Research Within Reach

Fall 2011

Kim, J., Wigram, T., & Gold, C. (2009). Emotional, motivational and interpersonal responsiveness of children with autism in improvisational music therapy. Autism, 13(4), 389-409. doi: 10.1177/1362361309105660

In this exploratory study, researchers used behavioral analysis to “investigate the social-motivational aspects of musical interaction between the child and the therapist in improvisational music therapy by measuring emotional, motivational and interpersonal responsiveness in children with autism during joint engagement episodes” (Abstract).  Kim, et al. used “a comparison design in two different conditions (improvisational music therapy versus toy play sessions) and two different parts of a session (an undirected/ child-led part versus a more directed/therapist-led part) in each condition” (p. 391).  The researchers looked at the effects of two different media (music versus toys) on preschool children’s responses in a musical context, with or without direction.  These…