The Effect Of Music Education On The Development Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review Of The Literature

Abstract

This systematic review aims to highlight the positive impact that music education and music therapy programs have on the development of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The findings revealed that music interventions could successfully target psycho-motor, cognitive, emotional and social aspects. The research approach was carried out through the classification of the results obtained from the review of scientific articles, where after the review of 21 articles, 15 reviews of applied scientific articles and systematic reviews were included in this work. The framework of music interventions for the population with ID and ASD was reviewed. The results showed that singing, rhythm exercises and instrumental music classes can ease social communication barriers and reduce the number of behavioral problems in children with ASD. It shows that music therapy positively affects the emotional well-being of people with these disorders and reduces their behavior under pressure. It shows that music sessions were found to be effective in improving socialization, emotional well-being and verbal communication in people affected by ID. The literature emphasized the importance of person-centered interventions in a clinical and educational setting or in community settings helping people develop in different aspects. The effect of music education on people with intellectual disabilities shows that their cognitive function can be improved as well as emotional regulation; stress can also be controlled through music therapy. The findings of this review have reasonable implications as they may relate to practical research, policy and future scientific direction regarding music education and therapy for people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders.