The impact of music therapy on a young man on the autism spectrum : a case study

Abstract

Young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are faced with challenges as they progress through stages of human development. The client in this case study is a young man who desired the same things that typically developing young people do, namely to live in his own apartment. However, he had not yet acquired the daily living skills needed to accomplish this due to the challenges presented by his diagnoses of ASD. Music therapy was an important component of his habilitation. In these sessions, the music therapist accompanied the client on a journey of self-exploration and confidence building, which readied the client to learn and implement the needed independent living skills.