E-Book of Articles - World Federation of Music Therapy

D'ulisse, M. E.. et al.: A Music Therapy Project Involdving An Autistic Child ...
in a non-verbal setting highlighted the communication difficulties within the
family. But at the same time, this enabled the music therapists to analyse
the “communicative cysts” which had emerged during the initial interviews.
These are the cause of the difficult relationship between the members of
the family.
Analysing the sessions with the parents in detail, it was noted that the boy
came into the room, reacted slightly to the music therapists’ welcome by
going over to the piano, but then didn’t play. It seems that the presence of
the parents, especially the father, inhibited F’s behaviour.
Subsequently F increased his moments of interaction with his mother and
the music therapists by playing with water. By contrast, the father started
playing the piano inviting his son to join him. Both parents, in particular the
mother, used verbal communication in spite of the fact that it had
previously been agreed that this was a non-verbal setting. The child
continued to wander around with the water clocks for the whole session,
using them in a defensive manner as he had done with the piano during the
first session. Towards the end, one of the music therapists sang the child’s
tune involving the parents as well. It was noticed that stereotype messages
emerged within the setting whenever the parents did not follow the
expressive techniques used by the music therapists. In attempting
communication with his parents, F tried several times to use the modes of
expression used in the sessions by the music therapists since by now they
were his point of reference.
Summarising the information gained in the project, it can be said that the
use of non-verbal techniques encouraged in part changes in the way the
patients communicated, increasing the rapport with the music therapists,
and with the family according to the parents.
The use of non-verbal communication enables patients to increase their
interaction with the surroundings and with the musical instruments, also
modifying their body movements. The development of the rapport enables
patients to accept the close presence of the music therapists and to initiate
and maintain eye contact, thereby setting up a body-sound-music
relationship. In conclusion, we can say that the use of non-verbal techniques
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