Does Music Improve Social Skills?

Ever since our ancestors began organizing themselves into groups there has been need to communicate and follow some form of rules and regulations if someone were to comfortably fit into a group. As a matter of fact, being able to communicate adapt, fit in, and follow rules quite often determined one’s chances of survival. This requirement to follow rules and regulations is still applicable today. In fact, because we are a more organized people, it is far more crucial. Added to that is the fact that our society is far more diverse than they were back then. Therefore, it becomes necessary to be more tolerable and open to working along with people, regardless of their difference.

Poor Social Development Can Have Devastating Effects

When man finds it difficult to fit in and adapt, he puts himself at risk. One’s inability to live and socialize among others heightens his chances of being ostracized, deemed as an outsider, and even being imprisoned. Additionally, if one cannot socialize with others his chances of performing well in school and functioning well on the job are greatly compromised. Having developed social skills makes one fit to live and also fit to live with. However, judging from the rising incidences of violence and crimes both in school and society as a whole, one can conclude that there is a lack of social skills among humanity. Hence it becomes necessary for parents to increase their focus on teaching their children the necessary social skills for them to be able to function well in school and society as a whole.

How Does Music Encourage Social Development In Children?

Music has been found to be successful as increasing social skills in children. According to the American Music Therapy Association , in a study based on Autism Spectrum Disorders: Music Therapy Research and Evidence Based Practice Support, to determine the use of music a therapeutic stimulus to achieve non-musical goals, it was discovered that being exposed to musical instructions help children to have increased socialization, improved behavior, decreased agitation, improved verbal skills, and successful and safe self-expression. All of which are needed for a child to function with ease in various social settings. Additionally, in studying the effects of music therapy on the communication skills of autistic children, it was noted that their communication skills increased significantly when they were exposed to music and in the same way decreased considerably when the stimulus was removed. This is according to the Journal of Music Therapy, 21.

Adding to that, Limelight Magazine reported that a ground breaking study done by the University of London’s Institute of Education revealed that by exposing children to classical music there is a significant increase in self-discipline and social skills. According to Education and Music Professor Susan Hallam, 252 children from 9 elementary schools were chosen to be a part of this study. After being exposed to various forms of classical music, their teachers reported a significant improvement in their behavior with specific emphasis on improved self-discipline and social skills. This means that these children stood a better chance at excelling in school and being able to get along with others in other social settings.

Similarly, The University of Kentucky after conducting three separate studies to determine the effect of a music therapy social skills training program on improving social competence in children and adolescents with social skills deficits reported that there was significant improvement in the behavior of these children after being exposed to Music therapy. Forty Five children between the ages of 6- 17 years were used for this study. After pre- and post-ratings, along with behavioral observations it was concluded that music was effective in improving the competence of children and adolescence with deficiencies in social skills.  

Further, Raising Small Souls highlighted some notable connections with music and social skills in children. Among these are the facts that:

• Music provides children with a framework on which they can socialize freely. It connects children who may not have otherwise had anything else in common. As such, sharing an interest in a specific type of music helps to forge social bonds that would not have exited otherwise.

• Music evokes in children the need to interact with others.

• Playing a musical instrument gives children a sense of confidence that they usually transfer into building stronger interpersonal relationships in social settings.

It is for these very reasons that there is a call for children to incorporate music in their children’s lives as much as possible, so that they can blossom into more social adjusted individuals.

Singing, Playing Instruments, and Creating Are All Valuable Tools For Social Development

The National Association of Music Educators also posits that singing and playing instruments, creating music, responding to music and understanding music are all components of music that helps to develop children’s social skills, since by participating in music, they learn to listen attentively, follow instructions, respect authority, and work along with others. This further strengthens the need for children to be exposed to music from a tender age.

Finally, Angela Kwan proposes that exposing your young children to music lessons helps to improve the skills that are necessary for social interaction. She further explained that while in music classes children are sometimes require to function as a team as they work towards a particular goal. At some pint they will be required to slow down, work in group and fully understand their individual function and how it contributes towards the goal of the group as a whole.  Similarly in real life, these skills are necessary to function effectively in groups and here it is seen that there skills are coincidentally taught through music. How much more isn’t it necessary for you to capitalize on this incredible opportunity to kill two birds with one stone? (Improving social Skills while learning a skill?)

The Bottom Line

The ability to get along with others is a necessary skill that is an important as having a high IQ or getting good grades in school. This is because there is no point in having the highest level of education if you are unable to work along with others. No man is an island! Therefore, parents should make use of every opportunity to enroll their young children for music lessons so that they can be well rounded.

Please contact us for more information about piano lessons, guitar lessons, or another instrument today - we would love to be a part of your child’s development.