Work

Supporting and understanding autistic children’s non-verbal interactions through OSMoSIS, a motion-based sonic system

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Music therapy for autistic children focuses on supporting motor and social interaction through creative movement and musical activities. Previous research suggests it can further support the development of underlying skills related to non-verbal communication, namely social motor synchrony and imitation . Motion-sensing technology in this context has the potential to both support children’s engagement in therapy and help researchers understand its impact. We describe and evaluate a system, OSMoSIS, which aims to provide support by generating sounds based on children’s movements. An evaluation through two empirical studies shows (1) higher levels of imitation and interactional synchrony when using the system compared with motor-only activities and (2) that children found the interaction enjoyable, showing more instances of positive affect when the system was activated with the sounds on . We discuss how the findings highlight new directions for further research on technology for music therapy and have the potential to support practitioners and families.

Source: International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100726

Authors: Grazia Ragone, Judith Good, Kate Howland

Institutions: University of Bari Aldo Moro, University of Amsterdam, University of Sussex

Language: English

Topic: Music Therapy and Health

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,020