Kirby, ML orcid.org/0000-0002-1095-1008 and Burland, K orcid.org/0000-0003-0066-0132 (2022) Exploring the functions of music in the lives of young people on the autism spectrum. Psychology of Music, 50 (2). pp. 562-578. ISSN 0305-7356
Abstract
Current research investigating the functions of music in everyday life has identified cognitive, emotional, and social functions of music. However, previous research focuses almost exclusively on neurotypical people and rarely considers the musical experiences of autistic people. In addition, there is limited research which focuses explicitly on the musical experiences of young people on the autism spectrum. Current research exploring the functions of music may therefore not accurately represent the experiences of the autistic community. This article aims to explore the function of music in the lives of young people on the autism spectrum through a series of interviews. Eleven young people on the autism spectrum age 12 to 25 (M = 19.4) were interviewed about the function of music in their lives. An adaptive interview technique, utilizing multiple methods of communication, was employed to account for the participants’ broad communicative and personal needs. Interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed four key functions of music in the participants’ lives: Cognitive, Emotional, Social, and Identity. Collectively, these results provide a unique insight into the musical experiences of young people on the autism spectrum.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2021. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) |
Keywords: | autism spectrum, functions of music, adolescence, everyday life, IPA |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (Leeds) > School of Music (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 25 May 2021 11:39 |
Last Modified: | 25 Jun 2023 22:40 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | SAGE Publications |
Identification Number: | 10.1177/03057356211008968 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:174447 |