Title

The impact of a short-term music therapy program on emotional regulation development in preschool age children following the COVID-19 pandemic

Year Issued

2024

Abstract

Early child development has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which effects later development through school and adulthood (Davies et al., 2021; Jiao et al. 2020; Paulauskaite et al., 2021; Spiteri, 2021; Takahashi and Honda, 2021; Timmons et al., 2021). Concer...
Show moreEarly child development has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which effects later development through school and adulthood (Davies et al., 2021; Jiao et al. 2020; Paulauskaite et al., 2021; Spiteri, 2021; Takahashi and Honda, 2021; Timmons et al., 2021). Concerns related to early childhood development of academic and social-emotional skills, including emotion regulation, have arisen due to isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been linked to increased school readiness, forming positive relationships, and preventing maladaptive behaviors in older childhood and adulthood. Music therapy has been shown to support emotion regulation skills in older childhood and adolescence (Foran, 2009; Ross, 2016; Williams, 2018; Zhenyu and Zhenhua, 2022). There is limited research on the use of music therapy in early childhood for emotion regulation. Since the developmental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to understand ways music therapy can support emotion regulation development in early childhood. This study used a short-term music therapy program focused on shifting arousal levels in preschool-age children to understand the effect on emotion regulation skill development in early childhood with two groups experiencing music therapy over the course of eight weeks compared to eight weeks of typical learning. Participants were assessed at baseline, following music therapy, and following typical learning for emotion regulation skills. 83% of participants experienced a reduction in behavioral concerns with music therapy. Half of participants increased self-regulation with music therapy. On average all participants with music therapy intervention increased social-emotional and attention and self-control skills. This research shows potential for improving emotion-regulation skill in early childhood, but future research is needed with a larger sample size. Other areas of social-emotional skills could benefit from future research in preschool-age children, such as attachment.
Show less

Author

Oldland, Kelsey