Effects of Music Therapy on Young Children's Challenging Behaviors: A Case Study

ABSTRACT: This case study examined the effectiveness of music therapy incorporating social stories for 3 young children with challenging behaviors within a special education setting. Two problem behaviors, hitting and screaming, and one alternative behavior, asking, were targeted for intervention. Music therapy was administered within a multiple baseline across participants design with target behaviors measured during 10 minute free play sessions immediately following therapy. Visual analyses revealed that music therapy decreased problem behaviors and increased alternative behaviors for Participants 1 and 2. For the Participant 3, who exhibited few challenging behaviors during baseline, music therapy had less therapeutic effect. Maintenance probes revealed that music therapy gains continued at least 3 weeks after intervention. Results support those of previous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of music therapy targeted at specific social, communicative, and behavioral skills. Future research should target the role of classroom staff in promoting the generality of music therapy across environments. An emerging research base supports the use of music therapy to address a variety of skills for students with cognitive, communicative, and behavioral deficits (Gold, Voracek, & Wigram, 2004; Whipple, 2004; Kaplan & Steele, 2005; Stephenson, 2006). For example, researchers have examined the effectiveness of music interventions to promote learning and recall of information (Buday, 1995; Wolfe & Horn, 1993), on-task behaviors (Colwell & Murlless, 2002; Jellison & Gainer, 1995; Standley & Hughes, 1996), and communication and social skills (Edgerton, 1994; Ma, Nagler, Lee, & Cabrera, 2001; Wimpory, Chadwick, & Nash, 1995). Music interventions have shown particular promise when applied to students with challenging behaviors, such as self-injury (Durand & Mapstone, 1998) and aggression (Rickson & Watkins, 2003). Children who display challenging behaviors are at-risk for negative academic and social outcomes. High rates of problem behaviors can lead to difficulties in reading, math, and language (Nelson, Benner, Lane, & Smith, 2004) and increase the likelihood of school failure (Kauffman, 2004). There is a need for targeted strategies to increase appropriate communication and social interaction, and to reduce challenging behaviors. A survey of the literature reveals support for the application of music therapy in each of these areas. In terms of communication, Edgerton (1994) found that Nordoff-Robbins Creative Music Therapy (Nordoff & Robbins, 1977) increased the communicative responses/acts of eleven 6- to 9-year-old children with autism as administered within a reversal design. Ma, Nagler, Lee, and Cabrera (2001) also found increases in communication and interaction abilities of 6 preschool-age children in an early intervention program following group music therapy targeted at communication skills. Researchers have also focused on the effects of music therapy in supporting prosocial interactions among children with disabilities and their typical peers. Specifically, Humpal (1991) examined the effects of an integrated early childhood music program on the interactions of 15 typical preschool students and 12 students with moderate mental impairment. Posttest scores and staff reports indicated that students with and without mental impairment interacted more following program implementation. Kern and Aldridge (2006) investigated the effect of a playground-installed Music Hut, which is an outdoor music center containing a variety of instruments, on increasing positive peer interaction and meaningful play of four 3- to 5-year-old boys with autism within a multiple baseline across participants design. Results showed that while the Music Hut by itself was not effective in increasing peer interactions and meaningful play, when teachers were trained to facilitate musical interactions between students, interactions increased significantly. …