Can music-assisted language interventions improve communication skills in children with autism spectrum disorder?

Music-assisted programmes: Developing communication in autism spectrum disorder through music making

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN12536062

Enrollment

Registered

2019-07-05

Start date

2019-09-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2024-03-18

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Autism spectrum disorder Mental and Behavioural Disorders Childhood autism

Interventions

Everyone agreeing to take part will have a 50:50 chance of receiving the music-assisted (MAP) intervention or treatment as usual (TAU). A computer will be used to allocate participants (stratified for

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Aged between 2-4 at entry. 2. Nonverbal or minimally verbal, with fewer than 20 functional words (Kasari, Brady, Lord, & Tager-Flusberg, 2013). 3. Meet criteria for ASD on the Toddler Module of the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition; Esler et al., 2015; Luyster et al., 2009; Randall et al., 2018), and a clinical diagnosis based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) criteria using all available information. 4. Willingness to complete the intervention.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. A neurodevelopmental disorder of known etiology (e.g., fragile X syndrome). 2. Significant sensory or motor impairment. 3. Major physical problems such as a chronic serious health condition. 4. Seizures at time of entry. 5. Use of psychoactive medications. 6. History of a serious head injury and/or neurologic disease. 7. Alcohol or drug exposure during the prenatal period. 8. Ratio IQ below 35 as measured by mean age equivalence score/chronological age on the visual reception and fine motor subscales of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (Mullen, 1995).

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The production of 36 target words is assessed by a blinded outcome data assessor at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up.	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. IQ is measured using Mullen Scales of Early Learning, 1995 at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. 2. Receptive and expressive language is measured using Receptive and Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Tests, Fourth Edition; ROWPVT-4, EOWPVT-4 at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. 3. ASD symptomatology is measured using the ADOS-2 at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. 4. Vocal production throughout 3 days is measured using audio recordings at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up.	—

Measure

Time frame

1. IQ is measured using Mullen Scales of Early Learning, 1995 at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. 2. Receptive and expressive language is measured using Receptive and Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Tests, Fourth Edition; ROWPVT-4, EOWPVT-4 at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. 3. ASD symptomatology is measured using the ADOS-2 at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. 4. Vocal production throughout 3 days is measured using audio recordings at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up.

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Countries

England, United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 21, 2026