Abstract
This research is an attempt to gain insight into the experience of clinical
improvisational music therapy and communication for one child with highfunctioning autism (HFA), in middle-childhood; the male participant was seven years
old at the time of this study. The researcher utilized a qualitative, case study method
of inquiry. The participant engaged in music therapy sessions for over one year, of
which four sessions were utilized for this study. The music therapy technique of
clinical improvisation was used as an intervention for social, emotional, cognitive,
and communication goal areas; this study is a culmination of the data recorded on
only the communicative behaviors of this child. For data collection, the researcher
used written notes and videotaped sessions and provided the parents/guardians with a
survey to complete regarding the participant’s behaviors after the session. These
forms of data were analyzed for commonalities in behaviors and verbalizations in
order to answer the research questions: 1) What methods of communication does the
child utilize before, during, and after the improvisation?; 2) What is the child
attempting to communicate (internal or external events), before, during, and after
improvisations?; 3) What aspects of communication are present before, during, and
after improvisation (social behaviors, appropriate or inappropriate verbal or physical
behaviors)?; and 4) Do the musical behaviors present in the improvisation indicate
social or verbal communication skills? Results indicate that the verbalization and
behaviors of this child are consistent with several theories on communication and
autism. The child utilized the social aspects of communication during and after the
improvisation and also attempted statements regarding internal events after the improvisation. The sounds and components of the clinical improvisation resembled the non-musical verbalizations and behaviors that were present in the sessions.
Findings should not be generalized to the autistic population due to the variances in
symptom exhibition and also the small research sample size. This study was intended
to explore clinical improvisation and communication for this particular child;
however, other children with HFA may have a similar experience while engaged in
clinical improvisation.
