A population-level analysis of associations between school music participation and academic achievement
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[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported online in Journal of Educational Psychology on Oct 17 2019 (see record 2019-62704-001). In the original article, Tables 2 and 4 contained typographical errors regarding the reporting of some sample sizes. In Table 2, for the Unadjusted Analyses section, the n for the “No participation in school music” group should read 75,616 for the Math 10 group, and 95,873 for the Science 10 group while the n for the “Participation in school music” group should read 13,772 for the Math 10 group, and 15,416 for the Science 10 group. In Table 4, for the Unadjusted Analyses section, the n for the “No participation in school music” group should read 75,616 for the Math 10 group, and 95,873 for the Science 10 group. All calculations were based on the correct sample sizes, the typographical error was isolated to n reported in the aforementioned instances in these two tables. All versions of this article have been corrected.] The present study employed population-level educational records from 4 public school student cohorts (n = 112,916; Grades 7–12) in British Columbia (Canada) to examine relationships between music education (any participation, type of participation, music achievement, and engagement level) and mathematics and science achievement in Grade 10 as well as English achievement in Grades 10 and 12, while controlling for language/cultural background, Grade 7 academic achievement, and neighborhood socioeconomic status. Music…
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Each instrument involves idiosyncratic skills that might have specific cognitive and academic consequences.
“Studies such as Bianco et al. (2017) and Guhn et al. (2020) pointed out that each instrument involves idiosyncratic skills that might have specific cognitive and academic consequences.”
From Please don't stop the music: A meta-analysis of the cognitive and academic benefits of instrumental musical training in childhood and adolescence (2022) · cites this paper as Guhn et al. (2020)
Cites
The Bioecological Model of Human Development
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“From an overarching conceptual and methodological standpoint, Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006) is useful for guiding our analyses of the association between (prolonged) music learning and academic achievement, as its propositions, the process-person-context-time…”
BackgroundSocioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review of Research
Sirin, S. R. (2005) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/00346543075003417 · Cited by 4,687 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Relative to students of lower SES backgrounds, those of higher SES backgrounds are more likely to take music (within and outside school) and tend to attain higher academic scores (Elpus, 2013; Sirin, 2005).”
BackgroundEffect size, confidence interval and statistical significance: a practical guide for biologists
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“Means and 95% confidence intervals were reported; to better characterize mean differences, Cohen’s d values were estimated (Nakagawa & Cuthill, 2007).”
MethodInterventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4 to 12 years old
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When and where do we apply what we learn?: A taxonomy for far transfer
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“Psychologists have referred to the concept of transfer (Barnett & Ceci, 2002), which in the present context refers to theories of how cognitive, motivation-related, and social-personal aspects related to music education and practice may positively affect learning in academic subjects such as…”
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Román-Caballero, R., Vadillo, M. A., Trainor, L. J., & Lupiáñez, J. (2022) · Educational Research Review · doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100436 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Links between the neurobiology of oxytocin and human musicality
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Brunet, L., Rémeau, M., Houdé, O., & Borst, G. (2026) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjep.70127
- Authors
- Guhn, M., Emerson, S. D., & Gouzouasis, P.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Venue
- Journal of Educational Psychology
- Published
- 2020-02
- Volume
- 112
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 308-328
- ISSN
- 0022-0663 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2176
- OpenAlex
- W2952878511
- Cited by
- 167
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 302.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- correction (2019-10-24)
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Educational Psychology (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (15R09570)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Music › Diverse Music Education Insights
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Social Sciences › Education › Music Education and Analysis
- Keywords
- academic performance, music education, instrumental music, vocal music, music achievement, music engagement, mathematics achievement, science achievement, English achievement, grade 10, public school students, British Columbia, socioeconomic status, effect size
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