Date of Award
5-1-2022
Degree Type
DPT Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Advisor
Rhonda Manning
Abstract
Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a diagnosis that encompasses severa ldevelopmental disorders which present with neurological impairments, developmental delays, and correlates to increased motor dysfunction. Research to date has shown success with the use of music therapy and physical therapy treatment in the ASD population. However, further investigation needs to be conducted to determine which of these treatment options is most effective. The purpose of this systematic review is to explore if music therapy alone, physical therapy alone, or a combination of music therapy and physical therapy elicits the greatest benefit to enhance gross motor skills in children with ASD.
Methods: Searches were performed utilizing PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCO Medline between September 2020 to August 2021. Inclusion criteria for potential articles included access to full-text and published in a peer-reviewed journal article within the last 10 years. Ten articles were included in this systematic review.
Results: Studies regarding music therapy found that there are benefits for children with ASD to improve different aspects of motor performance and enhance neural connectivity between motor regions of the brain. Research involving physical therapy found an increase in gross motor skills such as: motor proficiency, executive functioning, locomotion, control of objects, gross motor quotient, and proprioception. Articles that examined the impact of both music and physical therapy found greater benefits are achieved in combination rather than one intervention alone.
Conclusions: A combination of music and physical therapy in children with ASD outweighs either type of therapy individually when assessing motor skill improvements. However, research combining the two forms of interventions is scarce.
Impact Statement: This systematic review outlines current literature pertaining to physical therapy treatment interventions utilized in the ASD patient population and provides information on the combination of physical therapy and music therapy interventions that have shown promise thus far.
Recommended Citation
Reagan, Julia; Zoller, Lauren; and Brown, Michelle, "Effectiveness of Physical Therapy and/or Music Therapy On Enhancing Motor Skills in Children With ASD: A Systematic Review" (2022). DPT Capstones. 10.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dpt_cap/10