Musicality and Autism
Musicality is not a direct sign of autism, although many individuals with autism show a big interest and response to music. In addition, we can use music to aid with communication, emotional expression, and social interaction.
What Is Autism?
Autism, which is also known under its longer name the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a term used to describe a group of neurodevelopmental conditions. These conditions are characterized by differences in communication and social interaction [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. One typical trait of patients with autism is that they demonstrate restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.
However, there are varieties of the disease and therefore it is called the spectrum disorder. Two individuals with autism can vary in their symptoms but also in the severity of the symptoms from mild to severe.
If you want to find out more about autism, read our blogs about overthinking or t-rex arms.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability affecting how individuals perceive the world and how they interact with their surroundings and people in it. The conditions affect people around the world regardless of their race, ethnicity, culture or socioeconomic background [3, 4, 5].
The condition is highly genetic and around 90% of all autism cases have a genetic cause. Furthermore, environmental factors may also play a role in the disease onset and manifestation.
In addition, 1 in every 54 children is autistic and worldwide it affects around 1 in 100 people [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7]. Therefore, interestingly, autism is considered a major public health issue as it disables cognitive, social and emotional development [8].
Is Musicality A Sign Of Autism?
No, musicality is not a definitive sign of autism. However, according to some research studies, it appears that individuals with ASD often showcase exceptional musical abilities and preferences.
For instance, some studies have found that children with ASD show enhanced pitch memory and labeling, which can facilitate performance on musical disembedding tasks [9].
Another study conducted with ASD children showed that they might have an enhanced capability of aesthetic judgment of music [10]. In this study, the children listened to dissonant music longer than non-ASD children in their normal development.
However, as stated earlier, the symptoms of ASD vary and while some individuals may have musical abilities, others might have not [11, 12].
Furthermore, the ability to perceive and respond to the emotional content of music does not seem to be impaired in individuals with ASD. Autistic individuals can respond and perceive and emotional content of the music and also ascribe the musical examples to different affective categories similarly well as developing individuals [13, 14].
Does Music Affect Autistic People?
Music indeed has a significant impact on individuals with autism. It has been observed that most autistic children show a special interest in music, and it can be very effective in their treatment [15].
For autistic people, music can be a help to improve various aspects of development in autistic children. It can ameliorate language, social, emotional and also cognitive, and a sensorimotor development. For instance, in a study of children with autism, music-teaching activities were shown to be effective in improving the children’s joint attention, movement imitation, rhythm imitation, and cooperation ability [15].
Music can also influence the perception of emotions. Interestingly, the children with autism took longer to respond compared to neurotypical children when listening to sad music [16, 17].
In addition, music therapy has been found to be more effective than placebo therapy. It helped to improve verbal and gestural communicative skills in individuals with ASD [18]. Autistic people have also reported a broad and deep meaning of music in their lives [19].
While for some autistic people music can have a beneficial effect, it can also lead to negative experiences for others. Therefore, the potential benefits and drawbacks of music should be considered together when using it as a therapeutic tool [19].