Resources & references

Watch as a board-certified music therapist leads an individual session with an autistic man. Through instrument playing, singing, and songwriting, the client develops communication, strengthens social skills, and gains confidence.

This study explored perspectives and social needs of aging adults with IDD as expressed by them through actions, words, music, and art that they shared in a university community Art Hive. Using collaborative and participatory methods, this research contextualizes the Art Hive as a place of social, creative, and relational engagement and inclusion.

The purpose of this two-part study was to confirm the relationship between dyadic drum playing and social skills and to further develop a rhythm-mediated music therapy intervention for improving the social skills of children with ASD. Participants showed greater engagement in joint action following the intervention. This study supports potential benefit of the rhythm-mediated intervention using dyadic drum playing and provides preliminary evidence strengthening its use in the social domain for individuals with ASD.

This research examines the potential benefit of a music therapy social skills development program to improve social skills and academic performance of school-aged children with limited resources, in an afterschool program.
 

Watch a group music therapy session where children play instruments, sing, and interact in music experiences. Participants address skills such as emotional regulation, listening, following directions, leadership skills, social confidence, teamwork, waiting, turn-taking and joint play. 

Watch how group music therapy helps three young teens address their social, communication, and emotional regulation goals.

A music therapist speaks with the mother of a young client who receives music therapy services. Learn how music therapy has helped her son, who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome, find the motivation to achieve his therapeutic goals, including improved social and physical skills.

This research article presents a case study of an adult man with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who participated in music therapy sessions. The results determined that music improvisation improved affect regulation, exploration of trauma-related issues, and self-agency.

This video shows 6 short excerpts from music therapy sessions, led by Dr. Alan Turry at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy; each excerpt is preceded by the presentation of the goals planned. 

In 1997, a music therapy program was first piloted in a community mental health clubhouse and six months later expanded to five community mental health group homes, in British Columbia, Canada. An article published in 2000 described the predominantly song-based approach of that program and documented the participant's evaluation of it, concluding that the client-centred empowerment model of consumer inclusiveness appeared to contribute significantly to the rehabilitative effect of the program. In this article published in 2020, the authors report on the current status of the program, including new data.

Heather Overly, a board-certified music therapist, discusses how music therapy can support children with  developmental disabilities. Through live session examples and interviews, she demonstrates how group music therapy can meet therapeutic goals such as self-expression, academic skills, and social skills.

Watch how Benji and his music therapist engage together to work towards his goals targeting collaboration, communication, and social skills.