Children living in low-resource or low socioeconomic status areas may be at risk for poorer socio-emotional and academic development. In the article, “Evaluation of a Music Therapy Social Skills Development Program for Youth with Limited Resources” Pasiali & Clark describe using group music therapy to improve these academic and social skills.
In this study, 20 students, ages 5 to 11 years, attended an after school music therapy program. The students participated in fifty minute music therapy sessions for eight weeks and all music therapy sessions had a beginning (reviewing skills learned in the last session), middle (introducing new skills), and end format (a closing song). Music therapy sessions included movement to music, active music making, Orff-based musical experiences (adapted from music education resources), improvisation, songwriting, role-play, music performances, or music-assisted relaxation. Older children in the study were given harder musical tasks or were given group-leading roles. A variety of experiences were used in order to sustain engagement and attention over the 50 minute session.