Exploring the Possibilities of Music Therapy in Virtual Reality

Exploring the Possibilities of Music Therapy in Virtual Reality by Linnea Bjerregaard Pedersen; Ali Adjorlu; Valentin Bauer @ 19th International Conference on Sound and Music Computing (SMC) St Etienne (France) 7-11 June 2022

The talk presents a study about how to design an immersive virtual reality tool for facilitating social skills training by using the base elements of music therapy.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by profound communication and social interaction deficits. It can lead to social anxiety and
depressive thought patterns, leaving the individual unable to be a productive member of society.

Music therapy is a method that applies musical experiences and the relationships that develop through the sessions to train communication skills, thus addressing one of the core difficulties of ASD. However, music therapy requires musical instruments that are not always easily accessible and can be an anxiety-inducing experience.

This paper presents a multiplayer virtual reality application designed to allow a music therapist to help a child develop social skills in a virtual environment through musical activities. The application is designed in collaboration with two music therapists and two psychologists and includes a qualitative evaluation of the application.