Musical engagement among families with young children: a CMBI (V.972) study

ABSTRACT

Music experience in childhood has beneficial effects on early cognitive and linguistic development. Most children under the age of five experience music every day, with family members. Yet, few studies that have focused on Parental Musical Engagement (PME). The issue is there are but few psychometrically standardized measures that target PME. The Children’s Music Behaviour Inventory (CMBI) developed by Valerio and Reynolds is the ‘gold standard’. The current study translated CMBI to Hebrew, and surveyed 300 members of the general population. The study demonstrates that CMBI is culture free, and presents an updated set of norms for in-home musical behaviours of children 0–5 and parent-initiated musical engagement. The article illustrates CMBI itself, as providing an opportunity for parents to gain insight about the value of music engagement for children under five years of age, and come to an understanding about music as an essential component within the parent–child relationship.

KEYWORDS:

• Musical engagement among families with young children: A CMBI (V.972) study
• parental music engagement
• children's music behavior inventory (CMBI)
• culture free inventory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Warren Brodsky (Ph.D.) is Professor of Music Psychology and director of the Music Science Lab in the Department of the Arts at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva Israel. Among his research interests are musical skill and development in early childhood, and the effects of music on distraction and inattention among young drivers.

Idit Sulkin (Ph.D.) is a musicologist, music educator, and media researcher. She is a lecturer at Talpiot College of Education, Holon, Israel. Her research focuses on early childhood music education and development, and media content screen effects on infant and toddler development.

Michal Hefer (Ph.D.) is a lecturer of Music Education and Chair of Music Education Department, at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Israel. Her main research interests focus on early childhood music cognition and practices, and the relationship between music cognition and movement.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.