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ЭКСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНЫЕ И ПРИКЛАДНЫЕ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ
УДК 78.05
THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC IN MUSIC THERAPY ON AUTISTIC CHILDREN
Lidija Vladic-Mandaric1), Amela Plosko2)
^University of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina 12)e-mail: lidijavladic@yahoo.com
Entire life we have been surrounded by music, learning about music, writing it down, playing it, living it. Music is simply the part of us. Nevertheless, is anyone ever told us or taught us that we can help someone with music? Searching for it, we find the answers in music therapy. What is it the music therapy? How we can use the music in therapy? Is music itself sufficient enough or we do need much more factors to serve the therapy itself? How music can serve the children with difficulties? Special interest for this subject was raised by children with autism and the influence of music therapy playing part in their development. For that reason we have volunteered in primary school for special need children, in group of children with autism.
Keywords: music, music therapy, autism, special needs children.
Introductory consideration
Numerous researches in psychology that deal with the influence of music on human psyche have been recorded. These researches are mostly divided into those that examine the relationship between the characteristics of a person with the kind of music he likes and those that examine the influence of music on a person, her abilities and experiences. There is also a third, much less interrogated but perhaps the most significant topic in this area - which is why music is so important to us1.
Why do people listen to music?
In an attempt to answer this question, experts started the simplest way to ask people why they actually listen to music. Answers received can be classified into six basic categories: 1) listening to music is fun; 2) Improves the level of energy; 3) helps us turn our thoughts away from something; 4) Provides 'discharge' when necessary; 5) Enhances mental activity; 6) Connects people.
1 Ferovic, Selma (2004) Music in Family Life in the Function of Prevention and Music. P. 21.
The six basic reasons why we need music really have the same goal, which is to control or improve our emotional state and the mood behind which is what is essentially the key in music, and that is its ability to affect our emotional state. This is why the loudspeaker often heard - the music of animae levamans (Latin music is a cure for our souls).
Why is music causing emotions?
It is well known that feelings have great power. In psychology, feelings are defined as specific behaviors that appear in response to some processes around us or in within ourselves. As feelings are actually a reaction to something, they are always oriented towards a situation or person who for some reason is significant. We see that something is going to need to be triggered to trigger feelings, that is something important to the person, and that is why the person is cognitively focused on it. However, this definition can not be applied to feelings caused by music.
Music can be background and does not have to be in the attention of the listeners, but it may affect its emotional state2. Real stimulation, which is normaly triggering the emotions is absent in case of music. All this bring us to to the question: Do these differences in making the emotions also bring the diferences in the quality of emotions? Because of which music is being launched in this way, it is not fully known yet. The possible explanation is that rhythms provide an adequate substitute for everything we can not handle verbally and completely consciously .
Music and memory
In the first months after their birth, children are sensitive to music and have shown they have amazing ability to remember though they are still very small. In one of these researches, little babies are tied to a leg in the crib tied to a ribbon that could launch a toy that was above the bed. A certain melody is released in the background. The baby was able to learn to kick the toy with the movement of the toe and she remembered it the next day after learning. However, it is interesting that, a week after that, the baby could remember the learned movement only if the same music that was playing in the background was released in the background.
This experiment has shown that although it is exceptionally small, a child can learn. On the other hand, it is very important to find that music can be a reminder signal. Music is also common in adults with regard to memory. The type of memory that music has the most influence on is so-called. autobiographical memory4. This is a kind of long-term memory in which we store events and experiences from our own lives. Based on that we conclude about who we were once, who we are now and how we observe ourselves.
Researchers have shown that music largely serves to preserve this memory. Many stages of our own life are remembered by the music that we have then listened to, and many of the transitions in life accompany some kind of music. Research has shown that teenage days are the most striking link between autobiographical memories and music, but that this relationship is still maintained in other periods of life.
Numerous research in psychology had an attempt to reveal the link between music and some human abilities. It has been shown that music has a significant positive impact on the development of verbal memory. The tracking of children who went to the music school from their sixth to fifteen years has shown that this type of memory is actually more developed than in children who were not learning music.
2 Ferovic, Selma (2004) Music in Family Life in the Function of Prevention and Music. P. 22.
3 Cvejic, Bojan (2010) Muzika kao lek. Today. Belgrade. P. 17.
4 Milenkovic, Zaklina (2010) Lekovite note. Style. no. 9. Belgrade. P. 8/9.
Music therapy
Musical therapy is a relatively new scientific discipline. The cause of its sudden spread and recognition is the existence of countless types and forms of music dealing, which in many cases is exactly what binds people and almost there is no man who does not enjoy some form of it. Favorite music and well-known sounds that occur frequently and suddenly within our minds are what many of us associate with the events of the past, bring us back to the feelings we have experienced and somehow distract us from the world we are in. Experiencing music in any way is a very individual thing and depends on the character and many other characteristics of a person.
The central thought of music therapy is that one needs music and its effects on the individual, and that it can help human health. A child may have difficulty in speaking, an adult man can be shy, but they both have the same chance of becoming part of the music in a way that suits them only. Music is much more adaptive than any other type of communication and allows us to contact different age groups, different emotional or social difficulties. There is not just one definition that will satisfy any curious, rather few definitions need be used in order to answer the question: "What is music therapy?"
Musical therapy is a set of techniques that use diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive uses of sound that may or may not be music. Musical therapeutic techniques are applied in interaction between one or more patients (clients) and one or more music therapists. The aim of music therapy is to stimulate the maturation, development, health and everyday functioning of client / groups based on the scientific and planned application of music therapy techniques by an educated music therapist, and to alleviate or eliminate the existing symptoms in the event of illness.
Using music in the treatment of psychic disorders is one of the oldest therapeutic methods. Even in ancient times, Aristotle has recommended music in all kinds of emotional disturbances. Music cures a patient, not a disease. It stimulates the spirit, activates the body, meets the human need for a beautiful and pleasant experience.
It has been shown that rapid pace rhythms, which clearly feel the pulse equivalent to our heart rate, give a sense of joy, self-confidence, and victory. The rhythms that bring long duration in slow pace are calm and sorrowful, suitable for sleep or hypnosis. By combining rhythms and pace changes, it is possible to create tension, relaxation, and pleasure.
Though there are some music compositions recommended for a particular type of disorder (eg, compositions by L. van Beethoven and I. Stravinsky - for alcoholism, R. Wagner and G. Verdi - for depression), today's music therapists perform various combinations according to the patient's musical interest .
Where is music therapy used?
In the history of development, there are two main areas where music therapy is used: 1) work with older people with learning difficulties and 2) work with children with developing difficulties. There is also an explanation for this sort of division. Namely, the first therapists had their practice in the institutions responsible for the care of such people. Therapy was extremely successful to people with chronic schizophrenia and deep physical or mental impairment. Initially, to such people who spent their entire life in hospitals music sound was doing lots of good. Later their therapists introduced assessment and evaluation of their work.
People who had learning difficulties with these therapies improved physically, and also improved their cognitive potentials, motivation, speech skills, nonverbal communication, decision-making skills, and autonomy. Successes in these areas have enabled the development of other areas: children with cognitive and emotional disabilities,
children with hearing or vision problems, elderly people with various mental and physical problems...
Music therapy shows that there are not two people who will respond equally to the same music, or that will play the same music exactly the same. Therefore, music shows the psyche of every man, the "most individual" in each of us. Improvised music is performed exactly as the musicians feel is right at that moment. They join one body and each in their own way perform their part, extending the length of tones, changing the harmony in the way they want, expressing the deepest feelings that could not be read by any other analysis. It is a real indicator of how much music can affect people, their understanding and analysis of the various difficulties they face.
Types of Music Therapy
Types or methods of therapy can be divided into many segments depending on whether they listen to music only from the recordings, or listen to it live, whether the user is active, indirectly or directly involved in performing that music or just listening to how many users participate, how many a therapist participates, what kind of music is performed / listened to, which instruments are used, how many instruments are used, how long the therapy lasts...
In the international community of music therapies, two different approaches are recognized: 1) receptive - where the user (or group) listens to the selected (tested) music extract that helps to achieve the desired psychological effect. The same is used for relaxation on occasions when users have problems expressing emotion or after painful surgery; 2) active techniques - when the therapist and the user (or group) realize voice or instrument communication (actively participate in music singing or playing activities) in cases where other means of communication are difficult or disabled.
This later approach is good for users whose verbal communication is hampered, such as in the case of autistic children, or when they aim to influence the development of concentration, social skills, psychomotor (persons with cerebral palsy) and also is applicable to healthcare people. Musical therapy can be applied within a group or individually, in marital therapy and as family therapy. It is applied in hospital and outpatient conditions. The doctor sends a patient to a music therapist who is self-employed, but is trained to work within the team (physician, psychologist, social worker, defectologist).
Free improvisation is the main "tool" for a music therapist who wants to instantly engage in a musical experience. To begin with improvising also means that playing music together does not have to be mandatory to mediate with previous music experience, instrumental skill, or any level of mental or physical ability. Improvising allows music at a level that is as convenient and possible.
Individual meeting
For an example of an individual encounter we give an example of James, a boy who is 3 years old. His parents complain about his silence, occasionally great retreat, and difficulty to establish any contact with peers and adults. Already at the first encounter, James accepted drumming, the bundles he was offered accepted immediately and began to hit in short noisy intervals.
The therapist tried to get in touch with the music and use the moments of energy expression in some other way. His mother, who was also present, encouraged him with words and laughter at the same time. The piano therapist plays simple melodies between James's "solo parts". James accepts the melody and tries to follow it. The therapist then tries to establish a verbal contact after a while, singing "Hello James, James plays the drums." With time, the music becomes less and less interrupted and James begins using his voice (the slogans "yes", "ah"...) to follow the rhytam of his drumming.
The therapist then tries to communicate with him in a way that high tones of the casket are accompanied by high tones of melody. In this way, the music he plays becomes more and more audible and interesting. On the video recorded during this meeting, it is seen that the whole body is aligned with the music and the rhythm that he wickedly strikes. The therapist sings simple melodies again and James begins to slow down his rhythm. Finally, James approaches the piano, looks at the therapist and begins to emit the voices "ees", "ash", trying to track the melody that the therapist is constantly playing.
On his face there is playfulness, interest and smile. It feels that James actually communicates with the therapist in this way. After that he returns to the drum and hits the piano chord. Following each chord he hits drums twice, and their music gets more and more meaningful. At the next meeting (the same day afternoon) his playing was more organized. He accompanies the therapist and tries to "lighten" the tones to the softer beats, music is no longer interrupted with sudden changes in rhythms and loudness but is rather being moderate all the time.
The therapist concludes after about fifty minutes of work that James has manifested a lot of his feelings that will be analyzed later on the video. Also, he thinks that James has come up with new feelings and has comunicated to him with his slogans. James not only reflected his strokes and followed his rhythm, but also followed him through interpersonal interaction in which they exchanged ideas. Clearly, the therapist did not only look at the musical abilities of the user. Later by analising he can find the special ways to help James to communicate with someone, or interact. There is a James's movement, dancing in the room, organizing in the space and time, and instrument manipulation.
The Speaking Therapist analyzes the lyrics James speaks on the various piano sounds, and concludes that he speaks of more simple slogans when he plays and dance ("yes"), and heavier slogans when he is less engaged in playing and concentrates more on his "singing". He also concludes that James understands what he expects of him and tries to do it. In the end, the therapist was most interested in same as James's parents: When will James speak?
This encounter showed what kind of sounds he can produce and how he understands what is being said or shown to him. Further, his attention was paid to playing and the ability to concentrate on the "task" set. Then, the feelings he expressed and the way he expressed them. The physiotherapist saw on the record that the whole James's body was moving while playing and dancing. Though moments chaotic and uncontrollable, James can calm his movements and match them with music. Lifting the drumming pads from the floor and adjusting the look and hands at faster rhythms is an indication of the problem as he misses the drum several times in succession but continues hitting the same spot.
The psychotherapist focuses on the quality and type of interaction between users and therapists, the excitement and the amount of energy they use. At the end, a social worker looks at the connection between the child and his mother, and concludes that it would be possible for him to win the child with the music. His attitude is that parents can build a greater connection with their child and that playing or singing can become an usual family fun where little James could again an important role that would strengthen his will and self-confidence.
The opinion of a music therapist sums up his colleagues' attitudes in this case: 1) music allows James to explore and learn to control the feelings he can experience and demonstrate through it; 2) a high level of motivation and creativity can be built; 3) music trains concentrated listening and provides the basis for speech skills and work with language and pronunciation; 4) rhythm and melody can be a stimulus to awaken and increase his vocal abilities; 5) Rhythm and use of different size instruments helps the user control their
movements and adjust their motor skills; 6) concentration and attention increase; 7) Music is conditioned by interaction with an adult, either by a parent or by a therapist, through a synchronized or "question-answer" chanting; 8) By this interaction, James learns the behavior of adults.
In this example, it has been shown that everything can be seen from just two meetings, and that this way certainly has many advantages over the others. On the one hand is much faster, and on the other hand, such encounters for James are less tense and he is more relaxed and honest on them than a physiotherapist, for example, who strictly observes his movements that might be unnatural for him at that moment. Other advantages can be listed, but it should be noted that this is only one example where specific information has been obtained and each encounter will show something new and each user will react differently.
Music therapy in working with autistic children
Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder characterized by impairment in communication and social interaction, and a limited, repetitive and stereotypical model of behavior, interest, and activity (DSM-IV diagnostic-statistical manual of mental illnesses, 1994). The general feature of these disorders is unconventional development with qualitative and quantitative deviations in some developmental areas.
Autistic students differ from other students by their sensory experiences. For example, children with sensory processing problems can be completely shut down so as to avoid unpleasant stimuli. Knowing that autism is a difficult disorder for the child and its parents, as well as for the experts, it is a great challenge to develop and apply treatment strategies based on the child's existing abilities and needs in order to improve the student's overall functioning.
Inclusion of children with special needs in music activities
Children with special needs are introduced into musical activities for therapeutic reasons, so music is thought to help overcome the difficulties that are expressed in a particular child. How much music can really help a child in improving his physical and mental health is difficult to determine, and in that respect, precise answers can not yet be given. Certain therapeutic effects the music certainly have, but it can not be said that music can cure or make someone to a better person. With the help of music therapy, children do not learn about music but try to get some communication through it that enable us to see what difficulties a particular child is experiencing in order to help strengthen their physical, mental, social and emotional health.
A child may have speech difficulties, with motion coordination, blind or deaf, dysfunction of the lungs and the heart or cerebral palsy ... In addition to physical damage, there are some difficulty in learning, emotional expression problems, communication difficulties, more or less pronounced mental impairment. In all such cases, it is sought to reduce the difficulty with the help of music therapy, just to suit the child the best. As part of a music therapy, a child can reproduce, create, improvise or listen to music. These activities are carried out in groups or individually. Collective music therapy is well-suited when more than one child is involved at the same time.
Collective music therapy has the following most common features: 1) The collective work consists of four to eight children; 2) Children play on instruments they can hold in their hands (sticks, bows, or tambourines); 3) If children play on larger instruments (xylophone or konga) then they do not play them all at the same time as they alternate; 4) children often have their own performances and then freely improvise on a musical instrument; 5) Each music therapy meeting usually consists of three parts: introductory
greetings, central activities (singing songs, playing on instruments, moving to the rhythm of the melody) and final (complimentary) songs for the fun.
Research into working with autistic students
Typical problems with children or adults with this disorder are learning difficulties, despite the age of adequate or even higher intellectual functioning, less sense of feeling, and low self-esteem, stress tolerance, difficulty controlling behavior, delay in speech development, difficulty chewing, swallowing, and automatic closure mouth, inadequate alignment of motion - injury tendency, excessive fear of height, lack of balance, mood swings, avoidance of hand use, etc.
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether music therapy stimulates students with autism. A sample of five subjects of both sexes was examined. Students aged 8 to 13 were included, so a sample of this study was done by one student and four pupils. They are included in the day care of education, education and rehabilitation at the Primary School for Children with Special Needs.
The research was based on observation and collecting data on occurrences through their immediate observation. The observation was done in intervals of two to three times a week, over a period of six months.
According to medical records obtained from the dossier, students apart from diagnosing autistic spectrum disorders also have ADHD syndrome (one of them), epilepsy (one of them), and four receive medication therapy.
All have reduced intellectual abilities with a mental retardation diagnosis: three -moderate mental retardation, two - moderate to severe. Four of these speeches are considered undeveloped, and in some, they are partially developed and abound with a series of difficulties such as limited speech, limited vocabulary, unusual intonation and rhythm of speech, and the problems of initiating communication.
Behavioral manifestations are characterized by inappropriate and unacceptable behaviors such as outbreaks of aggression (in two students) and impulsive and unpredictable behavior (in one student). Pupils also show emotional disharmony that is manifested in different states and mood changes.
For the first two weeks we only physically attended classes to help children adapt to something new. In those two weeks we got a clear picture of the characteristics of individual students, and we knew exactly who to approach. Only after getting acquainted with and having a rather good relationship began to make a kind of music therapy with the students. For the beginning, we started with the well-known rhythms - children's, cheerful songs that their teachers occasionally released on a CD. We continued this practice, with the introduction of some characteristic movements of rhythm. At each hour we had a happy farewell song, the song for the beginning and the end. Initial reactions were surprisingly good, even above our expectations.
In the first few weeks, the students were so used to all the that was new which made it much easier for us to work with them. After four weeks (of which 2 weeks with music therapy), we introduced "the students" to the a flute, a wind instrument. Given that the students were already familiar with all the songs, we expected that the introduction of the flute into the program would not be a big change. However, the first reactions were not encouraging. One student responded badly, expressing her aggressiveness with agitation.
The defectologists have explained that she is otherwise badly responsive to any changes, and how it is possible that the sound of the flute is linked to the trumpet sound heard at the funeral of her mother. But the negative reaction of the girl did not discourage us. With the help of a defectologist, I continued to go to school and persevere for purpose, which proved to be correct. In the sixth week, the students became accustomed to the sound
of the flute, but also to the whole atmosphere of performing the music therapy. One student, who had a somewhat pronounced ability to speak, sang certain parts of the song she remembered. Since then, the students have actively participated in music therapy. They used to use some instruments from Orffs instrument (sticks, oranges). This pleased them and made them important. They were visibly enjoying how we work together and create together.
After about two months of volunteering at school, teachers wondered if they could quietly release the music for the students while doing the assignments, which we, of course, answered positively. They choose a different kind of music, from spiritual to classical. Basically, there was always some light music to make them so much quieter and more active. What was noticeable in a very short period of time was that they performed their tasks more simple and more relaxed (drawing, logical arrangement of figurines) and aggressiveness decreased considerably. This kind of interaction lasted for a full six months, with visual breaks, to our satisfaction.
Research results
We have produced the results of this research from the aspect of personal experience, with the help of school staff - defectologists. The shifts that took place were gaining the security and confidence of the pupils in their own senses, as well as the emotional satisfaction of the students who manifested themselves on their faces (pleasure, joy, joy) in holding the body (relaxation, less frustrating, more comfortable and safer).
After exposure to new incentives in interaction with the environment, this also had a positive impact on the development of social skills (respecting others, joint participation in activities). The program has also resulted in increased attention to the educational content that has emerged through a more successful execution of the set tasks, especially in the longer-term staying at the work desk when doing them.
The aim of the research was to lessen the everyday difficulties faced by autistic students by encouraging and implementing a devised program. The results brought positive and statistically significant advances in the quality of learning and social behavior.
Conclusion
The use of sound, music as a mediator to improve and treat certain health conditions is not at all a new approach, and is considered to have started to be used (unconsciously) with the emergence of the human species.
Children with special needs should be allowed to use music to reduce their difficulties and improve personal growth and development. Music will surely not be able to cure a child from seeing, hearing, impairing, disabling, autism or Down's syndrome, but it will help in emotional adaptation, will help to relax the child, and will also stimulate activity and social communication5. Therefore, it can be said that music will certainly improve the quality of their life with which they can be encountered in many different ways, but the active approach through music improvisation enables even the children with very pronounced developmental difficulties to realize their potential.
By applying one of the approaches described, we will certainly contribute to better quality and richer life for children with special needs, and it is possible that we will also ease the difficulties that most often have to deal with their whole life.
Children with special needs today are rarely separated in specialized institutionsin in order to be able to get in touch with other children who have no special needs as soon as possible. Since in kindergartens and schools children with special needs get more opportunity to deal with music, it is certainly important for educators and teachers to acquire
5 Rojko, Pavel (2002) Musical theoretical and psychological strings of music therapy. P. 24.
knowledge about musictherapy. The old Chinese proverb says: "Music originates from the hearts of human beings. When emotions are born, they are expressed in the sounds, and the sounds create music"6.
Music should be pleasant, gentle, without violent, aggressive parts, and music needs to find a way to our heart, our depths. Only when we feel it deep in our pores then in a strange, mystical way we allow music healing vibrations to flow to the body, and we become happier and healthier.
References
1. Cvejic, Bojan (2010) Muzika kao lek. Today. Belgrade.
2. Degmecic, Dunja; Pozgain, Ivan; Filakovic, Pavo (2005) Music as therapy. Hamster. (http://hrcak.srce.hr/43621).
3. Despic, Dejan (1973) Melody. Belgrade: Academy of Arts in Belgrade.
4. Ferovic, Selma (2004) Music in Family Life in the Function of Prevention and Music Therapy. Music. no. 7. Sarajevo: Academy of Music in Sarajevo.
5. Jerkovic, Iva (2010) Color your world. Sensa. Zagreb.
6. Milenkovic, Zaklina (2010) Lekovite note. Style. no. 9. Belgrade.
7. Radulovic, Ranka (2010) A shortcut to a man's soul. Cassaviva. Belgrade.
8. Rojko, Pavel (1996) Methodology of music teaching. Theoretical-thematic aspects. Osijek: The City and University Library of Osijek.
9. Rojko, Pavel (2002) Musical theoretical and psychological strings of music therapy. Tones. no. 40. Zagreb: Association of Music Pedagogues of Croatia.
10. Rosen, Charles (1971) The Classical Style. London: Faber and Faber Limited.
11. www.muzikoterapija.rs; (access: 28. 8. 2017).
12. http://www.willimekmusic.de/music-and-emotions.pdf; (access: 28. 8. 2017).
13. http://www.kpv.rs/?cat=30; (access: 31. 8. 2017).
ЭФФЕКТ МУЗЫКИ В МУЗЫКОТЕРАПИИ ДЕТЕЙ С АУТИСТИЧЕСКИМ РАССТРОЙСТВОМ
Лидия Владич-Мандарич1-*, Амела Плоско2-* 1 2)
' Университет Мостара, Босния и Герцеговина 11 }е-шаП: lidijavladic@yahoo.com
Всю жизнь мы окружены музыкой, изучая музыку, сочиняя ее, проигрывая и живя ею. Музыка-это просто часть нас. Тем не менее, говорил ли кто-нибудь нам или учил нас тому, что с ее помощью мы можем кому-нибудь помочь? Ответ на этот вопрос мы нашли в музыкальной терапии. Что такое музыкальная терапия? Как мы можем использовать музыку в терапии? Достаточно ли одной музыки или нужно еще что-либо, чтобы терапия работала? Как музыка может помочь детям с особенностями в развитии? Особый интерес к этой теме вызвало влияние музыкальной терапии на развитие детей с расстройством аутистического спектра. По этой причине мы провели исследование в младшей группе детей аутистов начальной школы для детей с особенностями в развитии.
Ключевые слова: музыка, музыкальная терапия, аутизм, дети с особенностями.
Degmecic, Dunja; Pozgain, Ivan; Filakovic, Pavo (2005) Music as therapy. Hamster. (http://hrcak.srce.hr/43621). P. 287.
