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Music Therapy

Category

Child & Family Health

Child's Age

3-4 years, 4-5 years

Participant

Children

Languages

English

Brief Description

A credentialed music therapy professional uses music as an intervention to achieve individualized child-focused goals in a therapeutic setting.

Expected Impact

According to AFIRM, expected impacts of music mediated intervention (MMI) include:

  • Improved communication
  • Improved socialization skills
  • Improved play skills
  • Improved school readiness
  • Improved adaptive skills
  • Reduced interfering behaviors

Core Components for Model Fidelity

  • Assessment: Assessment is conducted by Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC). The specific measure used may vary based on the goals of the music therapy and/or the child’s diagnosis and the appropriate assessment is determined by the MT-BC. Common assessments used:
    • Special Education Music Therapy Assessment Process (SEMTAP)
    • Music Therapy Social Skills Assessment (MTSSA)
    • Music therapists must refer to the assessments and goals outlined in a child’s IEP, even if their services are not included in the IEP.
  • Music Therapy Sessions: Session content varies on an individual basis and depends on the goals determined in a child’s IEP or otherwise agreed upon by the music therapist and Music-Mediated Intervention team. Music therapy sessions typically occur 1-2 times a week with each session lasting 30 minutes.
  • Music-Mediated Intervention (MMI): To fully immerse a child in the music therapy intervention, the Music Therapist can collaborate with other professionals and the family through MMI. This ensures continuity and consistency across various settings. Music therapy must be part of the child’s IEP or other child-focused goals. 
  • Consultation/Coaching: The Music Therapist must provide consultation (curriculum or environmental adoptions) and/or coaching (to assist others in implementing and measuring the outcomes of MMI and to provide feedback).

Languages Materials are Available in

English

Delivery Mode

Typically, in-person, one-on-one with child at family home or classroom.

Dosage

Varies depending on IEP or other child-focused goals and the individual child’s needs. Typically occurs 1-2 times per week with each visit lasting 30-60 minutes. MMI sessions and consultation services are provided on an as needed basis.

Infrastructure for Implementation

Materials: Examples of assessment and monitoring tools used for MMI are provided in the Autism Focused Intervention Modules and Resources (AFIRM) module for Music-Mediated Intervention. Additional resources, such as instruments, may need to be considered. 

Space: Music therapy and MMI require adequate space for delivery, in the family’s home or a classroom.

Staffing Requirements

Music therapy should be provided by a professional holding the certification Music Therapist- Board Certified (MT-BC).

The Certification Board for Music Therapists shares names and locations of all MT-BCs in the state.

Training for Model Fidelity

MT-BCs receive training through their degree (1200 hours of supervised clinical training). MT-BCs are also recertified every 5 years with 100 CEU. 

For music therapy professionals interested in MMI, the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute has developed Autism Focused Intervention Modules and Resources (AFIRM), including a module for music-mediated intervention (MMI). For more information, visit the AFIRM website and create a free account to explore modules and receive certification.

Contact Information

https://www.musictherapy.org/

Paid consultation only- Dr. Petra Kern, Ph.D., MT-BC, MTA, DMtG: Consultant, Global Educator, & Publisher, petrakern@musictherapy.biz

Judy Simpson, MT-BC: Director of Government Relations; simpson@musictherapy.org

Cost Estimates

Music therapy services may be covered by Medicaid when included in a child’s IEP or similar documentation. Smart Start funds may be used to fill in gaps in expenses not covered by Medicaid.

According to the AMTA 2021 Workforce Analysis, average hourly rates for music therapy in the Southeast are:

  •  Assessment- $106
  •  Individual Session- $76
  •  Group Session- $86 per child
  •  Consultation- $89

Additional expenses, such as materials, depend on the child's needs, materials available on site, and what other considerations may be helpful for goal achievement.

Purpose Service Code (PSC)

5415 – Health Care Access and Support

Program Identifier (PID)

Music Therapy

Minimal Outputs for NCPC Reporting

FY 24-25:     

  • Number of children receiving therapeutic interventions

Minimal Outcomes for NCPC Reporting

FY 24-25:

  • More children on track for typical and/or enhanced development

Minimal Measures for NCPC Reporting

FY 24-25:

  • Child Therapy Measure

NCPC Evidence Categorization

Evidence Informed- 3 case studies supporting MMI implementation with children diagnosed with autism. Also, standard industry practice delivered by credentialed professionals.

Research Summary

Three of the most relevant publications on MMI and music therapy include 3 case studies.1 2 3 Sample populations included children ages 3 to 5 years of different races/ethnicities who were diagnosed with autism. Results indicated that using a music-based intervention promoted independent task completion of daily living activities, such as handwashing and cleaning up. Transitions and accomplishing tasks independently during morning drop off routines increased when supported by a musical intervention. Positive peer interactions also increased when supported by a musical intervention designed to engage children and their peers in using the instruments in a music center on the playground.  

  1. ^ See Kern, Wakeford, & Aldridge (2007). This case study sampled one child, Andy, and his teacher. Andy was a 3-year-old European-American child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and enrolled in an inclusive child care program. Preliminary observations by the music therapist (first author) indicated that Andy was responsive to music and musical activities already used in the classroom. The music therapist collaborated with the teacher to provide instruction and support implementation in the classroom. Tasks (toileting, handwashing, and cleaning) based on goals in Andy’s IEP were broken down into individual steps and assigned a song to follow the actions. Data were collected via alternating treatment design, in which a song intervention (Condition A) was compared to a lyric only intervention (Condition B). Conditions alternated each day for 11 days, followed the same steps, and used the same wording. Research measures included observation of task completion. When using Condition A, results indicated an increase in the number of steps completed independently for the handwashing and clean up tasks. Condition B was associated with a slightly greater number of steps completed independently in the toileting procedure.
  2. ^ See Kern, Wolery, & Aldridge (2007). This case study sampled two 3-year-old boys, Phillip (African American) and Ben (European American), both diagnosed with autism and attending an inclusive child care program. Both boys used the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to communicate. Their caregivers, classmates, and teachers also participated in the study. The first author, a music therapist, composed a unique greeting song for both Phillip and Ben to support their transition into the classroom during morning drop-off and trained teachers to provide the intervention. Researchers used a withdrawal design: (A) the existing greeting routine, (B) the treatment using the greeting song, and (C) a modification of the song. Phillip used an A-B-A-B design and Ben used an A-B-C-A-C design. Ben’s song was modified in response to his distress when separating from his caregiver, so the step of saying goodbye to his caregiver was removed and his caregiver left the room as he entered. Research measures included observation of task completion, behaviors of the teachers/caregivers, target children, and classmates. Results indicated that Phillip completed more tasks independently when using the song intervention (B) and Ben completed more tasks independently when using the modified song intervention (C).
  3. ^ See Kern & Aldridge (2006). This case study sampled four boys ages 3 to 5 years (M = 3.96) of either African American or European American descent. The four children were diagnosed with autism and attended the same child care program. The researchers constructed an outdoor music center (Music Hut) in the largest sandbox on the children’s playground. The first author, a music therapist, composed songs unique to each target child and trained teachers to provide the intervention and guide the target child in using the instruments in the Music Hut. A multiple baseline design was used for all target children: (A) baseline with no additional adaptations or instructions; (B) adaption of the playground, with the Music Hut; (C) teacher-mediated intervention, in which teachers and the target child selected two peers to play with and entered the Music Hut; and (D) peer-mediated intervention, in which the teacher withdrew guidance to support play amongst the target child and peer. Research measures included analyzing videotaped segments using a momentary time-sampling recording procedure, lasting 10 minutes a day for 8 months. Increases in positive peer interactions occurred for 3 children in conditions C and D, with the greatest increases observable in condition C for all 4 children.

Researched Population

  • Children ages 3-5 years diagnosed with autism

Clearinghouse and Compendium References

The National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP)

Nowell, S., Sam, A., Waters, V., Dees, R., & AFIRM Team. (2022). Music-Mediated Intervention. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, Autism Focused Intervention Modules and Resources. https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/music-mediated-intervention

Kern, P., & Aldridge, D. (2006). Using embedded music therapy interventions to support outdoor play of young children with autism in an inclusive community-based child care program. Journal of Music Therapy, 43(4), 270-294. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmt/43.4.270 

Kern, P., Wakeford, L., & Aldridge, D. (2007). Improving the performance of a young child with autism during self-care tasks using embedded song interventions: A case study. Music Therapy Perspectives, 25(1), 43-51. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/25.1.43

Kern, P., Wolery, M., & Aldridge, D. (2007). Use of songs to promote independence in morning greeting routines for young children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(7), 1264-1271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0272-1



Local Partnerships Currently Implementing

Local Partnerships in purple have adopted Music Therapy. Local Partnership contact information can be found here.