An assessment of children's musical instrument preferences

Journal/Book: Journal of Music Therapy. 1977; Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. National Association for Music Therapy. journal article.

Abstract: This study was designed to investigate initial operant preferences of musically naive children for specific musical instruments. Forty children ranging in age from 3-5 years spent 5 minutes in free play in a music setting. Data were collected for individual subjects by trained observers. Videotape and independent observers were used to assess reliability. Data indicated playing time for each of 10 musical instruments, as well as time spent looking at, touching or holding instruments, and off-task behavior. Results indicated an operant preference (seconds actually playing an instrument) for the instruments as follows: timpani, piano, step bells, ukelele, metallophone, slide whistle, guiro, log drum, soprano recorder, and hand drums. Verbal statements of instrumental preferences concurred with the operant measure for 16 of the children (40%).

Keyword(s): children, assessment, musical-preference, instrument, operand-preference.

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