SynthesisFrontiers in integrative neuroscience2025
The effect of music interventions in autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Article
- Systematic review and meta-analysis reveal positive therapeutic effects of music in brain damage rehabilitation.Frontiers in integrative neuroscience · 2026Review
- The role of embodied musical engagement in enhancing non-cognitive skills and rehabilitation outcomes in children with special needs.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Decoding the peripheral transcriptomic and meta-genomic response to music in autism spectrum disorder via saliva-based RNA sequencing.Frontiers in molecular biosciences · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Several disciplines have explored the relationship between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and music, though most insights derive from cognitive sciences. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize evidence on the therapeutic effects of music-based interventions (MI) on communication, behavior, social engagement, attention, and quality of life in autistic individuals. It also examines how participants perceive and process music, situating therapeutic findings within this perceptual framework. Methods: From a total of 346 publications screened in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and WILEY Online Library databases, 120 were included, of which 15 met the criteria for quantitative evaluation and meta-analysis, to assess the state- of-the-art of research on music and autism in the fields of neuropsychology and cognitive sciences. The reviewed studies span a range of methodologies, including randomized controlled trials and qualitative research, and incorporate diverse MI strategies, such as active music-making, structured listening, and improvisational techniques. Results: Despite methodological heterogeneity, the findings suggest a moderate overall beneficial effect of MI, particularly in enhancing social interaction (z = 1.89, Discussion: This study highlights music's potential as a non-invasive, engaging therapeutic medium that elicits emotional, cognitive, and social responses in individuals on the spectrum. Given evidence of context-sensitive and domain-specific strengths in musical abilities, music emerges as a promising therapeutic approach. Future studies should investigate individual variability in response to MI, aim to standardize outcome measures, and assess long-term effects. Such efforts will support more personalized, neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic models in autism care.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.