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A study published by the University of Southern California (USC) explored the impact of music education programmes on middle school students (ages 11-14), including a programme of extra-curricular online popular music education. The study used the five key areas of Positive Youth Development (PYD) to inform the study. The findings came at a time when California voters had approved Proposition 28, to increase funding for arts and music education in the state’s public schools.
Many of the resulting headlines use bold claims such as ‘music education benefits youth wellbeing’. While there is much international evidence to back this up, the findings of this study are in fact more complex. As is often the case, further research is needed to substantiate them.
Using ‘Positive Youth Development’ to examine impact
The study by Beatriz Ilari, associate professor of music education at the USC Thornton School of Music, and Eun Cho of Haskins Laboratories at Yale University, examined the impact of music on the five key areas of Positive Youth Development (PYD). These are: competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring/compassion. It also examined school connectedness (SC) and hopeful future expectations (HFE). Past research shows that adolescents who demonstrate competence and confidence are more likely to make positive contributions to society and less likely to engage in risky behaviors later in life.
120 students from 52 Los Angeles Unified School District middle schools completed an online survey that used statements in each of the PYD areas, and a five-point scale (1 = not all; 5 = very true). The 120 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-grade students (in the UK, key stage 3 – years 7, 8, 9) came from 52 different middle schools from multiple neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The school district served by the programme caters to a large number of Latino/a students (73.8% in 2022–2023), one of the populations marked by low participation in school music education. Most students (98%) were involved in one or more musical activities in or out of school, with most practicing their instruments daily.
The study also explored students’ engagement in different music programmes including the Fender Play Foundation’s Virtual Middle School Music Enrichment (VMSME) program. The program is a virtual extracurricular music programme using bass, guitar and ukuleles, designed in response to the pandemic**.
Findings
The scores were as follows (no comparison appears to have been made with a similar population that hadn’t been involved in music):
- competence – 3.52
- confidence – 3.83
- character – 4.2
- caring/compassion – 4.38
- connection – 3.98
The main findings relating to music education’s impact were:
- students who started music education before age 8 were more hopeful about the future
- younger students who received musical training scored higher in key measures of positive youth development
- students participating in multiple forms of music education and for longer periods of time scored higher in measures for competence and hopeful future expectations.
Conclusions
Professor Ilari said: “Music might be an activity to help students develop skills and competencies, work out their emotions, engage in identity work and strengthen connections to the school and community.” Ilari contributed to a previous study by the University of Southern California Brain Institute showing that children learning a musical instrument have enhanced cognitive function.
The authors say: “Findings from these studies will not only contribute to our understanding of PYD in adolescence, but will also inform the development of programs and policy for all young people.”
SOURCES
Frontiers in Psychology: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1056542/full
The Journal: https://thejournal.com/articles/2023/01/23/study-music-education-benefits-adolescents-wellbeing.aspx
USC Today: https://today.usc.edu/music-education-research/
Science Daily: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230118195730.htm
Our Weekly: https://www.ourweekly.com/2023/03/23/researchers-find-music-education-benefits-youth-wellbeing/
| BENEFIT: | WELLBEING, TEEN/ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT |
| TARGET GROUP: | YOUNG PEOPLE |
| AGE: | 11-14 YEARS-OLD |
| MUSIC TYPE: | ROCK/POP |
| TYPE OF STUDY: | ACADEMIC RESEARCH SUMMARY |
| NOs INVOLVED: | 120 |
| PERIOD OF STUDY: | |
| DATE: | 2023 |
| PLACE: | LOS ANGELES |
** The VMSME program was designed following five main principles: (1) students are initially inspired by the songs they hear and want to learn; (2) learning something new motivates students and keeps them engaged; (3) learning how to play an instrument is a complex psychomotor skill that requires specialized instruction; (4) relatable teachers provide excellent lessons, and (5) students learn in multiple ways and, therefore, require personalized learning tools. In the VMSME program, students are involved in guided, active, “bite-size,” integrated and song-driven learning. Teachers work with students from the first step – how to hold an instrument – all the way through fundamental skills, chords, technique and playing a wide range of songs.
Students were provided with musical instruments, access to the Fender Play learning app, and group online music lessons with credentialed teachers, all free of charge. Participants played a variety of instruments, with plucked string instruments predominating.
Music Education Works 