Piano with a twist: A pilot study exploring the preliminary effects of a piano therapy program for children with autism spectrum disorder

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show frequent maladaptive behaviors and difficulties in social communication and motricity. Various studies suggest that music-based interventions might help overcome these challenges. Yet, their findings are not conclusive, particularly regarding piano music. The current pilot study aims to present a new music-based intervention – the Piano Therapy program – and to explore its effects on social communication, motricity, self-care, and adaptive behavior skills in children with ASD. The program uses techniques derived from Applied Behavioral Analysis and active and receptive musical methods structured around a single instrument (i.e., piano). Sixty children with ASD were quasi-randomly assigned either to the Piano Therapy group or the control group. In the experimental group, the 4-month program was administered individually, twice a week. Using the Psychoeducational Profile - Third Edition (PEP-3) reports, the examiner and the caregivers assessed participants' skills pre- and post-intervention. The findings indicate that the children enrolled in the Piano Therapy program show significant improvements in all the developmental areas assessed with PEP-3, compared to the control group. Although further research is required, these preliminary results have clinical implications for practitioners and bring new evidence about the beneficial effects of a piano-based intervention in individuals with ASD.