Exploring the lived experiences of young autistic adults in Nordoff-Robbins music therapy: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

ABSTRACT Introduction Research in music therapy and autistic people to date has predominantly focused on communication and social interaction outcomes. The purpose of this exploration was to explore the lived experiences of young autistic adults in Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. To our knowledge, the body of research that seeks to understand participants’ perspectives regarding their experiences of music therapy and the goals they want to pursue is limited. Method Four autistic young adult men who had received at least 6 months of Nordoff-Robbins music therapy services at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy at New York University participated in this study. Each participant engaged in four to five interview sessions to share their experiences of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and the role it plays in their life. Interviews were analyzed using the IPA method. A summary of the results was shared with each participant to ensure sensitivity to and accuracy of their lived experiences. Results Three themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Participants attend Nordoff-Robbins music therapy to develop their musicianship and personal selves; (2) participants create meaningful relationships with their peers, music therapists, and music; and (3) participants bring their sociocultural identities into music therapy sessions. Discussion Participants’ responses led to a critical reexamining of “the music child”, challenging music therapy research and practice agendas of normalizing autistic social and communication behaviors, and suggest the need for more research that collaborates and centers the autistic community.