The Effect of Music Intervention on Children’s Cognitive Development: A Review Study

Yu Gu

doi:10.54097/dgtkc069

Authors

Yu Gu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/dgtkc069

Keywords:

Music Therapy, Working Memory, Executive Functions

Abstract

This review study investigates the effect of music intervention on children's cognitive development, focusing on general cognitive skills, academic skills, and executive functions. The aim of this study is to synthesize the main findings from empirical research into the role of music in enhancing children's cognitive competencies. The review encompasses a range of studies that utilized experimental and correlational designs, involving children from preschool to adolescence. The main findings pointed out that music intervention favorably influences IQ and verbal memory, with some pieces of evidence suggesting its contribution to improved academic performance and even executive functions, such as working memory and cognitive flexibility. However, across methodologies, age groups, and the nature of the music intervention, the strength of effects does vary; thus, the benefits possibly appear more pronounced in private music tuition or specific populations. It thus concludes that while music education holds promise for improving cognitive skills, further longitudinal research is necessary to understand long-term effects and to develop focused music education programs that maximize cognitive benefits across diverse groups of children.

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