Family-centred music therapy to promote social engagement in young children with severe autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled study

Abstract

Background: Limited capacity for social engagement is a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often evident early in the child's development. While these skills are difficult to train, there is some evidence that active involvement in music-making provides unique opportunities for social interaction between participants. Family-centred music therapy (FCMT) endeavours to support social engagement between child and parent within active music-making, yet the extent of benefits provided is unknown. Aim: This study investigated the impacts of FCMT on social engagement abilities. Methods: Twenty-three children (36-60 months) with severe ASD received either 16 weeks of FCMT in addition to..