The Effect of Background Music on Task Performance in Psychotic Children

Effects of music on task performance, engagement, and behavior: A literature review

“…Similar results illustrating a significant difference using instrumental background music versus no music were evident in Stainback et al (1973) with relevant daily living tasks. Additionally, Burleson, Center, and Reeves (1989) and Groeneweg et al (1988) evaluated the effects of instrumental music on work accuracy using withdrawal designs. Both studies compared participants’ task performance in a music and no-music condition in order to determine the frequency of work-oriented and productive behavior versus non-work-oriented behavior (i.e., off-task behavior) on academic and vocational tasks respectively.…”

“…Both studies compared participants’ task performance in a music and no-music condition in order to determine the frequency of work-oriented and productive behavior versus non-work-oriented behavior (i.e., off-task behavior) on academic and vocational tasks respectively. Burleson et al (1989) examined the effects of instrumental background music on the accuracy of a known color-coded sorting task while Groeneweg et al (1988) assessed individuals sorting grocery-store coupons. Both studies illustrated an increase in task accuracy and a decrease in non-work related behaviors when music was playing.…”

Research on Music and Autism Implications for Music Educators

“…The fact that children with autism display special interest and ability in music has led many researchers to investigate the use of music to modify their atypical behaviors. Burleson, Center, and Reeves (1989) examined the effect of background music on the success of four male children with autism in performing tasks. Each child was given a container of chips in four assorted colors and directed to sort the chips into appropriate color-coded containers.…”

“…Music educators can increase the structure of their classes by using a standard lesson format in addition to familiar music and activities (Toigo, 1992). The structured use of music has been shown to have positive effects on a number of desirable classroom behaviors in students with autism: attention span (Farmer, 1963;Goldstein, 1964;Mahlberg, 1973), task accuracy (Burleson et al, 1989), prosocial behaviors (Stevens & Clark, 1969), mental age (Goldstein, 1964), creativity (Nelson et al, 1984), development of perceptual and motor awareness (Alvin, 1978), initiative (Nelson et al, 1984), and interpersonal relationships (Goldstein, 1964). Clearly, music is a subject matter that can be structured to provide an effective means of improving a wide variety of behaviors associated with autism.…”

Why Does Music Therapy Help in Autism?

“…Burleson, Center, and Reeves (1989) obtained results to show that background music reduced off-task behaviors and facilitated task related performance by children. Orr, Myles, and Carlson (1998) investigated the effect of rhythmic entrainment on erratic classroom behaviors in their case study of a girl with autism.…”