Music enrichment programs may promote early language development by enhancing parent responsiveness: A narrative review

Abstract

The first years of life are critical for language development. Numerous studies indicate that actively participating in music creates a neural processing advantage in brain regions that support language development. Nevertheless, shared social characteristics between music and language may also play a role in explaining the benefits of music engagement during infancy for language development. The causal effects of a social learning pathway explaining the relation between music and language development in infants have not been fully elucidated. In this article, we posit that music enrichment programs indirectly benefit language development through enhanced parental responsiveness, an aspect of high-quality parent–infant interactions. We summarize research on parent–child music enrichment classes and early language development. We also provide a narrative review and conceptual model of relevant research to support how parental responsiveness may partly explain the association between participating in music enrichment programs during infancy and benefits to early language development.