Effect of music therapy dosage on social communication and emotion regulation in children with autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Although the positive effects of music therapy on improving social and emotional issues in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are well-established, the relationship between specific intervention doses and treatment outcomes remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol will quantitatively evaluate the impact of music therapy dosage on social communication skills and emotional regulation functions in children with ASD.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This protocol is registered with PROSPERO and follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. We will search PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for randomised controlled trials on music therapy dosage in children with ASD from database inception to November 2025. Two independent reviewers will conduct study selection, data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. A random-effects model will be used for meta-analysis (Stata V.16.0, RevMan V.5.4) with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation for evidence quality. Subgroup analyses and publication bias tests (funnel plots, Egger's test) are planned.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This research protocol is based on data from published literature and does not involve the collection of new raw data or individual patient data; therefore, no ethical approval is required. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis are intended for presentation at relevant scientific conferences and will be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD420251063906.