TIME-A - an international RCT on the effectiveness of music therapy in ASD

Social communication is one of the core challenges of people on the autism spectrum. Previous research has suggested that music therapy may enhance skills of social interaction and communication and is therefore considered as promising early intervention for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, generalisability of previous findings has been restricted, as studies were limited in either methodological accuracy or the clinical relevance of their approach. TIME-A is hosted by the Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre, Bergen/Norway, and sets out to examine whether improvisational music therapy is superior to standard care in improving social communication in children with ASD over a 5-month treatment period. Funded by the Research Council of Norway, and building upon a collaboration of nine countries worldwide, TIME-A aims to include a total of 300 children with ASD aged between 4 and 7 years. Addressing the issue of dose variation (one vs. three therapy sessions per week), results will also provide information on the relevance of session frequency for therapy outcome. Generalised effects are measured using standardised scales completed by blinded assessors (ADOS) and parents (SRS) before and 2, 5, and 12 months after randomisation. Assessing participants' social communicative abilities seven months after ending of treatment will yield important information on whether any effects in the skills investigated will be sustained. In this presentation, preliminary results from the Viennese subsample are presented along with considerations about the feasibility of a trial using rigorous methodology to examine effects of a highly individualised and flexible intervention.