Music interventions to support parent-child attachment: a systematic review

Secure parent-child attachment in early childhood is associated with positive developmental, socioemotional and mental health outcomes for children. Music interventions may be suited to supporting parent-child attachment; however, few studies have investigated whether they can assist in this area. This systematic review gathered and synthesized peer-reviewed studies exploring the effects of music interventions on parent-child relationship quality, in order to: 1) ascertain whether music interventions improved outcomes related to attachment; 2) identify the characteristics of music interventions which may support attachment quality; and 3) describe the processes of attachment-related change through music techniques. Criteria for inclusion in the review were: interventions primarily involved music techniques, focused on the parent-child dyad, and were delivered by a qualified music therapist or allied health professional; studies assessed or described relationship outcomes; and participating children were typically developing (i.e. without additional needs) and aged 5-years-old or under. Twenty-three articles, representing 15 unique interventions, met these criteria. Approximately 808–815 parent-child dyads participated, and most participating parents were mothers. All interventions showed some effectiveness for improving relationship outcomes, including attachment-related outcomes such as parental sensitivity and responsiveness, bonding, interaction quality and emotional co-regulation. Relationship outcomes may have been facilitated through attachment processes, including parental reflective functioning. All interventions involved singing, and most involved instrument playing and/or movement alongside music. Further research examining the role of music in facilitating parent-child attachment should design music interventions focused specifically on improving attachment quality and evaluate music intervention effectiveness using validated measures of attachment quality and longitudinal study designs.