Music Therapy for Autism

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Music therapy for autism can help improve an individual's skills in social interaction, verbal communication, initiating behavior, and reducing anxiety.

Music therapy is a well-established and risk-free technique for using musical interaction to help individuals with a wide range of cognitive and emotional disabilities improve their ability to function.

This article discusses music therapy for autism, its benefits, and what the research says. It also addresses finding a music therapist and other therapies for autism.

A music therapist and her patient
Tina Stallard / Getty Images

What Is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish therapy goals. In the case of autism, music therapy helps individuals identify and appropriately express their emotions, and it can stimulate cognitive functioning and help with speech and language skills.

After assessing the strengths and needs of each person, music therapists develop a plan with goals and objectives and then provide appropriate therapy. Music therapists work with both individuals and in small groups, using a variety of music and techniques. A good music therapist should be able to develop strategies that can be implemented at home or school.

It's important to note that music therapy is not the same as musical instruction. If your aim is to have your child build vocal or instrumental skills, you'll need to find an instructor instead of or in addition to a music therapist.

Benefits

Music therapy may help autistic people to improve skills in areas such as:

  • Communication
  • Social skills
  • Sensory issues
  • Behavior
  • Cognition
  • Perceptual/motor skills
  • Self-reliance or self-determination

The therapist finds music experiences that strike a chord with a particular person, making personal connections and building trust.

Research on Using Music Therapy for Autism

According to a meta-study, "Reported benefits included, but were not limited to increased [neurotypical] social behavior; increased attention to task; increased vocalization, verbalization, gesture, and vocabulary comprehension; increased communication and social skills; enhanced body awareness and coordination; improved self-care skills; and reduced anxiety."

Another study suggests that family-centered music therapy can build stronger parent-child bonds and perceived enrichment in child and family quality of life.

Researchers who reviewed 10 studies concluded music therapy for people with autism improved behavior, social communication, brain connectivity, and parent-child relationships. 

Autistic people often show a heightened interest and response to music, making it an excellent therapeutic tool for working with them. Music therapy can also help people with sensory sensitivity to certain sounds to cope with sound sensitivities or individual differences in auditory processing.

If your child already seems to enjoy and respond to music, it may be worth looking into music therapy providers. 

Finding a Music Therapist

To find a professional music therapist, look for practitioners who have a Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) credential.

To obtain the MT-BC credential, music therapists must:

  • Earn a bachelor's degree or higher in music therapy from an American Music Therapy Association (AMTA)-approved college or university program
  • Complete a minimum of 1,200 hours of clinical training
  • Pass a national examination administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT)

Some music therapists work in school settings as a related service on a child's Individual Education Plan (IEP), either hired or contracted by a school district. Others have private practices or work for agencies that specialize in treatment for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Some states fund music therapy services through Medicaid Waivers or other state programs. Private health insurance reimbursement usually requires pre-approval on a case-by-case basis.

Other Options and Therapies for Autism

Currently, there isn't a single standard treatment for autism, but there are ways to help minimize the symptoms and maximize an autistic person's abilities. Research shows that early diagnosis and interventions (during preschool or before) are more likely to have major positive effects on symptoms and later skills.

The most effective therapies and interventions are often different for each person. Since there can be an overlap in symptoms between autism and other disorders, treatment should focus on a person's specific needs. Therapies may include:

  • Behavioral management therapy: Tries to reinforce wanted behaviors and reduce unwanted behaviors. It provides caregivers with guidance on what to do before, during, after, and between episodes of problem behaviors.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy: Focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The autistic person learns to identify and change thoughts that lead to problem feelings or behaviors in particular situations.
  • Educational and school-based therapies: Ensures children with autism get free educational services and educational devices to help them learn as much as they can
  • Joint attention therapy: Focuses on improving specific skills related to shared attention (the ability to share a focus on an object or area with another person)
  • Medications: Can be used to help deal with specific behaviors, such as reducing self-injury or aggression, so the autistic person can focus on learning and communication. Research shows that medication is most effective when used in combination with behavioral therapies.
  • Nutrition therapy: Ensures the child is getting all the nutrients they need to grow into a healthy adult. Parents and caregivers work with a nutrition specialist—such as a registered dietitian—or health care provider to design an individualized meal plan.
  • Occupational therapy: Focuses on play skills, learning strategies, and self-care. Strategies can also help to manage sensory issues.
  • Parent-mediated therapy: Teaches therapy techniques to parents, which provide the autistic child with consistent reinforcement and training throughout the day
  • Physical therapy: Includes activities and exercises that build motor skills and improve muscle control, strength, posture, and balance
  • Social skills training: Teaches children the skills needed to interact with others. It includes repeating and reinforcing certain desired behaviors.
  • Speech-language therapy: Helps children improve verbal and non-verbal skills

Summary

Music therapy for autism is used to help individuals with social interaction, verbal communication, initiating behavior, and reducing anxiety. The benefits of music therapy may include improved communication, social skills, behavior, sensory issues, self-reliance, and parent-child relationships.

Professional music therapists have the MT-BC credential and work in a variety of settings. They assess the strengths and needs of each person and provide therapy using a variety of music and techniques. In addition to music therapy, there are many other treatment options to consider that focus on each person's specific needs.

10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. American Music Therapy Association. What is music therapy?

  2. American Music Therapy Association. Music therapy as a treatment modality for autism spectrum disorders.

  3. Geretsegger M, Elefant C, Mössler KA, Gold C. Music therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(6):CD004381. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004381.pub3

  4. De Vries D, Beck T., Stacey B, Winslow K., Meines, K. Music as a therapeutic intervention with autism: a systematic review of the literature. Therapeutic Recreation Journal. 2015 Jul;49(3).

  5. Thompson GA. Long-Term Perspectives of Family Quality of Life Following Music Therapy With Young Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Phenomenological Study. J Music Ther. 2018 Jan 13;54(4):432-459. doi: 10.1093/jmt/thx013

  6. Gassner L, Geretsegger M, Mayer-Ferbas J. Effectiveness of music therapy for autism spectrum disorder, dementia, depression, insomnia and schizophrenia: update of systematic reviews. Eur J Public Health. 2022 Feb 1;32(1):27-34. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab042

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  8. American Music Therapy Association. A career in music therapy. 2019.

  9. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. What are the treatments for autism?

  10. Autism Speaks. Occupational therapy (OT).

Additional Reading
  • Potheini Vaiouli, Georgia Andreou, Communication and Language Development of Young Children With Autism: A Review of Research in Music, Communication Disorders Quarterly, 2017, 152574011770511

  • Thompson, G. A., McFerran, K. S. and Gold, C. (2014), Family-centred music therapy to promote social engagement in young children with severe autism spectrum disorder: a randomized controlled study. Child Care Health Dev, 40: 840–852. doi:10.1111/cch.12121

Lisa Jo Rudy

By Lisa Jo Rudy
Lisa Jo Rudy, MDiv, is a writer, advocate, author, and consultant specializing in the field of autism.