The effect of musical training on the experience of mainstream education for children with high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Conditons: A multi-persp

这篇跨学科的论文将探讨音乐训练和在业余音乐表演合奏团中的定期表演如何影响阿斯伯格综合症（AS）和其他高功能自闭症谱系条件（ASCs）儿童的主流教育体验。它将从多个角度来探讨这个问题，包括孩子们自己，他们的父母和老师，以及患有自闭症的年轻人。这将是一项纵向研究。本论文的主要目的是探讨音乐训练和定期合奏对高功能asc儿童主流教育体验的影响和感知效益。自闭症谱系是一个总称，涵盖了一系列影响社会发展和沟通技能的普遍发育状况，并导致感觉超敏感和重复、强迫行为（Barnhill, 2001; Firth, 2008; Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009; Jones, 2002）。这些病症包括广泛性发育障碍（PDD-NOS）、亚斯伯格综合症（AS）、自闭症和儿童解体性障碍（Baron-Cohen et. al., 2009; Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009）。“高功能ASC”的标签是指AS、PDD-NOS和高功能自闭症（Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009）。患有高功能asc的儿童通常具有平均或高于平均水平的智力（Barnhill, 2001； Baron-Cohen等人，2009;Lock & Bullard, 2004），但很难在主流教育中取得成功，偶尔需要在特殊教育机构接受教育（Barnhill, 2001; Lock & Bullard, 2004）。对于高功能ASC儿童来说，主流学校环境带来了许多挑战，其中社交和沟通困难最为突出（Barnhill, 2001; Baron-Cohen et. al., 2009; Firth, 2008）。目前的文献包括探索音乐与ASCs之间关系的各个方面的研究。这些研究包括对ASCs成人如何体验音乐（Allen, Hill & Heaton, 2009）， ASCs个体的音高处理（Bonnel et.al, 2003; Heaton, 2003）以及他们对音乐的情绪反应（Kim, Wigram & Gold, 2009）的调查。也有许多研究调查了音乐对ASCs患者的干预作用，结果各不相同。其中包括探索音乐治疗中使用的干预措施（Geretsegger, Elefant & Mössler, 2014; Reschke-Hernández, 2011; Simpson & Keen, 2011）以及在教育环境中使用的干预措施（Bronwell, 2002; Warwick, 1995）。出版物也存在，其目的是建议音乐教育者在教学ASCs儿童时的最佳实践（Darrow & Armstrong, 1999; Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009）。尽管有各种各样的文献，但与更具侵入性的音乐干预相比，关于音乐训练对ASCs儿童教育经验的影响的研究很少。据我所知，目前还没有关于定期的业余音乐表演如何影响ASCs儿童主流教育体验的研究，也没有很多研究包括儿童自己的观点。我对进行这项研究的兴趣源于我自己作为一名患有阿斯伯格综合症的音乐家接受主流教育的经历。我的AS诊断和丰富的合奏经验将使我为这个研究项目带来独特的视角。但是，我理解有必要考虑到这一点，并仔细考虑反射性，特别是它可能影响对所收集数据的解释的方式。作为一名患有AS的研究人员，我可以为非残疾研究人员主导的音乐与残疾研究领域带来新的视角。本文要解决的主要研究问题是：“音乐训练以何种方式影响高功能asc儿童的主流教育体验？”

This interdisciplinary thesis will explore the ways musical training, and regular performing in amateur musical performance ensembles affects the experience of mainstream education for children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) and other high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASCs). It will explore this through multiple perspectives, including those of the children themselves, their parents and teachers, and young adults with ASCs. This will be a longitudinal study. The over-arching aim of this thesis is to explore the impact and perceived benefits of musical training and regular ensemble performance on the experience of mainstream education for children with high-functioning ASCs. Autistic Spectrum is an umbrella term for a range of pervasive developmental conditions affecting social development and communication skills and causing sensory hypersensitivity and repetitive, obsessive behaviours (Barnhill, 2001; Firth, 2008; Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009; Jones, 2002). These conditions include Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Asperger's Syndrome (AS), Autism and Childhood Disintergrative Disorder (Baron-Cohen et. al., 2009; Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009). The label 'high-functioning ASC' refers to AS, PDD-NOS and high-functioning Autism (Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009). Children with high-functioning ASCs often have average or above-average intellegence (Barnhill, 2001; Baron-Cohen et. al., 2009; Lock & Bullard, 2004), yet struggle to succeed in mainstream education and occasionally require educating in a Special Education institution (Barnhill, 2001; Lock & Bullard, 2004). For a child with a high-functioning ASC, the mainstream school environment presents many challenges, with social and communication difficulties being most prominent (Barnhill, 2001; Baron-Cohen et. al., 2009; Firth, 2008). The current literature includes studies exploring a variety of aspects of the relationship between music and ASCs. These include investigations into how adults with ASCs experience music (Allen, Hill & Heaton, 2009), pitch processing in individuals with ASCs (Bonnel et.al, 2003; Heaton, 2003), and their emotional responses to music (Kim, Wigram & Gold, 2009). There have also been many studies investigating the use of music as an intervention for individuals with ASCs with varying results. These include explorations of interventions used in music therapy (Geretsegger, Elefant & Mössler, 2014; Reschke-Hernández, 2011; Simpson & Keen, 2011) and those employed in educational settings (Bronwell, 2002; Warwick, 1995). Publications also exist which aim to advise music educators on best practice when teaching children with ASCs (Darrow & Armstrong, 1999; Hourigan & Hourigan, 2009). Despite such a varied literature, there is very little research into the effects of musical training, as opposed to the more invasive musical intervention, on the experience of education for children with ASCs. To my knowledge, there has been no previous research into how regular amateur musical performance may affect the experience of mainstream education for children with ASCs, nor has there been many studies which include the perspectives of the children themselves. My interest in conducting this research stems from my own experience of mainstream education as a musician with AS. My diagnosis of AS and extensive experience of ensemble performance will allow me to bring a unique perspective to this research project. However, I understand the need to take this into account and consider reflexibity carefully, particularly the ways in which it may influence interpretation of the data collected. Being a researcher with AS, I am well placed to bring a new perspective to the field of Music and Disability Studies, a field dominated by non-disabled researchers. The main research question to be addressed in this thesis is: "In what ways does musical training influence the experience of mainstream education for children with high-functioning ASCs?"