The stories young adults with ADHD tell about the meaning of music in their lives

Abstract

This narrative inquiry sought to explore the meaning young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ascribe to music in their everyday lives. My experiences as a young adult classical clarinettist with ADHD shaped and inspired this study. ADHD is characterised by three core symptoms, namely, (1) inattention, (2) hyperactivity, and (3) impulsivity. Attention disorders are comorbid with other diseases, threatening an individual's physical and mental health. ADHD is also stigmatised: those who experience the symptoms are often called lazy. This study involved five participants, each in a different career. Their stories were rich and descriptive as they shared how ADHD symptoms influenced both their upbringing and day-to-day life. The participants included their motivation for musicking in their everyday lives. Literature on ADHD, young adults, music, and narrative inquiry was investigated. These topics were essential elements contributing to the meaning young adults with ADHD ascribe to music. In general, the lack of literature regarding young adults with ADHD is surprising as this is not a new phenomenon in human psychology and physiology. The bulk of available literature on ADHD applies to children and music intervention. To date, there has been a gap in the literature on stories young adults with ADHD tell about the meaning of music in their lives. My research addresses this gap by combining research about ADHD, young adults in South Africa, and the meaning they ascribe to music. These topics were essential elements when sought to answer the research question: "What are the meaning-making stories five young adults with ADHD ascribe to music?". The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to explore the meaning-making stories young adults with ADHD ascribe to music. These stories could generally be defined as personal reflections of past, present, and future experiences when engaging with music in their everyday lives. A qualitative research design was employed to understand participants' stories. Data were collected through conducting interviews with open-ended questions. This allowed participants to share their stories freely and without interruption. They talked, and I listened. ATLAS.ti 22 was utilised to organise the data. Codes emerged from the data which I categorised into themes. The following themes emerged from the data: (1) a storiette of belonging, (2) a storiette of emotions, and (3) a storiette of comfort. The key findings from this study emphasise the importance of music in terms of providing a sense of belonging, allowing for emotion regulation, and fostering comfort in life.