“But I want to talk to you!” Perspectives on music therapy practice with highly verbal children on the autism spectrum

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Thompson, G. & Elefant, C. (2019). “But I want to talk to you!” Perspectives on music therapy practice with highly verbal children on the autism spectrum. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 28(4), 347-359. https://doi.org/10.1080/08098131.2019.1605616

Publication date: 15 Apr 2019 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

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2
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 2 (50.0%)
  1. Grace Thompson *
  2. Cochavit Elefant

Abstract

Introduction: This reflective paper offers a perspective on music therapy practice that explores how shared music experiences may provide opportunities for highly verbal children on the autism spectrum to expand their engagement in social play.Methods: Relevant literature from the fields of music therapy, child development, and the neurodiversity movement are discussed alongside the authors’ reflections on their work with children who bring verbal and gestural motifs into music therapy sessions. The case examples highlight moments where the music therapist transformed the child’s verbal and gestural material into interactive music-based games.Results: This paper proposes practice considerations for music therapists working with highly verbal children that centre around the therapist’s intention to support the child to interact with freedom and joy through musical play and foster relationships with others. These intersubjective moments within creative musical play experiences may create conditions for the child to explore different ways of being, interacting and communicating.Discussion: Musical games within the context of music therapy emphasise the relational value of a mutually created and shared world of meaning between the therapist and the child. The child’s verbal strengths are not simply acknowledged; they become the foundation for musical-play experiences that aim to expand their repertoire of social and relational experiences.

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Cited references
60
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
0 / 60 (0.0%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
0 / 92 (0.0%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 0 / 12 (0.0%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 0 / 87 (0.0%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
12 / 92 (13.0%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 9 / 87 (10.3%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
12 / 12 (100.0%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 12 / 92 (13.0%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 9 / 9 (100.0%).
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