"It's my way of releasing I guess" : a longitudinal, neurodiversity-affirming study sharing the perceptions and collaborative song creations of two autistic former music therapy participants

Introduction: Song creation"”spontaneously singing words and melodies in a flowing stream of consciousness"”has documented psychological benefits. Recorded song creations become artefacts that can be reflected upon and shared. However, there is little research exploring the potential of song creation to tap into the innate musicality and individualised passions of autistic individuals. Process: This longitudinal arts-based study shares the song creation and personal reflections of two autistic former music therapy participants as they engaged in, and reflected upon, collaborative song creation in a focus group. The focus group included their former music therapist/researcher, former co-music therapist, and two music industry collaborators who met face-to-face at a regional conservatorium. The two participants joined remotely via Zoom due to geographical distance. The music industry collaborators supported the process of song creation, recording, production, recruitment, and reflection. Outcomes: The arts-based output "Man in the Mirror - A Cross-Dimensional Duet" is a music video of a song creation originally improvised by one participant as an 11 year old child in music therapy, including their interpretation of the same song over a decade later, the whole group's musical additions to the song, and both participants' reflections on the process. Conclusion: Findings suggested engagement in collaborative song creation supported participants' expressive confidence, which was used as a resource to support their mental health. This aligns with neurodiversity-affirming music therapy practice and, as such, warrants further research.