Music therapy has been found to improve social, motor and communication skills in children with disabilities and their parents. Research conducted at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has found that besides these benefits the therapy displayed positive results for parent-child bonding and for parental mental health. The study used self-reporting from parents as well as therapist observations, with sessions consisting of songs, the use of instruments as well as dance.
Originally published on May 27, 2011
Music and Children
Kate Williams, who conducted the study observed that, “Music is very motivating to children, and it is very rare to find a child whose attention is not captured by music. Music and the brain work well together, and stimulating rhythmic areas of the brain can stimulate motor responses and reflexes; there are also links in the brain between music and language. A lot of this research has been done with adults, but the same applies with children.”What is Music Therapy?
Music therapy is an allied health profession that uses music to attain or maintain health and well being. Music and song are used as tools to develop the social and behavioural skills of individuals, and are versatile enough to be used on any age group. The therapy has been found to be especially effective at calming young children as well as encouraging the development of their motor skills. In Australia the profession is small but growing rapidly, with Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) able to:- Assess individuals to identify their abilities and needs
- Develop goals for their clients
- Design a program of activities that meets the needs of the client
