Arezina 2011.
| Methods | Allocation: session order randomised using Latin Square Blindness: unclear; random sub‐sample (33.33% of sessions) assessed by independent observer Duration: 5 weeks Design: cross‐over |
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| Participants | Diagnosis: autism spectrum disorder N = 6 Age: range 36 to 64 months Sex: 5 males, 1 female Setting: child development program |
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| Interventions | 1. Interactive MT (musical instrument play, songs, music books, sung and verbal responses to verbalisations), 6 ten‐minute sessions, n = 6 2. Non‐music interactive play (non‐music toys and books, verbal responses to verbalisations), 6 ten‐minute sessions, n = 6 3. Independent play, 6 ten‐minute sessions, n = 6 |
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| Outcomes | Behaviour observation of videotaped sessions: a) Interaction or engaging in joint attention (percent of 15‐second intervals engaged in interaction) b) Requesting or initiating joint attention (number of requests during a given time period) |
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| Notes | ||
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Order of sessions (including different therapeutic approaches) was randomised for each child using a Latin Square |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | No details given |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | The fact that children with ASD participating in the study were not blinded was considered unlikely to introduce bias The possible risk of bias introduced by therapists administering the intervention was unknown |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | No details about blinding reported; however, a random subsample (33.33%) was assessed by an independent observer (inter‐observer agreement ranged from 85.7% to 98.9%) |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | No drop‐outs No missing data reported |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | All outcome measures of interest were considered in the analysis |
| Other bias | Low risk | Adequate music therapy method: yes Adequate music therapy training: yes |