Music in the assessment of echolalia

Journal/Book: Music Therapy. 1982; 2: 25-41.

Abstract: Discusses the use of music in the assessment and treatment of echolalia (the tendency to echo or repeat the speech of others), noting that pathological echolalia is excessive verbal imitation that is nonfunctional, detrimental, inappropriate, or maladaptive. Based on existential musical analysis, echolalia is considered an excessive or exclusive use of 1 response-form option that severely limits the possibilities for creative verbal interactions. A case study is presented of a 14-yr-old severely echolalic male, for whom the present author, another music therapist, and 2 speech therapists developed a successful program for interdisciplinary treatment using music. Treatment procedures were aimed at establishing a nonecholalic response from S and involved modeling a-b with 2 therapists, presenting a and cuing b while simultaneously modeling b, fading out the simultaneous modeling, extending the length of the b response, expanding the content of b while retaining its relationship to a, and extending the a-b paradigm to other interactional settings. After approximately 30 sessions, S's echolalia was reduced from 95% of total utterances to under 10% in any setting. (24 ref)

Note: music therapy; assessment & treatment of echolalia; 14 yr old severely echolalic male

Keyword(s): Music therapy; echolalia ; adolescence

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