Research Summary

Group-Based Music Therapy Enhances Social Communication and Language Skills in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Kate Young

Key Highlights:

  • Music therapy significantly improved social communication skills in children with autism spectrum disorder compared with standard care alone.
  • Speech/language/communication and sociability scores improved in the music therapy group, indicating gains in both verbal and nonverbal interaction.
  • Personal-social developmental scores increased significantly with music therapy, reinforcing its value as a complementary intervention.

In a randomized controlled trial, 12 weeks of group-based music therapy added to standard care resulted in significant improvements in social communication, sociability, and language abilities among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when compared with standard care alone. Key measures from the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2), Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC), and the Gesell Development Schedules (GDS) demonstrated that music therapy had a meaningful impact on enhancing social functioning and developmental outcomes in children with ASD.

ASD is characterized by impaired social communication and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Despite a range of interventions targeting these primary challenges, many children with ASD require long-term support. Music therapy has emerged as a promising modality due to the preserved or enhanced musical processing skills often observed in individuals with ASD. These include heightened pitch discrimination, affect perception in music, and auditory-motor connectivity. While prior studies have shown mixed results, the culturally specific and interactive nature of music therapy makes it an area of growing clinical interest, especially in contexts like China where music is deeply intertwined with language and social cues.

This single-blind, parallel-group study enrolled 29 children aged 30 to 80 months diagnosed with ASD. Participants were randomized to receive either standard care alone or standard care plus music therapy. The music therapy intervention incorporated structured social skills training into musical activities across four phases: greeting, instrument passing, playing, and farewell—designed to promote joint attention, emotional reciprocity, and communication. Sessions were delivered three times per week in small groups over 12 weeks. Outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention using validated Chinese versions of the SRS-2 (primary), ATEC, and GDS (secondary).

Children in the music therapy group demonstrated significantly improved scores in the social communication subscale and total scores of the SRS-2, with statistically meaningful differences compared to both baseline and the control group. The ATEC scores also improved significantly in the domains of speech/language/communication and sociability. Although total ATEC scores decreased, this change did not reach statistical significance relative to the control. On the GDS, developmental quotient scores in the personal-social activity domain increased significantly only in the music therapy group. These results suggest music therapy supports both expressive and receptive communication, likely through mechanisms involving auditory-motor integration, social cue reinforcement, and emotional engagement.

While the study showed encouraging outcomes, several limitations were noted. The relatively small sample size and wide age range may have introduced variability. Participants had been receiving treatment at the hospital prior to the study, which could limit generalizability regarding compliance. Additionally, some measures may not have been sensitive enough to detect more subtle changes, and future studies should incorporate more nuanced behavioral assessments.

“This study suggests that music therapy could effectively improve the social skills of children with ASD, and has a positive effect on language ability,” Zhou et al wrote. “Music therapy has the potential to be an effective complement to regular social skill training.”

 

Reference:
Zhou Z, Zhao X, Yang Q, et al. A randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of music therapy on the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. Res Dev Disabil. 2025;158:104942. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104942