A Sense of Belonging: Feasibility Study Exploring Wellbeing Outcomes of Music-Making Workshops for Autistic Young Adults

Social isolation and loneliness are commonly reported among autistic people, which in turn can impact their psychological wellbeing and quality of life. However, promoting inclusion and a sense of belonging in a meaningful group music activity may assist in enhancing social connection and wellbeing. Two five-week music workshops created with input from autistic people were offered to test the feasibility of the workshops to improve individual outcomes. The measures used to determine social connectedness, wellbeing, and perceived group inclusion respectively were: the Friendship Questionnaire (FQ), Personal Wellbeing Index-Adult (PWIA), and Perceived Group Inclusion Scale (PGIS). Participants were also asked to respond to open ended questions and offered an interview to elaborate on their workshop experiences. Data was collected from 12 participants. Although there was an increase in mean score on the FQ, scores on the PWI-A declined. Scores on the PGIS indicated good perceived group inclusion. However, on the paired data, Wilcoxin signed-rank test revealed no significant difference on pre-test and post-test scores on the FQ or the PWI-A. Thematic analysis undertaken on the qualitative data indicated inclusion and enjoyment of the workshops. Taking the quantitative and qualitative findings together, participation in the workshops: enhanced social connection, may not improve wellbeing, yet were inclusive. Feasibility of the study as well as recommendations for future autism-friendly music workshops are discussed.