Nina Kraus|Jane Hornickel|Dana L. Strait|Jessica Slater|Elaine C. Thompson
Engagement in community music classes sparks neuroplasticity and language development in children from disadvantaged backgrounds
Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University
children disadvantaged backgrounds often face impoverished auditory environments greater exposure ambient noise fewer opportunities participate complex language interactions development circumstances increase risk academic failure dropout given academic neural benefits associated musicianship music training may one method providing auditory enrichment children disadvantaged backgrounds followed group primaryschool students gang reduction zones los angeles ca usa 2 years participated harmony project providing free community music instruction disadvantaged children harmony project promotes healthy development children learners development children ambassadors peace understanding development stronger communities children engaged music programas defined better attendance classroom participationdeveloped stronger brain encoding speech 2 years lessengaged peers program additionally children engaged program showed increases reading scores less engaged show improvements neural gains accompanying music engagement seen measures neural speech processing weaker children disadvantaged backgrounds results suggest community music programs harmony project provide form auditory enrichment counteracts biological adversities growing poverty support communitybased interventions aimed improving child health wellness