Comparing the benefits of parent–infant flute and singing groups for communication and parenting: A feasibility study

There is growing evidence highlighting benefits of musical exposure and participation on several aspects of development and parenting. Aiming to establish a rigorous protocol allowing researchers to study different types of musical interactions and their benefits on the development of early communication, the present study explored parents’ experiences of musically engaging with their infants in different types of music groups. Twenty-five infants and their parents were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) singing, (2) flute playing, or (3) control group. Music sessions were held weekly for 14 weeks and were followed by the home use of the recorded routines specific of each group, for further 3 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the experimental groups’ participants, and pre/post quantitative developmental measures were collected from all groups, to assess participants’ compliance. Qualitative analyses of the interviews revealed both shared themes, (communication enhancement, enjoyment, and regulation); and unique themes (creativity and freedom in the flute group; familiarity and responsiveness in the singing group). The feasibility study was successful in establishing a workable protocol to use in RCT longitudinal interventions aiming to examine how specific aspects of the musical experience might differentially support developmental outcomes, in parent–infant groups.