On the other hand, some perspectives offer the idea that having music therapists in schools offer a more diverse selection of treatment methods for neurodivergent children.

This article details how music therapy has helped numerous infants and babies recover in the NICU. While not relating to how music therapy can help older, neurodivergent children, it is still important to understand its effects and benefits for activating the healing process of the human body. Additionally, the article touches on the cognitive engagement that music provides and how it is beneficial for all, young and old.

The Study and Its Purpose
The research aimed to investigate how participating in a virtual, inclusive music therapy group would impact the connections formed between autistic and neurotypical adolescents. The goal was to explore how inclusive music therapy, through active music-making and sharing musical preferences, could create opportunities for these teens to connect with each other, moving away from deficit-based models of autism treatment to a more strengths-based approach that celebrates neurodiversity.

The study engaged seven participants aged 13-19, four of whom completed the study's sessions and pre- and post-tests. Over four sessions, the adolescents—both autistic and neurotypical—engaged in various music therapy activities designed to encourage communication, collaboration, and creativity. The research used both qualitative and quantitative methods, employing the Index of Peer Relations (IPR) to measure peer relationship changes and a researcher-created measure to gain additional insights into the participants' experiences.

Key Findings
The study's results provide interesting insights, albeit with varying degrees of significance:

• Small Changes in Connectedness: There was a slight increase in connectedness within the group, suggesting that the music therapy sessions had a positive, though not statistically significant, impact on the relationships between the teens.

• Individual Variations: While some participants (PA and PB) showed significant changes in their peer relationships (e.g., PA’s IPR score decreased from 92 to 51), others showed smaller or no changes, indicating that individual experiences varied greatly.

• Improvements in Emotional Connection: In response to the specific questions about emotional closeness, participants generally reported feeling more connected after the sessions. The researcher-created measure revealed that, while some found it challenging to connect over Zoom, most participants felt closer to the group and valued the opportunity to share their music preferences.

• Music as a Tool for Social Interaction: The sessions fostered an environment where both autistic and neurotypical adolescents could collaborate, perform, and express themselves musically. This created a space for mutual respect, understanding, and inclusivity, aligning with the neurodiversity movement that advocates for acceptance of all neurological differences.

Limitations and Future Implications
While the study shows promising results, several limitations were noted. The research was conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted the ability to perform music together in real-time and may have influenced the depth of social connections formed. Additionally, the sample size was small, with only four participants completing both the pre- and post-tests. These limitations suggest the need for further studies with larger groups and in-person settings to better understand the full impact of inclusive music therapy.

Nevertheless, the study emphasizes the potential of inclusive, performative music therapy to foster genuine connections between neurodiverse adolescents. By focusing on relationships and shared experiences rather than perceived deficits, music therapy offers a promising avenue for promoting social inclusion and understanding.

Conclusion
This study highlights the importance of creating inclusive spaces for adolescents—regardless of neurodiversity—to connect, express themselves, and thrive. Music, as a universal language, serves as a bridge for these teens, enabling them to form connections that might otherwise remain out of reach. By embracing a strengths-based, collaborative approach, music therapy can not only help adolescents with autism but also create a more inclusive, empathetic community for all participants.

As an alternative form of therapy, music therapy uses sound and music to facilitate positive change in the clients that use it.

Music therapy is recognized as a form of healthcare and a legitimate, therapeutic discipline, similar to occupational or speech therapy, but is based on the unique characteristics of music.

Let's explore the following pillars of music therapy to see how they affect the mind and body:

• Activation of Brain Regions

• Neurochemical Changes

• Emotional + Social Benefits

• Physical Benefits

  
  

Music therapy engages the cognitive, emotional, and motor functioning parts of the brain which are involved in emotion, memory, attention, and motor control.

Music therapy stimulates different brain regions, releasing neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins, and promotes neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is crucial for the developing mind because, by enabling the brain to adapt and learn, it creates a more resilient mind which can be useful, especially for recovering from injury throughout life.

Music therapy provides a safe, engaging outlet for expressing feelings and building social skills, fostering a sense of connection and well-being. Because music therapy helps clients identify and name their emotions, this leads to improved self-awareness and self-expression. Additionally, the non-verbal aspect of music therapy aids in the emotional development of clients who struggle with verbal communication.

Music therapy can enhance motor skills such as coordination, balance, and strength through activities like playing instruments, dancing, and rhythmic exercises. It can also reduce perceived pain and improve overall comfort, increasing the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation.

Kaur, H. (2024). Finding resilience through music for neurodivergent children. In Proceedings of the Interaction Design and Children Conference (IDC '24), June 17–20, 2024, Delft, Netherlands. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3628516.3659419

Davies, H. (2022). ‘Autism is a way of being’: An ‘insider perspective’ on neurodiversity, music therapy and social justice. British Journal of Music Therapy, 36(1), 16–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/13594575221090182

Music therapy has been shown to play a powerful role in supporting cognitive development, especially in children.

Engaging with music, whether through listening, creating, or movement, stimulates areas of the brain involved in memory, attention, language, and emotional processing.

Research suggests that music therapy can enhance neural connections, improve focus, and even support literacy and problem-solving skills. By blending creativity with structured therapeutic goals, music becomes more than just an art form, it becomes a tool for growing minds.

1. Emotional Support:

   Aids in clients' identification and processing of feelings, ultimately allowing clients to find relief from emotional distress.

2. Medical and Physical Rehabilitation:

   Aids in managing pain during clients' rehabilitation. Can also re-develop/maintain motor skills through rhythm and movement.

3. Cognitive Support:

   Aids the development, strengthening, and maintenance in areas of attention, memory, and executive functioning skills.

4. Education and Development:

   Aids children in areas of language development, motor, and social skills as well as enhancing learning abilities.

As a whole, music therapy yields positive results in children who are neurodivergent, deeming it beneficial.

Let's take a look at the ways music therapy benefits children with different disorders and conditions:

Attention + Focus

Inattentiveness, which is common in many children with ADHD, can negatively affect their social and academic development. Music's rhythmic and melodic structures can help modulate those behaviors, making it easier for children to concentrate.

Impulse Control

Because many children with ADHD struggle to control certain impulses, the delayed gratification that often accompanies the music-making process can help children think more slowly about their musical decisions, ultimately developing a stronger sense of self-control.

Time Management

Rhythm work can not only help children improve their attention and focus, but can additionally develop a better sense of time and awareness, a common challenge with ADHD.

Executive Functions

Executive dysfunction, a condition that often accompanies ADHD, can be combated with music therapy. Rhythmic exercises that require back-and-forth recall train working memory along with inhibitory control, both critical for executive functioning skills.

Emotional Regulation

Music can have calming and soothing effects on children, helping in the management of emotions and the reduction of anxiety.

Communication

Music can provide a safe and controlled environment for social interaction, encouraging eye contact, turn-taking, and sharing.

Relationship Building

Ensemble-based music activities offer opportunities to develop positive interactions between peers as well as strengthen the relationships between children, parents, and caregivers.

Structure

The predictable nature of many musical exercises can provide comfort and security for children with autism.

Multi-sensory Engagement

Because music engages multiple senses, music therapy can be beneficial for children with sensory processing differences.

Emotional Regulation

Due to its non-verbal nature, music therapy can help children learn to identify and manage their emotions, particularly anxiety, in a way that does not involve words.

Self-Esteem and Confidence

Through creating music, learning to play instruments, and participating in group activities, children struggling with anxiety can boost self-esteem and confidence.

Coping Skills

With music therapy, children can learn and practice coping skills, such as relaxation techniques.

The Nervous System

Music therapy can help children manage the physiological responses to trauma, such as increased heart rate and muscle tension, by promoting relaxation and grounding. Because this form of therapy stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, there is a promotion of relaxation and calming.

Safe Space for Expression

Music can help children develop a sense of agency and control. This empowers them to actively participate in their healing process. Children can explore and process their feelings without the pressure of verbalizing their trauma.

What is music therapy?

-use of music and a trained professional to accomplish therapeutic goals with patients

What do music therapists do?

-They asses patients well being, physical health, cognitive skills and many other areas through a patients response to music

Where do music therapists work?

-many locations! hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, clinics are a few

Who is qualified to practice music therapy?

-people who have completed a bachelors degree and a masters degree in music therapy

-then they must get certified by the Certification Board for Music Therapy

This is an interesting source for parents because it shows how therapists must go through extensive testing and training to be able to do this job.

It may sound weird to people at first but taking a dive into the music therapy world will show you how much science is behind this field.