Nordic Journal of Music Therapy

ISSN: 0809-8131 (Print) 1944-8260 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rnjm20

Special section: music therapy for people with

autistic spectrum disorder

Christian Gold

To cite this article: Christian Gold (2011) Special section: music therapy for people
with autistic spectrum disorder, Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 20:2, 105-107, DOI:
10.1080/08098131.2011.569164

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/08098131.2011.569164

Published online: 09 May 2011.

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Nordic Journal of Music Therapy
Vol. 20, No. 2, June 2011, 105–107

EDITORIAL
Special section: music therapy for people with autistic spectrum
disorder
Christian Gold

The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, Uni Research, Norway

Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) has been one of the first and most
important areas of application of music therapy. Pioneers in music therapy
(e.g., Alvin, 2000) discovered early on that people with ASD can be
reached through music even when verbal language is not possible.
Furthermore, as impairment in social communication is one of the main
features of ASD, it seemed natural to consider a medium such as music,
particularly active music-making with a therapist who is specially trained
to focus on the communicative aspects of music therapy. Lately
(decades after the work of the pioneers) new support for these ideas has
come from research about the musical qualities of early mother–infant
communication (Stern, 2010; Trevarthen & Malloch, 2000). All of these
arguments apply to other fields as well, such as people with serious mental
disorders, but they apply especially, or perhaps more clearly and directly,
to ASD.
The possibilities of music therapy to help people with this pervasive
developmental disorder have fascinated people for a long time. At the same
time, research evidence is still limited, and it is only partly reassuring that
this is also true for other treatment options. In an overview of Cochrane’s
reviews of any treatment for ASD, Wheeler et al. (2008) found that ‘‘all
included reviews call for more and better evidence,’’ and that only
‘‘risperidone, parent mediated early intervention and music therapy [. . .]
show at least one statistically significant effect’’ (p. 11). ASD, it seems, is not
only difficult to treat, but is also difficult to research.
This issue of the Nordic Journal of Music Therapy has a special section
on music therapy for ASD, with three new articles that span the range of
research approaches, from a theoretical review (Dimitriadis & Smeijsters),
through single case research focusing on assessment methods (Raglio et al.),
to a randomized controlled trial (Gattino et al.). Theo Dimitriadis and Henk

*Email: teomusthe@hotmail.com

ISSN 0809-8131 print/ISSN 1944-8260 online

Ó 2011 The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre
DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2011.569164
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106 Editorial
Smeijsters review both classical and newer theories in relation to their
practical relevance for music therapy. They find that both developmental
theories of affect attunement and neuropsychological theories of forms of
consciousness are well-suited to help music therapists understand their work
with people with ASD, and conclude that music therapy theory should be
music based as well as informed by psychological theory.
Alfredo Raglio and colleagues, who also base their work on develop-
mental as well as neuropsychological theory, examine the clinical utility of a
newly developed assessment instrument that focuses on the interaction and
attunement between therapist and client. As an instrument closely related to
in-session relational behavior, it may be more sensitive to therapeutic
change than the outcome measures commonly used in treatment research on
ASD.
Finally, the study by Gustavo Gattino and colleagues adds an important
piece to the randomized evidence on music therapy for ASD. Not only is
their sample size (n ¼ 24) an improvement compared with earlier studies
(Gold et al., 2006); their clinical method is also more in line with usual
practice than in those early studies. Changes in verbal, non-verbal and social
communication tended to favour music therapy over standard care.
In addition to these articles about ASD, we also have two other articles
in this issue. Karin Mössler analyses the history of music therapy in Vienna.
Among many pioneers whose work is reviewed, Albertine Wesecky and
Andreas Rett stand for establishing music therapy for another pervasive
developmental disorder where music may be of importance. Mössler’s
discussion also links into the ongoing discussion about music-centered
versus psychotherapy theories as a basis of music therapy. Katarina
Mårtenson Blom presents the process of Guided Imagery and Music
(BMGIM) with a woman who has symptoms of depression, and identifies
relational change processes in verbal transcripts from sessions. She uses
some of the same developmental theories that were found relevant by writers
in ASD.
To return to the topic of the special section: at the time of Wheeler
et al.’s (2008) overview, music therapy was fortunate to have had a few small
controlled trials that showed statistical significance, even though clinical
applicability was very limited, both in terms of music therapy methods and
outcomes measured (Gold et al., 2006). More recently, efforts have been
directed at combining research rigor with therapeutic flexibility (Kim et al.,
2008, 2009; Gattino et al., this issue). These efforts will no doubt continue in
the future. One person whose name is strongly associated with advocating
both the use of music therapy in ASD, especially using flexible methods such
as improvisation, and the need for research evidence, is Tony Wigram. He
has also been active as an associate editor of this journal. As many people in
music therapy know, he is now struggling with a severe and life-threatening
illness. Our thoughts are with him and his family. His relentless efforts to
 Nordic Journal of Music Therapy 107
improve music therapy assessment, treatment, and research in ASD (e.g.,
Wigram & Gold, 2006), as well as his outstanding ability to bring
enthusiastic people together (e.g., Wigram, 2010), will continue to inspire
clinicians and researchers alike to explore the possibilities of music to help
people with ASD as well as in other areas.

References
Alvin, J. (2000). A research project: Martin. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 9(1),
50–59.
Gold, C., Wigram, T., & Elefant, C. (2006). Music therapy for autistic spectrum
disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (2), CD004381.
Kim, J., Wigram, T., & Gold, C. (2008). The effects of improvisational music therapy
on joint attention behaviors in autistic children: A randomized controlled study.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(9), 1758–1766.
Kim, J., Wigram, T., & Gold, C. (2009). Emotional, motivational and interpersonal
responsiveness of children with autism in improvisational music therapy. Autism,
13(4), 389–409.
Stern, D. (2010). The issue of vitality. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 19(2),
88–102.
Trevarthen, C., & Malloch, S.N. (2000). The dance of wellbeing: Defining the music
therapeutic effect. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 9(2), 3–17.
Wheeler, D., Williams, K., Seida, J., & Ospina, M. (2008). The Cochrane Library
and autism spectrum disorder: An overview of reviews. Evidence-based Child
Health: A Cochrane Review Journal, 3, 3–15.
Wigram, T. (2010). Guest editorial. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 19(2), 85–86.
Wigram, T., & Gold, C. (2006). Music therapy in the assessment and treatment of
autistic spectrum disorder: Clinical application and research evidence. Child:
Care, Health and Development, 32(5), 535–542.