SERIAL FOR MELODICS SERIAL

As individuals with ASD may have unique learning challenges, information paired with music may be delivered in multi-sensory ways to increase the likelihood of recall and subsequent learning.

SERIAL FOR MELODICS SERIAL

Regardless of group or condition, participants tended to have greater recall accuracy at primary and recency serial positions. There was a significant between-group difference with the NT group having greater recall accuracy than the ASD group. Although not significant, participants tended to have slightly higher mean recall for the male instructor with visual + auditory stimuli condition and lower mean recall for the female instructor with auditory only stimuli condition. There was no significant within-group difference between both the male and female instructor conditions or the visual + auditory or auditory only melodic instruction. To assess working memory, participants’ tasks were to sequentially recall the paired information presented within each condition. Participants ( n = 38 individuals with ASD and n = 18 neurotypical university students) viewed or listened to four melodic sequences of seven randomized monosyllabic words sung by female and male instructors. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of instructor gender and visual and auditory melodic instruction on working memory in individuals with ASD. There is a lack of empirical inquiry concerning the effect of the therapist’s gender and aspects of visual and auditory melodic instruction on working memory recall in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Serial for melodics