Music, autism and learning: an interdisciplinary approach to music interventions
Lead Research Organisation:
Roehampton University
Department Name: School of Education
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Adam Ockelford (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Caitlin Shaughnessy (Student) |
Publications
Lisboa T
(2021)
Promoting the Musical Engagement of Autistic Children in the Early Years Through a Program of Parental Support: An Ecological Research Study
in Music & Science
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P00072X/1 | 30/09/2017 | 29/09/2028 | |||
| 1945159 | Studentship | ES/P00072X/1 | 30/09/2017 | 29/09/2021 | Caitlin Shaughnessy |
| Description | Although the main phase of data collection is ongoing for this project (currently 6 months into a 12 month program), a small 12 week pilot project was completed in Summer 2019. The pilot project involved working with 8 families and their autistic children, where a sets of musical resources (cards and instruments) were trialled and their initial experiences explored. Outcomes from the pilot highlighted the positive impact of the resources on parents' capacities to incorporate music in everyday life, including higher levels of confidence, flexibility and self-efficacy. Parents also reported changes in their children's musical behaviours, which was corroborated by the researchers' independent assessments of musical development in the children. These included more environmental awareness of musical stimulus, development of musical skill and growing child empowerment. Wider behavioural changes including improved social engagement, verbal development and self-regulatory abilities were also observed. Although the small cohort and limited time frame of the pilot means that these findings are preliminary, it represents a promising first step for the outcomes of the next phase, for which the data collection is due to finish in August 2020. |
| Exploitation Route | The project involves the development of specialised music resources for parents to use with their autistic children. These resources can be used in the future to further aid and develop strategies for engaging autistic children and their families in music.The home-based methodological design may also be adopted to offer an accessible and economical model to support parents to incorporate music into their parenting strategies. Outcomes from the project including a greater understanding of the developmental trajectories of musical play and creativity in autistic children may subsequently inform future policies for how to support neurodiverse individuals in their creative, emotional and social development. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Creative Economy Education |
| Description | Although the project is still in its main data collection phase, the findings from this research, and the outcomes from the pilot project are already beginning to be used by parents in the community to support their child's musical development and engagement, develop their access to culture, and also to maintain routines in daily life. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |