Music for Autism (M4A)

Music therapy will use rhythmic cues, music instruments (piano, drums, djembe, xylophone, harmonica), songs, and stories accompanied by songs or musical instruments to target common goals.

Play therapy is designed as a play-based active comparison condition to control for factors such as support, therapist attention, positive expectancies, and emotional engagement. It will use verbal interaction, toys (Lego, finger puppets, Play Doh, puzzles), and the same stories as in MT, but without a musical component, to target common goals.