NEURODIVERGENT SOUNDSCAPES: PROFILING MUSICAL STRENGTHS IN ADHD, ADD, ANDDYSLEXIA

Authors

  • Christine Gross SRH University Heidelberg, Germany; Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Latvia
  • Bettina L. Serrallach Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland
  • Valdis Bernhofs Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Latvia
  • Markus Christiner University of Graz, Austria; Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Latvia

Keywords:

Neuro-Auditory Profile, musical creativity, neurodiversity, ADHD, ADD, dyslexia, auditory processing, MRI, MEG, improvisation and expression, inclusive music education

Abstract

This article introduces the concept of the Neuro-Auditory Profile, a multimodal framework for describing musical abilities in neurodivergent populations, with a particular focus on children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and dyslexia. Drawing on a series of studies conducted between 2014 and 2023, the model integrates four dimensions: neuroanatomical structures, functional timing parameters (e.g., magnetoencephalography (MEG) latencies), psychoacoustic and musical performance, and metacognitive self-evaluation. Findings indicate that, despite documented perceptual deficits, adolescents with ADHD and ADD perform on par with control groups in improvisational and expressive musical tasks. This suggests that musical creativity and expressiveness may represent preserved or even enhanced domains of functioning. The results carry both theoretical and profiling implications, encouraging a shift away from deficit-oriented perspectives toward a differentiated understanding of musical potential. For music education, the model highlights new opportunities to support individual strengths in inclusive learning environments. Finally, the article outlines perspectives for the further development of the framework, emphasizing the need for validated instruments and ecologically valid performance tasks to enable more precise characterization of musical creativity in neurodivergent populations.

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Author Biographies

  • Christine Gross, SRH University Heidelberg, Germany; Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Latvia

    Christine Gross is Professor of Music Therapy and Artistic Therapies at SRH University Heidelberg and a Senior Researcher affiliated with the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. Her work lies at the intersection of music therapy, psychology, and neuroscience, focusing on auditory processing, neurodiversity, music-based interventions, and interdisciplinary research methodologies.

  • Bettina L. Serrallach, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland

    Bettina L. Serrallach is a board-certified radiologist at Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland. Her interdisciplinary research spans neuroradiology, neuroscience, and clinical research, with a focus on neurodevelopmental disorders, stroke imaging, and diagnostic innovation in neuroradiology.

  • Valdis Bernhofs, Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Latvia

    Valdis Bernhofs is Professor and Senior Researcher in Musicology at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. He graduated in choral conducting (1992), obtained a Master’s degree in Music Therapy from Heidelberg University of Applied Sciences (2006), and earned a Doctor of Arts degree in Musicology (2014). His research focuses on systematic musicology, including cognitive auditory training, neuropsychological aspects of musical aptitude, and acoustic information processing in musicians and non-musicians.

  • Markus Christiner, University of Graz, Austria; Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Latvia

    Markus Christiner is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Graz (Department of Psychology) and affiliated with the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. His interdisciplinary research integrates linguistics, musicology, neuroscience, and cultural studies, focusing on the interaction between language, music, and cognition, as well as subjective experience and individual preferences.

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Published

17.06.2026

Issue

Vol. 23 (2025): Sound Cognition and Performance: From Mind to Meaning, Special issue in English

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

NEURODIVERGENT SOUNDSCAPES: PROFILING MUSICAL STRENGTHS IN ADHD, ADD, ANDDYSLEXIA. (2026). Mūzikas akadēmijas Raksti, 23, 99-114. https://scriptamusica.lv/index.php/mar/article/view/285