Description and findings of the review studies (non-experimental)
| Author (year, country) | Study design | Strategies used | Length and duration of the intervention | Who delivered/ facilitated the intervention | Intervention setting | Accessible (yes/no) and what accessibility adaptations were made? | What are the main findings? |
| Rogow (1982, Canada)65 | Case studies | Singing nursery rhymes researcher | 30 min daily over a period of 2 months | Researcher | School | None stated | Nursery rhythms can help develop communicative behaviours |
| Salas et al (1988, USA)61 | Case study | Music therapy: improvisation | Twice a month, 30 min sessions for 10 months | Music therapist | Clinical setting/private clinic | Yes. Lights in the room were switched off to create a restful and semi dark environment | Long-term positive changes in physical and mental capabilities, expressive and creative aspects were identified in the participant’s personality |
| Shoemark (1991, Australia)62 | Case study | Music therapy: improvisation, singing, and learning to play the piano | 30 min sessions, twice a week for 9 months | Music therapist | Residential educational facility (school) | None stated | Basic music skills developed, spontaneous interaction and increased participation in classroom activities was recognised. |
| Silliman et al (1994, USA)66 | Case study | Music-based activity: involving playing music as a reinforcer to help improve motor skills | 30-to-40-min sessions, three times a day for 10 days | Researcher | School | None stated | All four gross motor skills increased noticeably when music was introduced as a reinforcer. The authors also concluded such skills may be maintained with regular use of them |
| Kern et al (2001, USA)63 | Case study | Music-based activity: different music instruments to play with, located in the play area | Daily for 35 days (period daily not specified) | Music therapist and schoolteacher | School | Yes. Adaptations were made specifically for the participant in the playground* | The playground adaptation resulted in no changes in the child’s social interactions with peers or adults and no change in movement on the playground, as well as a decrease in stereotypical responses. The findings suggest that musical adaptations of physical environments may be helpful but not sufficient for promoting desired outcomes |
| Villasenor et al (2012, USA)66 67 | Case studies | Passive music listening (nature sounds) | 15 or 30 min daily, 5 days per week, for a period of 10 to 20 weeks | Teacher | School | Yes. Teacher/assistant present to support the students | Both students’ body awareness and movement, listening skills and tactile processing improved |
| Desrocher et al (2014, USA)68 | Case study | Music-based activity: musical play with musical toy† | Two 8-min sessions separated by a 10-min break were held during 3 days within a period of a week | Schoolteachers | School | None stated | Background music was effective in reducing problem behaviours and increasing desirable behaviour of an adolescent who is blind with multiple intellectual disabilities during a reinforcer assessment |
| Metell(2015, Norway)64 | Case studies | Music therapy: improvisation and singing Brazilian children’s songs | Each session lasted around 25 min and number of sessions varied from 1 to 7 over a period of 10 weeks | Music therapist | University Research Centre (pedagogical institution) | Yes. The sessions were lead and guided by the researcher and training was provided to the parents/carers of the children | Positive bonding patterns enhance early interaction by providing experiences of togetherness, joint attention and happiness was identified |
| Villas Boas et al (2016, Brazil)69 | Case study | Music therapy: improvisation and singing rhymes | Analysis was observed over 7 days (period was not stated) | Teachers | Educational services provider (school) | Yes. Teacher/researcher present to offer support | Attention seeking behaviour towards teachers and children in the classroom occurred more in the body contact activities, music, and singing and rhythm |
*Six multisensory musical stations with a connecting path (a 10 cm drainage pipe) were added to the playground. To assist navigation the participant was also provided with a pushcart which made a sound when pushed along the path.
†Musical toy was used to reinforce the participant raising their head from their chest, as this was considered socially desirable behaviour.