The use of augmentative and alternative communication in music therapy in Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Introduction. Although the etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unknown, it is known that one of its characteristics is impairments in communication and social interaction. Consequently, language deficits are one of the symptoms, and improving communication is one of the frequent concerns that lead these patients to seek treatments such as music therapy. Therefore, developing practices that integrate or stimulate the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices within music therapy sessions is one of the challenges the profession has been facing. Objective. To identify how Music Therapy integrated with AAC can assist in the treatment of individuals with ASD. Method. A literature review was conducted with searches in the Google Scholar, PubMed and Scielo databases using the following keywords in Portuguese, English and Spanish: "Augmentative and Alternative Communication" and "Music Therapy" and "Autism", "Augmentative and Alternative Communication" and "Music Therapy" and "Autism Spectrum Disorder" and finally "Augmentative and Alternative Communication" and "Music Therapy". Results. Three articles met the inclusion criteria for this study, where two are interventions and the third is a field research. Conclusion. More researches with scientific evidence is needed. It also became evident the lack of training and information within specialized institutions that address AAC in music therapy.