Resources & references

Concordia University produced the "Children's Right to Music" documentary. The videos included in this documentary introduce music therapists interacting and using music with groups of children that are autistic or with some disabilities, in schools or community settings adapted to support their development and meet their needs.

Masters thesis that analyzes concepts of social paediatrics applied to music therapy. Results describe the application of these concepts by music therapists working within this approach. 

Read an article exploring an online volunteer music therapy project offering support to frontline healthcare workers and their children during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations for future practice in crisis intervention for music therapists is also discussed.

Read an article about the impact of sociodemographic risk on the reported benefits of a specific music therapy intervention, active music engagement (AME), for families with children undergoing treatment for cancer. Results suggested that families with higher risk experienced more benefits from AME than families with lower risk.

Music therapy is used to help autistic children address develpmental goals. Watch registered music therapists lead an individual session with a child using instrument playing, improvisation, and singing to enhance communication and language development.

Watch how certified music therapist Catherine Vesic helps Sam learn to use his voice to express himself and connect with the adults around him.

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.

Read an article looking at the effectiveness of a music therapy protocol as an adjunct treatment to standard neurorehabilitation programs for children with severe neurological disorders affecting multiple domains.

Read a study which looks at the impact of combining 5 music approaches (Orff-Schulwerk, Dalcroze Eurhythmics, the Five Elements of Traditional Chinese Music, the Mozart Effect and Neurologic Music Therapy) into one integrative music therapy approach. This approach was designed to target attention, emotional self-regulation and social interaction in 5-6 year old children with diagnoses of severe autism spectrum disorder. Results found significant improvements in all tested domains. 

This pilot study explored music therapy for children with delayed speech development. Results showed that it was effective in improving phonology, speech comprehension, communication, and cognitive functioning.

Music therapist Max Terán explains what music therapy is, who can benefit, how it can help diverse populations, and how he became a music therapist.

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.