Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be defined as group of complex disorders of brain development that includes difficulties with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors (Autism Speaks, n.d.). It is estimated that roughly one in every 68 children has been identified as being on the autism spectrum (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). This number has increased since the first epidemiologic research was conducted in the late 1960s, in which only one in every 2500 children were identified, and researchers suppose this increase is due to better awareness and recognition in diagnostic practices (Blumberg et al., 2013; Schieve et al., 2011). The greater number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has led to more services available to help, including music therapy. As ASD has developed clearer definitions and information, music therapists have begun to expand their interventional approach (Reschke-Hernández, 2011). However, to date, no study has examined what types of interventions are being used. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the types of professional collaborations, use of non-musical technology, and music therapy interventions that are incorporated by music therapists when working with children in the ASD population. Participants (N= 582) for this study were board-certified music therapists in the United States that were contacted through The Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) organization and held at least a Bachelor's degree in music therapy. After giving consent, each participant completed a survey created by the researcher. This survey contained single answer, multiple choice answer, and fill-in-the-blank questions. Data was analyzed to create sums, percentages, and means for each research question. The data revealed that of the music therapists who participated in this study, they indicated always collaborating with other professionals and therapists when working a client with ASD. Furthermore, this collaboration happened regardless of environment or length of time working in a particular environment, and sometimes happened multiple times a week. Data also found that music therapists altered their therapy approach to some capacity while collaborating with other professionals. Finally, participants relied heavily upon non-musical equipment as a supplement, especially technology, and used it regularly during therapy sessions.
