1. The Impact of a Community-Based Music Program during Infancy on the Quality of Parent-Child Language Interactions
- Author
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Amy R. Smith, Brenda Salley, Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, Rocco A. Paluch, Hideko Engel, Jacqueline Piazza, and Kai Ling Kong
- Abstract
The early language environment, especially high-quality, contingent parent-child language interactions, is crucial for a child's language development and later academic success. In this secondary analysis study, 89 parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to either the Music Together® (music) or play date (control) classes. Children were 9- to 15-month old at baseline, primarily white (86.7%) and female (52%). Measures of conversational turns (CTs) and parental verbal quality were coded from parent-child free play episodes at baseline, mid-intervention (month 6), and post-intervention (month 12). Results show that participants in the music group had a significantly greater increase in CT measures and quality of parent verbalization post-intervention. Music enrichment programs may be a strategy to enhance parent--child language interactions during early childhood.
- Published
- 2024
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