Physical
- Decrease pain and discomfort
- Decrease tension
- Decrease shortness of breath
- Increase range of motion
- Increase strength and endurance
- Increase motor accuracy
- Improve fine and gross motor control
- Decrease fatigue and recovery time
- Improve circulation
- Increase coordination
- Structure physical interaction
- Decrease nausea and vomiting
- Increase comfort/relaxation
- Increase quantity and quality of sleep
- Increase energy
- Assist in normal development
Cognitive
- Heighten cognitive ability
- Improve short and long-term memory
- Increase alertness
- Improve expressive communication
- Improve receptive communication and listening skills
- Increase sensory stimulation
- Improve or maintain intelligibility of speech (improve accuracy, fluency, clarity, and volume of verbalizations)
- Increase satisfaction with life
- Facilitate reminiscence and life review
- Decrease confusion
- Improve executive functioning
- Teach academic or cognitive skills
- Teach and practice interpersonal, communication, and language skills
- Increase concentration and attention
- Enhance auditory processing and sensory processing
- Decrease sensitivity to sound
Emotional, Spiritual, and Psychosocial
- Structure social interaction
- Increase awareness of self and others
- Improve mood and affect
- Improve sense of belonging
- Increase opportunities for personal choice
- Increase frequency of successful experiences
- Enhance self-identity
- Provide emotional and spiritual support
- Decrease fear, stress, and anxiety
- Decrease behaviors
- Increase interest and esteem
- Provide opportunities for self-expression, processing, and empathy
- Enhance coping ability
- Enhance ability to identify and appropriately express emotions