Individuals with ASD display incompetency in developing the "Theory of Mind" (ToM), a mechanism that allows humans to interpret others' intentions and reciprocate actions, leading to difficulty in social communication and interaction. The Simulation Theory of ToM proposes that the brain constructs a simulation of others' states of mind…

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) on learning to play individual notes and simple songs on the piano. Participants were 4 typically developing children and 4 children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They were exposed to a series of auditory-visual…

South Australian, Lyndall Hendrickson AM (1917-2017) led a lifetime of achievements as a prodigy, concert violinist, polio survivor, violin instructor and teacher of language and music to non-verbal autistic students. Her career halted when she contracted poliomyelitis at the age of 34. To regain motor skill, Hendrickson researched theories of…

Growing numbers of universities are developing service-learning community music-making interventions. However, there has been little research into their efficacy and effect on overall mental health for students. This study explored whether 4-weeks of dyadic group drumming could improve depression, anxiety, stress, social resilience, and enjoyment…

Objectives: Drumming may have therapeutic and learning benefits but there exists little causal evidence regarding the benefits for children with emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD) such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Methods: Six EBD pupils (EBD Drum) and six peers (Peer Drum) were given 2, 30-min rock drumming lessons per week, over 5…

Educators and practitioners working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are concerned with deficits in positive affect and social-emotional reciprocity, which may affect their daily living and school success. This pilot study explored the social-emotional impact of eight one-hour sessions of a novel dyadic within-group…