function as a stimulus to elicit and rehearse skills needed to live socially and independently.
  6. Evidenced based practice
  7. Based on assessment, individual’s response to music, evidenced based practice, best available research, and clinical expertise
  8. Case reports and research since the 1960s
  9. Because of the research done:
  10. The NIH recognizes MT as an allied health profession.
  11. The US Dept. of Education recognizes MT as a related service
  12. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recognizes MT
  13. Music therapy focuses first on the process of creating music to target specific non-musical skill areas while creating a quality musical product.
  14. The process of music therapy includes the following:
  15. Assessment in the following areas: cognitive, communicative, and motor/coordination skills, emotional regulation, and sensory
  16. Treatment Planning
  17. Medium of implementation: singing, songwriting, instrument play, dancing, music games, listening to music.
  18. Implementation involves strategies including visual supports and transition songs (EXAMPLE: ‘This Train’)
  19. Cognitive
  20. Attention control (EXAMPLE: MACT alternating attention intervention)
  21. Aids recall (EXAMPLE: embedded information: ABC, Old Mac Donald)
  22. Inhibition control (EXAMPLE: stop and start)
  23. Communicative
  24. Music can enable those without language to communicate (EXAMPLE: ‘I want’ mnemonic)
  25. Music processed in both hemispheres of the brain can stimulate cognitive and communication functioning.
  26. Music can promote the interpersonal timing and reciprocity (EXAMPLE: turn taking)
  27. Sensory
  28. Music provides multi-sensory stimulation
  29. Tactile system is engaged
  30. Kinesthetic system is engaged
  31. Auditory system engaged
  32. Visual system is engaged
  33. Music can provide appropriate substitutions for negative or self-stimulatory behaviors.
  34. Sensory input to focus attention
  35. Motor/coordination
  36. The rhythmic component organizes sensory system
  37. Perceptual, fine, and gross motor skills can be enhanced
  38. Perceptual
  39. Fine motor: finger isolation for pointing (playing keyboard, guitar, hand bells)
  40. Gross motor (EXAMPLE: manipulatives)
  41. Emotional regulation
  42. Oxytocin (‘bonding’ hormone) is released when listening to and making music
  43. Music is considered a “universal language” that may provide a bridge between individuals; and people and their environment
  44. Music allows for non-verbal appropriate expression of emotions.
  45. Music can calm as well as excite: Iso principle (EXAMPLE: with ocean drum)
  46. Documentation and Evaluation
  47. Closing
  48. References