Beneficial Effects of Mozart–Orff Parent-Child Music Therapy on Mothers and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mental health is adversely affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially for moms of autistic children who are under a lot of stress. Music therapy and applied behaviour analysis (ABA) are acknowledged therapies for reducing symptoms of ASD. The precise advantages of ABA and parent-child music therapy for autistic moms and their children are still unknown, though. The present study evaluated the impact of parent-child music therapy on preschool-aged autistic children and their mothers.

The randomised controlled trial included 100 mother–child pairs which were assigned to either the control group receiving ABA or the intervention group receiving both music therapy and ABA. Qualitative interviews were conducted post-intervention for 12 mothers. Additionally, twelve moms participated in qualitative interviews after the intervention.

The findings of the study revealed:

• Children in the intervention group scored lower on measures of ASD symptoms as compared to control group.
• In addition, compared to mothers in the control group, mothers in the intervention group showed considerably better family functioning, less overall parental stress, less dysfunctional parent-child contact, and higher levels of hope. 
• Mothers had favorable opinions about music therapy.

Combining ABA with parent–child music therapy can alleviate ASD symptoms in children and reduce stress in mothers. Improved parent–child interaction and enhanced family functioning further support the benefits of this combined approach. Parent–child music therapy, combined with ABA demonstrated positive outcomes for autistic children, including reduced ASD symptoms, improved parent–child interaction, decreased parental stress, enhanced family functioning, and increased hope. These findings highlight the potential of incorporating music therapy as a valuable component in the comprehensive treatment of ASD.

Source: He Y, Wong A, Zhang Y. et al. Effects of Mozart–Orff parent–child music therapy among mothers and their preschool children with autism spectrum disorder: A mixed-methods randomised controlled trial. BMC Pediatr.2024. 24, 665. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05085-3