Introduction
In recent years, the benefits of formal music instruction have garnered increased attention from educators, psychologists, and neuroscientists alike. A recent study published in the journal PLOS One by researchers at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, delves into this topic, investigating the association between formal music instruction during childhood and the subsequent development of socioemotional, rhythmic, and pitch-matching skills. By conducting a longitudinal case-control cohort study, the researchers compared 83 children enrolled in music, sports, or no after-school instruction programs. The results revealed that participants in music instruction programs significantly outperformed their peers in pitch-matching ability, suggesting that long-term formal music education can positively influence certain aspects of children’s socioemotional development, albeit with a limited overall impact.
Background
Formal music instruction encompasses systematic education in instrumental technique and music theory. Previous research has highlighted its benefits in enhancing students’ pitch-matching abilities (the capability to replicate the pitch of an external audio cue) and rhythmic entrainment (the capacity to synchronize internal rhythms with externally perceived ones). Kuther (2022) posited that music instruction might bolster social and emotional functioning, fostering enhanced communication, social bonds, collective identity development, and cooperation.
Separate bodies of literature have delved into the connections between music education and cognitive skills or self-esteem. Unfortunately, these studies often focus on one-on-one music tutoring, neglecting the impacts of group-based music education programs, which are more commonly part of after-school activities for schoolchildren. The present study seeks to fill these gaps by addressing two primary questions: Do children participating in after-school training programs differ in their pitch-matching ability, socioemotional aptitude, and rhythmic entrainment compared to their peers who are not? Additionally, what is the relationship between pitch-matching and rhythmic entrainment and socioemotional outcomes?
About the Study
The data for this study were drawn from a seven-year-long cohort study involving children aged five to eight years (mean = 6.81) from the greater Los Angeles area, United States. Participants were divided into three cohorts: music (Youth Orchestra; n = 26), sports (soccer or swimming; n = 28), and control (no-after-school activity; n = 29).
The research instruments included pitch-matching tasks, rhythmic entrainment evaluations, sharing tasks, and cognitive/empathy assessments. Pitch-matching was assessed through a singing task where participants had to replicate the pitch of 10 melodies, each consisting of 5-9 notes, sung by vocally trained experimenters. The recordings of both experimenters and participants were compared using the methodologies of Pfordresher and Brown (2007), with pitch-matching (hertz [HZ]) comparisons scored between 0 and 1.
Rhythmic entrainment was evaluated under ‘alone’ and ‘social’ scenarios. In the ‘alone’ scenario, participants were given a drum and asked to beat it in time with a prerecorded audio rhythm (120 or 180 beats per minute [bpm]). In the ‘social’ scenario, a trained investigator joined participants in drumming to the prerecorded beat. The accuracy and synchronization were measured using the methodologies of Kirschner and Tomasello (2009), with scores ranging between 0 and 1.
The sharing task was assessed using a variation of the dictator game, which evaluated children’s willingness to share 10-15 stickers they had received with a pictured stranger without any personal gain. Empathy (state, trait, and theory of mind) and cognitive abilities were measured using the Index of Empathy for Children and Adolescents (IECA), the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test of theory of mind (Eyes Test), and subsets of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI-II), respectively. Statistical differences between cohorts were computed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and linear mixed-effects models.
Study Findings
The analysis of pitch-matching revealed significant differences between the music cohort and other participants. Those in the music group averaged 0.13 points higher than the sports group and 0.26 points higher than the control group. There was no effect of time (years) noted in this criterion.
While rhythmic scores did not differ between cohorts at the beginning of the study (year 1), all groups demonstrated improvements in scores over the years. Notably, these improvements were more pronounced in the music group.
Socioemotional skill assessments showed that the sports group was the most likely to share, followed by the music group (9% less), with the control group performing the poorest. However, all groups exhibited yearly improvements in these skills, with an average increase of about 7.2% annually. Most empathy tests yielded confounding results at the baseline, but scores on the Eyes Test improved over the years, with the most significant improvements seen in the music group.
Conclusions
Contrary to some previous research, this study did not find improvements in pitch-matching over time, likely due to the complexity of the singing activity used in this study compared to others. In contrast, empathy and rhythmic entrainment showed improvements over the years. In most tests, except for sharing and certain empathy measures, participants in the music cohort outperformed their peers. These findings underscore the benefits of formal music training in children’s socioemotional development, with the strength of benefits depending on the similarity of the domain to music.
Dr. Lisa Margulis, one of the lead researchers, emphasized, “Our study provides robust evidence that long-term formal music education can positively impact children’s socioemotional development, particularly in areas closely related to music such as rhythmic entrainment.”
By assessing a diverse range of skills and incorporating both individual and social aspects of musical training, this study highlights the nuanced ways in which music education can contribute to children’s overall development. The findings suggest that while music instruction might not dramatically enhance all areas of socioemotional growth, it offers significant benefits in specific domains, which are crucial for developing well-rounded individuals.
Hence, this study adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the importance of incorporating formal music instruction into children’s education. By fostering skills that go beyond mere musical abilities, such programs can play a vital role in nurturing children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development, preparing them for various life challenges and opportunities.
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