Music interventions are frequently utilized with those with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and have shown a range of benefits. However, empirical evaluations are lacking and would be a timely step forward in the field. Here we report the findings of our pilot music program for adolescents and young adults with ASD. Evaluation of the program focused on self-esteem, anxiety, and attitudes toward and relationships with peers as these are pervasive challenges for those with ASD. Pre- and post-outcome measures showed a significant increase in self-esteem, reduced self-reported anxiety, and more positive attitudes toward peers. Weekly measures taken pre- and post-each session also showed a significant reduction in self-reported ratings of anxiety. These findings provide some initial empirical support for the efficacy of music participation in treating some of the core challenges seen in ASD.
This paper discusses our ongoing experiences in developing an interdisciplinary general education course called Sound Thinking that is offered jointly by our Dept. of Computer Science and Dept. of Music. It focuses on the student outcomes we are trying to achieve and the projects we are using to help students realize those outcomes. It explains why we are moving from a web-based environment using HTML and JavaScript to Scratch and discusses the potential for Scratch's "musical live coding" capability to reinforce those concepts even more strongly.
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