The neurodivergent musician: A methodology report on a Participatory Action Research study

According to estimates, the prevalence of various neurodivergences is much higher among musicians than in the general population. Despite this fact, we know very little about the lived experiences of neurodivergent (ND) musicians in musical settings, such as educational institutions and places of employment. The lack of information leads to a lack of understanding, appropriate support and inclusion of neurodivergent personnel in these spaces; therefore, it is crucial to gather accurate information directly from the population. A Participatory Action Research study was planned and organised by neurodivergent musicians, which consisted of a main event and online follow-up conversations, where members of the community (ND musicians, music educators, music researchers, and neurotypical allies) were invited to discuss various aspects of their vocational education and professional lives. In alignment with the guiding principles of PAR, all participants were invited to contribute to the outputs to ensure their autonomy and utilise their unique expertise to the fullest. Given the quantity and richness of the data and the limited space, detailed discussions about the findings will be published separately. Here, we opted to focus on the methodological approach and procedure to provide a template for using PAR with adult ND communities.