The Effect of Music Therapy on Joint Attention Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore further whether children with Autism Spectrum Disorder displayed more joint attention behaviors—interacting and requesting joint attention—during music therapy, cooperative play, or independent play conditions. Joint attention is defined as the shifting of attention between an object or event and an individual. The effects of different types of music therapy interventions on these joint attention behaviors were also examined. Participants (n = 4) engaged in 3 session types: 1) cooperative music therapy, 2) cooperative play, and 3) independent play. Using a 15-second observe, 5-second record time sampling method, intervals were coded for the presence or absence of interacting and requesting behaviors. Data were graphed and a visual analysis of the data revealed that a higher percentage of interacting behaviors occurred during music conditions than both cooperative and independent play conditions across participants. Data for requesting behaviors was inconsistent across participants, and therefore the results were inconclusive. Graphic analysis of the effects of music therapy intervention types on joint attention behaviors revealed that when the participant and researcher played the same instrument more interactions occurred, whereas when the researcher and participant played different instruments more requesting behaviors occurred.