A pilot study on the efficacy of melodic based communication therapy for eliciting speech in nonverbal children with autism.
Singing therapy sparks more sound copying and parent-noticed words, yet total vocabulary matches regular speech therapy.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers tested Melodic Based Communication Therapy (MBCT) against regular speech therapy.
Kids with autism who had no words were split into two groups.
Both groups got daily sessions for several weeks while parents watched.
What they found
Both groups gained words, but MBCT kids tried to copy sounds more often.
Parents also reported more new words at home with MBCT.
On clinic tests, both groups looked the same.
How this fits with other research
Romanowich et al. (2013) ran a similar 2013 trial. They also saw equal word gains when they compared discrete-trial and naturalistic styles.
Lincoln et al. (1988) showed that adding spoken models to sign training helps. MBCT keeps the spoken model but wraps it in song.
Slater et al. (2020) later found that 25 hours a week only helps toddlers with mild autism. MBCT did not test hours, so we still do not know if more singing sessions would matter for severe cases.
Why it matters
If a child is silent, try short MBCT songs during natural play. The child may start copying sounds faster, and parents will hear new words at home sooner. Track imitative tries as an early win while you wait for full vocabulary growth.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of melodic based communication therapy (MBCT) to traditional speech and language therapy for eliciting speech in nonverbal children with autism. Participants were 12 nonverbal children with autism ages 5 through 7 randomly assigned to either treatment group. Both groups made significant progress after treatment. The MBCT group progressed significantly in number of verbal attempts after weeks 1 through 4 and number of correct words after weeks 1 and 3, while the traditional group progressed significantly after weeks 4 and 5. No significant differences in number of verbal attempts or number of correct words were noted between groups following treatment. A significant number of new words were heard in the home environment for the MBCT group (p = .04). Participants in the MBCT group had more imitative attempts (p = .03). MBCT appears to be a valid form of intervention for children with autism.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2013 · doi:10.1007/s10803-012-1672-z