Listening to the spectrum: Exploring music preferences and associations in autism spectrum disorder compared with neurotypical communities on Reddit

IF 1.5 3区心理学 0 MUSIC

Psychology of Music Pub Date : 2026-05-06 DOI:10.1177/03057356261429810

Sharon Varghese, Emily Carlson, Vinoo Alluri

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Existing research lacks insight into music associations and preferences among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in real-world settings. This study analyzes 701 Reddit posts from r/Autism and r/Aspergers, comparing them with neurotypical (NT) discussions in r/Music and r/LetsTalkMusic. Using topic modeling and thematic analysis, 12 NT topics and 15 ASD topics were identified. NT individuals focused on themes like the cultural and social impact of music and economic and industry trends, while autistic individuals emphasized therapeutic use of music, diverse music preferences, and music as an identity. Genre analysis showed both groups preferred rock in the intense category, but autistic individuals had a higher representation of metal, likely for sensory load regulation. In the valence-arousal (VA) space, NT individuals preferred rock in high-arousal quadrants, whereas autistic individuals had a broader emotional range, balancing pop and rock. Lyric theme analysis revealed that while both groups resonated with emotional turmoil and conflict, autistic individuals showed a stronger preference for love and connection. These findings highlight the need for personalized music-based interventions, leveraging diverse genres and themes to cater to the unique preferences and therapeutic needs of autistic individuals.

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聆听频谱：探索自闭症谱系障碍与Reddit上神经正常社区的音乐偏好和联系

现有的研究缺乏对现实环境中自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）患者的音乐联系和偏好的深入了解。这项研究分析了Reddit上r/Autism和r/Aspergers的701篇帖子，并将它们与r/Music和r/LetsTalkMusic上的神经正常（NT）讨论进行了比较。通过主题建模和主题分析，确定了12个NT主题和15个ASD主题。自闭症患者关注音乐的文化和社会影响、经济和行业趋势等主题，而自闭症患者则强调音乐的治疗用途、多样化的音乐偏好以及音乐作为一种身份。体裁分析显示，两组人都喜欢激烈的摇滚音乐，但自闭症患者更喜欢金属音乐，可能是为了调节感官负荷。在效价唤醒（VA）空间中，正常人更倾向于高唤醒象限的摇滚，而自闭症个体具有更广泛的情绪范围，平衡流行和摇滚。抒情主题分析显示，虽然两组人都有情感动荡和冲突，但自闭症患者对爱和联系表现出更强的偏好。这些发现强调了个性化音乐干预的必要性，利用不同的流派和主题来迎合自闭症患者的独特偏好和治疗需求。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Psychology of Music Multiple-

CiteScore

4.00

自引率

17.60%

发文量

期刊介绍： Psychology of Music and SEMPRE provide an international forum for researchers working in the fields of psychology of music and music education, to encourage the exchange of ideas and to disseminate research findings. Psychology of Music publishes peer-reviewed papers directed at increasing the scientific understanding of any psychological aspect of music. These include studies on listening, performing, creating, memorising, analysing, describing, learning, and teaching, as well as applied social, developmental, attitudinal and therapeutic studies. Special emphasis is placed on studies carried out in naturalistic settings, especially those which address the interface between music psychology and music education.