Caregiving in counterpoint: reciprocal influences in the musical parenting of younger and older infants

Abstract

In a national (US) telephone survey of parents of four‐month‐old to six‐month‐old infants (n = 2250), 904 respondents answered the question ‘Is there anything else you want to tell me about how or why you use music with your baby?’ Qualitative analyses of responses generated descriptors, which were applied to Bornstein’s four caregiving domains to ascertain music’s role in parenting infants. Findings indicated a preponderance of Social Caregiving and a merging of Material with Nurturant caregiving, showing the use of music with young infants to be primary and basic. Study 2 examines data from a follow‐up written survey with the same participant pool. In responses to the same question from parents with infants 10–16 months old (n = 339), analyses revealed an even distribution between three domains: Social, Material, and a new merging of Nurturant with Didactic—indicating that parents were responding to children’s familiar musical behavior with teaching as well as socializing.

Keywords:

• Caregiving
• Development
• Family
• Infants
• Music
• Parenting

Notes

1. Indicates 40% of the full sample (n = 2250).

2. Words in parentheses represent the keyword analysis for a specific response.

3. Differences included the addition of a question about the available musical instruments in the home and the omission of stable socio‐demographic traits such as ethnicity and questions specific to behaviors of younger infants.

4. It must be noted that this could be partially due to differences in data collection; specifically, the more intimate nature of reflective writing for Study 2, as opposed to talking to a stranger on the telephone.