The Significance of the Process of Music Therapy for Children with Multiple Social and Communication Disabilities

Abstract

Music therapy is an interdisciplinary branch of science and a form of therapy which enables establishing contact with every human being by means of an aesthetic sound message. The aim of this paper is to present the influence of music therapy procedures on communicative and social areas of the development of children with multiple disabilities, namely two boys. Moreover, the research activity is also concentrated on the ways music influences particular cases, namely which chosen music therapy strategies. The article presents individualizing research in a qualitative dimension. The outline of the research project is presented with its problem matters, research objectives, methods (of individual case study), and research techniques, as well as a detailed description of the research tool - The Individualized Music Therapy Assessment Profile (IMTAP) recommended by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). The results presented in a detailed description and observation schedule as well as data collected from interviews demonstrates and, at the same time, answers the research question that music therapy is a useful and effective form of therapy in the case of two boys with multiple disabilitities – to improve social and communicative functioning of the their development.

Means of Musical Dialogues and Reciprocity

“…There is a large body of research on music therapy with ASD (Geretsegger et al, 2014;Gold et al, 2006;James et al, 2015;Kern & Aldridge, 2006;Stephens, 2008) including case studies or series (Edgerton, 1994;Knapik-Szweda, 2019;Marom et al, 2018;Miller & Toca, 1979;Pasiali, 2012;Saperston, 1973;Starr & Zenker, 1998;Thompson & McFerran, 2015;Wimpory et al, 1995). However, a similar study has not yet been conducted in the Czech Republic.…”