Music Therapy empowering young children with autism and their families; Reporting back from the largest non-pharmacological randomised control trial in autism

The Trial of Improvisational Music Therapy's Effectiveness in Autism (TIME-A) is an international randomised control trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of music therapy for children with autism. With over 360 children... [ view full abstract ]

The Trial of Improvisational Music Therapy's Effectiveness in Autism (TIME-A) is an international randomised control trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of music therapy for children with autism. With over 360 children aged 4-7 years old randomised worldwide, this is the largest RCT in psychosocial interventions with this client group to date. This trial has enabled a large number of families to have access to music therapy and parent advisory sessions. Therapists collaborated with schools, parents, and other professionals to ensure best clinical delivery within the context of an RCT.
In this poster, music therapists who delivered the work in the UK reflect upon:
a) The benefits of a music therapy service in conjunction with parent advisory sessions as experienced by the therapists delivering the service. The therapists discuss practice and outcomes between high intensity and low intensity treatment; children were randomized to standard care (no therapy) or therapy (high intensity, three sessions per week or low intensity, one session per week both over a period of five months). All parents were offered parent advisory sessions.
b) Observations of impact of intervention from parents and other professionals.
This trial has provided a unique opportunity for clinicians to develop best practice models of working with children and parents within the context of a rigorous research framework. It has afforded clinicians and researchers to look at outcomes and their relationship with the therapy process, to better inform practice and delivery of music therapy with this client group.

This research has gone through a vigorous ethical clearance procedure. [ view full abstract ]

This research has gone through a vigorous ethical clearance procedure.