Title: The sound of self-regulation

Subtitle: Music program relates to an advantage for children at risk

Authors: Eleanor D. Brown, Mary Ann Blumenthal and Alyssa A. Allen

Date of Publication: 2022

Journal: Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 60, 126-136

Keywords: Early childhood, Poverty, Self-regulation, Music, Preschool

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2022.01.002

Abstract:

Promoting self-regulatory development represents a critical concern for all early childhood educational programs, and particularly those serving children at risk via poverty.

Stressors related to poverty tax children’s physiological stress-response systems and self-regulatory capacities, challenging healthy development.

The present study examined an early childhood music intervention designed to promote children’s self-regulatory skill development.

The participants were 191 children ages 3-5 years old who faced economic hardship.

A quasi-experimental, stepped-wedge design that included four preschools and 3 study years facilitated comparing across the school year children who received preschool programming as usual (n = 43) with those who additionally received the music intervention (n = 148).

Well validated child assessments measured the inhibitory control aspect of self-regulation, as well as receptive vocabulary, and a parent interview measured demographic covariates.

Core analyses with hierarchical linear modeling revealed that, compared with peers who received programming as usual, children who received the music intervention showed greater growth in inhibitory control across the preschool year.

Implications concern the potential for early childhood music programming to promote self-regulation and support positive development for children facing economic hardship.