A case study of music therapy with a child with autism in both in- person and online sessions

Abstract

As a music therapy student working in the context of Covid 19, my experience of moving music therapy sessions online let me wonder what play was like in online music therapy sessions and whether it would provide the same opportunity for the child with autism to play. Despite the literature on play in in-person music therapy for children with autism, there is a paucity of research looking at play for children with autism in online music therapy. Accordingly, this case study aims to explore whether online music therapy offers as many opportunities for play as in- person with a child with autism. By following a hermeneutic phenomenological framework, a reflexive approach was adopted to analyse recordings and notes. Three themes emerged as being pertinent in this therapeutic journey: being seen and not seen, playing together, and movements. The investigation showed that both in- person and online music therapy could offer opportunities for children with autism to play. Play provides a unique way for children with autism to express themselves, explore their surroundings, and promote the development of therapeutic relationships. This further promotes social interaction, which is the core impairment of children with autism