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Stability of Music Engagement across Childhood, Adolescence, and Established Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin and Adoption Study

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Title: Stability of Music Engagement across Childhood, Adolescence, and Established Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin and Adoption Study
Language: English
Authors: Daniel E. Gustavson (ORCID 0000-0002-1470-4928), Naomi P. Friedman, Robin P. Corley, Sally J. Wadsworth, Chandra A. Reynolds, Hermine H. M. Maes
Source: Developmental Science. 2026 29(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DHHS/PHS)
Contract Number: R01DA059804
R01AG046938
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Music Activities, Participation, Children, Adolescents, Childhood Interests, Musical Instruments, Music Education, Genetics, Heredity, Incidence, Adults, Gender Differences, Environmental Influences
DOI: 10.1111/desc.70122
ISSN: 1363-755X
1467-7687
Abstract: Music engagement traits are linked to important developmental language, cognitive, and mental health outcomes, but longitudinal studies have not examined the developmental stability of music engagement across the first few decades of life, especially using genetically informative designs. The current study examined music engagement--defined as being interested and skilled at musical instruments and taking music lessons--across four timepoints in childhood and adolescence to test the hypothesis that genetic influences explain an increasingly larger proportion of variance over time. We also examined how these measures relate to the frequency of music engagement and music listening in adulthood. Analyses were based on archival data from 1878 individuals in the Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging (CATSLife), who completed self-reported measures of music engagement at ages 7, 10, 12, and 16 years, and two additional items in established adulthood (mean age 33 years). Results indicated that music engagement was moderately stable throughout childhood and adolescence (r = 0.20 to 0.49). Heritability was larger in males than in females, but only in childhood, with greater stability of shared environmental influences in female children. These measures were modestly correlated with the frequency of musical instrument playing in adulthood (r = 0.07 to 0.29) but not the frequency of music listening. These findings suggest that early music engagement is a dynamic phenotype that changes considerably between childhood, adolescence, and beyond. This work highlights the need for a developmental perspective in theoretical models of music engagement and its relation to language, cognition, and health.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1498390
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Stability of Music Engagement across Childhood, Adolescence, and Established Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin and Adoption Study
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Daniel+E%2E+Gustavson%22">Daniel E. Gustavson</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1470-4928">0000-0002-1470-4928</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Naomi+P%2E+Friedman%22">Naomi P. Friedman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Robin+P%2E+Corley%22">Robin P. Corley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sally+J%2E+Wadsworth%22">Sally J. Wadsworth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chandra+A%2E+Reynolds%22">Chandra A. Reynolds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hermine+H%2E+M%2E+Maes%22">Hermine H. M. Maes</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Science%22"><i>Developmental Science</i></searchLink>. 2026 29(2).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 14
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)<br />National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DHHS/PHS)
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  Data: R01DA059804<br />R01AG046938
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Music+Activities%22">Music Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Participation%22">Participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Childhood+Interests%22">Childhood Interests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Musical+Instruments%22">Musical Instruments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Music+Education%22">Music Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Genetics%22">Genetics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heredity%22">Heredity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Incidence%22">Incidence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+Influences%22">Environmental Influences</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/desc.70122
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  Data: 1363-755X<br />1467-7687
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Music engagement traits are linked to important developmental language, cognitive, and mental health outcomes, but longitudinal studies have not examined the developmental stability of music engagement across the first few decades of life, especially using genetically informative designs. The current study examined music engagement--defined as being interested and skilled at musical instruments and taking music lessons--across four timepoints in childhood and adolescence to test the hypothesis that genetic influences explain an increasingly larger proportion of variance over time. We also examined how these measures relate to the frequency of music engagement and music listening in adulthood. Analyses were based on archival data from 1878 individuals in the Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging (CATSLife), who completed self-reported measures of music engagement at ages 7, 10, 12, and 16 years, and two additional items in established adulthood (mean age 33 years). Results indicated that music engagement was moderately stable throughout childhood and adolescence (r = 0.20 to 0.49). Heritability was larger in males than in females, but only in childhood, with greater stability of shared environmental influences in female children. These measures were modestly correlated with the frequency of musical instrument playing in adulthood (r = 0.07 to 0.29) but not the frequency of music listening. These findings suggest that early music engagement is a dynamic phenotype that changes considerably between childhood, adolescence, and beyond. This work highlights the need for a developmental perspective in theoretical models of music engagement and its relation to language, cognition, and health.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1498390
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        Value: 10.1111/desc.70122
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 14
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Music Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Participation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
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      – SubjectFull: Childhood Interests
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      – SubjectFull: Musical Instruments
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      – SubjectFull: Music Education
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      – SubjectFull: Genetics
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      – SubjectFull: Heredity
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      – SubjectFull: Incidence
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      – SubjectFull: Adults
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Environmental Influences
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      – TitleFull: Stability of Music Engagement across Childhood, Adolescence, and Established Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin and Adoption Study
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