Music Research with Children and Youth with Disabilities and Typically Developing Peers: A Systematic Review

• Published in: The Journal of music therapy Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 335 - 364
• Main Authors: Brown, Laura S., Jellison, Judith A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England American Music Therapy Association 2012; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation - methods; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Child; Child Behavior - psychology; Children & youth; Computers; Disabled Children - psychology; Disabled Persons - psychology; Disabled Persons - statistics & numerical data; Educational Policy; Educational Practices; Female; Generalization; Health Status; Humans; Information Seeking; Intergenerational Relations; Male; Music; Music Education; Music therapy; Music Therapy - methods; Participant Characteristics; Peer Group; People with disabilities; Periodicals; Physical Disabilities; Search Strategies; Self Concept; Social Support; Special education; Studies; Systematic review; inclusion; music; children; disability
• DOI: 10.1093/jmt/49.3.335
• ISSN: 0022-2917

Background: Systematic reviews of research provide pertinent information to both practitioners and researchers. While there are several recent reviews of music research and children with specific disabilities (primarily autism), there is no current review of music research with children with a wide variety of disabilities. Objective: The aim of the current study is to identify and systematically review music research with children and youth published in peer reviewed journals for the years 1999 through 2009. Research questions focused on participant characteristics; research purposes, methodologies, and findings; as well as the presence of ideas from special education policies, and practices. We also asked how results have changed from those from an earlier review (Jellison, 2000). Methods: Using computer and hand-searches, we identified 45 articles that met our criteria for inclusion. Once identified, through a process of consensus we analyzed articles based on criteria, categories, and codes used in the earlier review. Additionally we analyzed measurement instruments and effectiveness of interventions as reported by the authors. Results: Primary findings show a large majority of studies were experimental with most reporting effective or partially effective interventions, particularly for social variables. Compared to the earlier review, increases were found for participants with autism and for reports including ideas from special education. Percentages of articles measuring generalization and examining high-incident disability populations (specific learning disabilities) were low. Conclusions: The findings from this review and comparisons to the earlier review reveal important implications for practices with children with autism and preparation of researchers to design and conduct studies in inclusive music settings.