Next Article in Journal
STEM-Based Curriculum and Creative Thinking in High School Students
Previous Article in Journal
Analysis of Online Learning Issues within the Higher Education Quality Assurance Frame: ‘Pandemic Lessons’ to Address the Hard Time Challenges
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Systematic Review

The Development of Soft Skills through Music in Educational Contexts: A Systematic Review

by
Mario Diz-Otero
1,
Margarita Pino-Juste
2,
Jose María Esteve-Faubel
3 and
Sara Domínguez-Lloria
4,*
1
Department of Applied Didactics, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, 15705 A Coruña, Spain
2
Faculty of Education Sciences & Sports, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, 36310 Pontevedra, Spain
3
Departamento de Didáctica General y Didácticas Específicas, Universidad de Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, 03009 Alicante, Spain
4
Department of Special Didactics, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, 36310 Pontevedra, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 1194; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121194
Submission received: 31 August 2023 / Revised: 12 November 2023 / Accepted: 20 November 2023 / Published: 28 November 2023

Abstract

:
Numerous scientific studies confirm that music is a tool to improve and develop interpersonal skills. These skills, such as leadership, teamwork, communication, interpersonal skills, or coordination. are essential at present and their acquisition is necessary to adapt to a constantly changing society. The aim of this study is to analyze the contribution of music to the development of soft skills in educational contexts. To achieve the objective of the study, a systematic review of the last five years was carried out to find the existing empirical evidence. Among the main results, we observed that soft skills improve when they are developed through music in educational contexts, concluding that educational interventions with music allow for participants to develop these skills.

1. Introduction

At present, it is essential to develop soft skills that enable people to relate and adapt to the needs and demands of an ever-changing society. These skills provide people with the necessary tools to face challenges both at work and in their daily lives, fostering their adaptability, success, and overall well-being. Authors such as Gutman and Schoon [1] classify soft skills specifically, referring to them as those related to teamwork, communication, leadership, self-management, interpersonal relations or creativity. The OECD [2] states that the definition of soft skills, in addition to including the characteristics of transversal competencies, goes further by determining that these skills are of an interpersonal nature, being intangible skills that are not of a technical nature.
Soft skills function as a complement to technical skills [3] and their acquisition is ideal in educational contexts [4], as they are easily acquired and teachable, avoiding a limited perspective based solely on technical or cognitive competencies [5]. These transversal competencies are extremely valuable for a changing social and productive model, as they transcend disciplinary boundaries [6].
The importance of these competencies and their study over time has led to the existence of numerous definitions to determine what exactly soft skills are, which has led to a variety of interpretations [7]. This problem has made it impossible to reach a consensus in the scientific community due to the existence of very different definitions [8,9,10]. In this study, we define soft skills as a set of personal qualities, habits, and social attitudes that promote personal and professional success [11].
It has been shown that music is an artistic expression that, from childhood, facilitates the socialization of individuals and allows for the establishment of a communicative expression in a more effective and immediate way compared to other systems, such as creative writing, sculpture, painting, theater or cinema, since each subject possesses skills that allow for him/her to actively participate in the musical act [12].
It is interesting to note that there are numerous studies that show the importance of integrating music in educational contexts as a crucial element for the acquisition of soft skills in students [13].
In addition, to music, the integration of the arts in the school curriculum fosters creativity and imagination, as well as numerous cognitive and emotional skills [14].
Teachers recognize that the practice of musical activities works more effectively on issues related to self-control, practice, teamwork, commitment, or flexibility [15], while belonging to a choir, band or musical group allows for the development of coordination and teamwork skills [16].
The socioemotional benefits perceived by adolescents who participate in choral, or wind ensembles have been demonstrated, and it can be affirmed that collective musical practice is related to aesthetic pleasure or socio-affective relationships [17].
Although there is evidence that music can have a positive effect on the development of soft skills, it is necessary to further investigate how music is currently used for the development of these skills in educational contexts, since this analysis could contribute to the provision of valuable information for the design of more effective music education programs adapted to the needs of different groups.
Therefore, the aim of this study is to systematically analyze the contribution of music from the last five years to the development of soft skills in educational contexts.
To carry out our analysis, we asked ourselves two research questions:
Q1. What are the soft skills that are most developed through music?
Q2. What are the characteristics of studies based on bibliometric indicators?
Q3 What are the characteristics of educational interventions that promote the development of soft skills through music?

2. Materials and Methods

This systematic review aims to analyze and interpret the available and relevant research on a topic area or phenomenon of interest [18] in this case, the contribution of music to the development of soft skills.
The approach of this research is interpretative, with a retrospective design that allows for the available studies to be obtained, analyzed, and interpreted [19].
The bibliographic search was carried out between September and December 2022. The databases used to locate the different documents were SCOPUS and Web of Science. The search equation with the best results corresponded to the fields of article title, abstract, and keywords of the following terms: (soft skills) OR (Leadership OR Teamwork) AND (Music*). The fact that we also used the terms teamwork or leadership is based on the terminology used by the validated instrument Teamwork Skills Questionnaire (TSQ) [20]. This questionnaire is a tool for the indirect measurement of transversal teamwork skills used in different contexts [20,21].

2.1. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

First, the search was filtered to the last 5 years (2017–2022) to obtain the most recent scientific evidence. The initial search yielded a total of 299 articles, after first excluding 2 articles for being duplicates, 1 for being a systematic review and 1 for not being published in English or Spanish.
To be included in the review, the articles had to be educational interventions that used music to improve or develop soft skills.
During the analysis the articles, 152 articles were excluded because, although they established relationships between soft skills and music, they were not educational interventions, and another 99 were excluded because they were interventions that worked on the acquisition or improvement of soft skills, but not through music. Therefore, the final number of excluded articles was 255. Therefore, a total of 44 articles that met the requirements were included in this study.
In accordance with the above and following the methods used by [22], the following flow chart was created according to the PRISMA standards (Figure 1).

2.2. Approach and Data Analysis

After an analysis of the identified studies, we proceeded to divide them into four main categories of analysis that collected data from all the selected articles, as shown in Table 1. The first category establishes a set of bibliometric indicators from which we can obtain information about the authors working in the field, where more research is being conducted on the topic, and which publishers and journals publish on these topics. The next category of analysis focuses on the methodological aspects of the reviewed articles, obtaining information about the number of participants and their age group, as well as the research methodology that was used. Another category of analysis was the type of soft skill that was improved with music in each of the interventions, using Cinque’s [8] classification, which distinguishes between social skills, methodological skills, and practical skills. Finally, the characteristics presented by the programs were analyzed. In this case, we first analyzed the type of groups in which the interventions were carried out, dividing them into professional, amateur or semi-professional groups, understanding semi-professional to be the participation of amateur musicians together with professional musicians. Subsequently, the musical specialty that was worked on in the interventions was analyzed, and classifyied as individual or collective instrumental practice, and vocal or non-performing specialties. The academic field of application was also analyzed, dividing it into formal and non-formal fields, and finally, the benefits of the programs were analyzed according to age.
To improve the comprehension of the article, we prepared a table (Table 2) in which the skills related to each of the competencies are specified and the subcategories are classified according to the contributions of the analyzed manuscripts, along with their corresponding authors.

3. Results

3.1. Bibliometric Results

This section aims to analyze which authors, countries and journals are specialized in this topic, to determine the research trends in this type of study, and to be able to follow up and allow for the scientific community to find updated sources of information on interventions in educational contexts in which soft skills are improved through music. Regarding the geographical location of the studies, 16 different countries were counted. Only those countries that produced more than one article on this topic are shown below. Spain is the country with the highest number of articles (n = 7), with 15.9% of the total, followed by Australia (n = 6) and the UK (n = 6), with 13.6% each, and Norway (n = 5) and the USA (n = 5), with 11.4%. When analyzed by continent, 25 articles come from European countries (56.8%), 6 from North America (13.6%), 5 from Oceania, representing 11.3% of the total, 2 from Africa (4.5%), 4 from Asia (9.3%), and 2 from South America (4.5%).
There is an enormous diversity of authors in the analyzed articles. However, some of them have more than one piece of research in the field of soft skills and music, as is the case for Gustems-Carnicer, Oriola-Requena, Oriola and Ros-Morente, who each have four articles on this topic. The next most prolific author is Dag Jansson, who appears in a total of three articles. Other authors appear in two articles on this topic, such as Diego Calderón-Garrrido, Beate Elstad, Danielle Treacy, Erik Døving, Gemma Filella-Guiu and Helena Gaunt.
The type of institutions involved in the interventions is varied, such as the arts and culture department of a university, amateur choirs, higher artistic education, different types of educational centers, music schools, general education, or language schools. The most common among all modalities are amateur choirs (n = 8), with a percentage of 18.2% of the total, followed by public primary schools (n = 6), with a percentage of 13.6%.
As for the journals in which this research is published, there are a total of 30 different journals, with Music Education Research (n = 5) and International Society for Music Education (n = 5) each representing 11.4%, and Frontiers in Psychology (n = 4) representing a percentage of 9.1% of the total.

3.2. Methodological Aspects

In terms of participants, one study, with a large sample, with a total of 1001 participants, stands out in the results [23], and 8 other studies contained a sample of between 600 and 685 participants [15,16,17,24,25,26,27,28]. The majority of analyzed articles had a sample containing participants who were <40 years old, representing 47.7% of the total.
Regarding the age range of the studies, they were divided into five intervals: infants (0–11 years), adolescents (12–17 years), adults (18–65 years), and elderly (>66 years). Studies that analyzed more than one age interval were classified as a mixed interval. According to this classification, 2 studies were conducted with infants (4.5%), 16 studies with adolescents (36.4%), 17 studies with adults (38.6%), 4 studies with the elderly (9.1%), and 5 studies were mixed (11.4%) (Figure 2).
Regarding the methodological approach, 6 studies used a quantitative methodology (13.6%), 34 were qualitative (77.3%) and 4 were mixed (9.1%).

3.3. Characteristics of the Programs

3.3.1. Target Group of the Intervention

Regarding the target group, 12 of the interventions (27.3%) focus on the professional sector, i.e., the intervention was carried out on musicians who practice music as a profession [15,24,25,26,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36]. In 31 of the studies (70.4%), the interventions were carried out in a lay group. This group consisted of people who had no musical training and used music for a playful purpose [12,16,17,23,27,28,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61], and only 1 study (2.3%) took place in a semiprofessional setting in which professional and amateur musicians participated in the same intervention [62].

3.3.2. Musical Specialties Involved

A total of 5 interventions (11.4%) were performed by soloists playing an instrument. In the same proportion, a total of 5 (11.4%) were interventions in which the instrumental practice was collective.
Next, activities using the voice were grouped, with a total of 13 interventions (29.5%) performed by choirs.
Finally, we analyzed the interventions of those non-performing musical specialties that represent most of the analyzed studies, with a total of 21 (47.7%), these being composition, pedagogy, music therapy or improvisation.

3.3.3. Academic Setting

The formal academic environment is understood as that which takes place in general education centers, compulsory studies, and specific educational institutions for music education. A total of 52.3% of the interventions (n = 23) take place in this type of environment, while 47.7% are established in non-formal contexts (n = 21); that is, they refer to activities for music amateurs, such as courses outside the academic environment, socio-cultural centers, or other entities of inclusion of the general population in different social environments.

3.3.4. Benefits of Age-Related Programs

There are numerous benefits of intervention programs through music according to the age of the participants, as shown in Table 3, in which we can observe the benefits and improvements of the interventions according to the age group and the items to which they correspond. We observe that the age group of those considered infants (0–11 years) improves the soft skills related only to leadership, while in the group of adolescents (12–17 years), the following are improved: well-being, teamwork, communication, social interaction, cooperation, leadership, self-perception, aesthetic pleasure, and social skills. The adult group (18–65 years) improved soft skills related to: self-efficacy, leadership, self-control, teamwork, coordination, and social relations. In the group called seniors (>66 years), the soft skills that most improved relate to well-being, leadership, and social relations. Finally, we analyze those interventions where the age groups are mixed, which we called mixed; in this group, the soft skills that improved are: leadership, communication and creativity.

3.4. Soft Skills Improved by Music

The following section provides a detailed analysis of the soft skills that music helps to improve, based on the classification made by Cinque [8].

3.4.1. Social Skills

Music enables the development of social skills in individuals in certain settings [31,32,46,62], mostly through participation in choral ensembles [25,45,52,60], through participation in traditional music groups [48], or through participation in music education programs [51]. Additionally, it promotes interaction between subjects by improving communication strategies [16,29,33,41,42,43,46,49,51,53,61].
Leadership is another skill that is improved through music, mainly through participation in choral ensembles [39], through participation in instrumental ensembles [17,42], through musical and didactic activities at the preschool level [15,37] (or through the teaching of musical language [56]. In this regard, not only do participants in educational interventions benefit, but music teachers’ leadership skills and responsibilities as managers of musical activities are also enhanced [24,35,38,58].
Other soft skills that improve with music interventions include engagement [15,54], self-efficacy [24,47], responsibility [31], empathy [25] creativity [46], and increased self-confidence [55].
In addition to improvements in social skills, music also allows for the development of psychological variables such as self-esteem [48], personal empowerment [25], aesthetic sense or pleasure [17], intrinsic motivation [15], self-confidence [25], or communicative expression [55].
Authors such as Kang [50] claim that participation in musical ensembles increases well-being, while others argue that it is the music itself that increases participants’ perceptions of well-being [12,39,44,45,49,52,54,57].
In adult subjects participating in formative activities, singing has been shown to reduce restlessness and increase comfort, well-being, and joy [12], as well as to improve an individual’s self-perception and self-control [15,25,39].

3.4.2. Methodological Competencies

In the analyzed interventions, it is shown that music promotes teamwork through practicing instrumental or choral ensembles [15,16,25,30,33,34,42,46,47] collaboration [30] and flexibility, as the ability to adapt to new situations [15].
Collaboration is another skill in where music has an important influence, facilitating the acquisition of social bonds [53], mainly through participation in educational settings [41,51], group music practice [56,62], and teacher training [46].
It is also demonstrated that cultural knowledge skills are used to perform musical activities [62].

3.4.3. Practical Skills

For the most part, we did not find numerous articles investigating the acquisition of practical skills through music; we can only mention the work of Howe [46], who states that music training generally allows for participants to develop discipline as a practical skill, which translates into an improvement in this skill.

4. Discussion and Conclusions

After conducting the analysis, it is concluded that music contributes to the improvement and development of soft skills, and some of them in a more significant way. Musical practice is particularly effective in the acquisition of leadership and teamwork [31,35,39,41]. Soler-Campo [63] confirms that music is one of the areas in which leadership development is essential for the effective exercise of musical work. Without it, the development of this activity would not be possible. In addition, it improves teamwork and the sense of togetherness that favors social cohesion [64].
Other skills that benefit the most from the development of musical practice are social skills that contribute, at an emotional level, to improvements in our well-being and self-perception [47,65,66,67].
Furthermore, it is concluded that music develops creativity by enhancing social interactions between subjects [46,55,56].
Most of the reviewed interventions are for adolescents and adults. Adolescents prioritize personal and social aspects, while adults improve skills such as creativity, leadership, teamwork, cooperation, responsibility, discipline, and communication; therefore, authors such as Howe [46] confirm that these two age groups are the most important to the acquisition of soft skills.
Half of the analyzed interventions focus their activity on collective practice, either instrumental or choral, while the other half of the interventions were carried out through musical practice in non-instrumental specialties. This confirms that the immediacy and universality of music allows for participants to use it without prior or specific knowledge, with music serving as a tool that can address the use of soft skills by any type of user.
In addition, it is observed that its scope of application is practically the same in formal and non-formal contexts, a fact that confirms its ease of adaptation to all environments, highlighting that, at the European level, its development occurs, in both contexts, due to the musical tradition that this continent possesses. In formal contexts, the skills of self-control and teamwork, commitment, flexibility [15], or leadership [24], fundamental competencies in teacher training, are significantly improved.
We can conclude that music improves soft skills by providing tools that allow for better life development and a greater possibility of adaptation to the labor market [36]. At present, the requirements of the current labor market force individuals to use skills related to achieving their goals, working collaboratively, and managing their own and others’ emotions. Therefore, it is essential to include the acquisition of these skills in educational contexts. Given that musical activity is a tool that favors the learning of soft skills, it is necessary to include the work of these skills through music in academic environments that allow for individuals to improve them over time [68]. We note the growing interest in this topic, considering the number of articles published in scientific journals in recent years, and we conclude that the study of soft skills and their relation to music is a growing trend in the field of music education research. This systematic review confirms that this is a suitable and ideal element to improve the skills of a generalized population in any context.

Study Limitations and Practical Implications

The present study has several limitations that need to be commented on, perhaps the most important being the possibility of expanding the number of analyzed studies. In addition, the inclusion of the word “leadership” in the search equation, due to the non-identification of the term within the soft skills in the first search that was performed, may predetermine some of the results that were obtained, so it is important to note that this is considered a limitation within this study.
Regarding the practical implications of the study, once this review has been carried out, it would be of great interest to consider the development of training plans that incorporate music in both formal and non-formal educational contexts, knowing the different possibilities that music offers for the acquisition of fundamental competencies in 21st century society.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, S.D.-L. and M.P.-J.; methodology, M.P.-J.; software, M.D.-O.; validation, S.D.-L. and M.D.-O.; formal analysis, S.D.-L.; investigation, M.D.-O.; writing—original draft preparation, J.M.E.-F. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

The data are not publicly available for confidentiality reasons.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

  1. Gutman, L.M.; Schoon, I. The Impact of Non-Cognitive Skills on Outcomes for Young People: Literature Review; University of London: London, UK, 2013. [Google Scholar]
  2. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Skills for Social Progress: The Power of Social and Emotional Skills, OECD Skills Studies; OECD Publishing: Paris, France, 2015. [Google Scholar]
  3. Aníbal-Rey, J. Las Soft skills, el reto de la escuela secundaria. Rev. Seres Saberes Y Contextos 2016, 1, 50–54. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. García-Mercado, A.J. The integration of non-technical skills in the classroom. APEC J. 2014, 30, 252–263. [Google Scholar]
  5. Duckworth, A.L.; Yeager, D.S. Measurement matters: Assessing personal qualities other than cognitive ability for educational purposes. Educ. Res. 2015, 44, 237–251. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  6. Clares, P.M.; Morga, N.G. The mastery of transversal competencies in Higher Education in different formative contexts. Educ. E Pesqui. 2019, 45. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Abellán, M.T.; Candeloro, A.; López, C.M.L.; Hernández, D.J., VII. Soft Skills, skills on the rise in Europe. In Spanish Perspectives in Education: Best Practices for the 21st Century; Catholic University of New Spain: Miami, FL, USA, 2020; p. 147. [Google Scholar]
  8. Cinque, M. Lost in translation, Soft skills development in European countries. Tuning J. High. Educ. 2016, 3, 389–427. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  9. Dell’Aquila, E.; Marocco, D.; Ponticorvo, M.; Di Ferdinando, A.; Schembri, M.; Miglino, O. Educational Games for Soft Skills Training in Digital Environments; Springer: Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany, 2017. [Google Scholar]
  10. Gilyazova, O.S.; Zamoschansky, I.I.; Vaganova, O.I. Definition, classification and development of interpersonal skills in higher education: Competency-based and humanistic approaches. Univ. Soc. J. 2021, 13, 242–248. [Google Scholar]
  11. Matturro, G.; Raschetti, F.; Fontán, C. A Systematic Mapping Study on Soft Skills in Software Engineering. J. Univers. Inform. 2019, 25, 16–41. [Google Scholar]
  12. Batt-Rawden, K.B.; Stedje, K. Singing as a health-promoting activity in elderly care: A qualitative, longitudinal study in Norway. J. Res. Nurs. 2020, 25, 404–418. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  13. Villodre, M.D. Importance of Music as a Means of Educational Communication; Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca: Salamanca, Spain, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  14. Hardiman, M.; Rinne, L.; Yarmolinskaya, J. The effects of arts integration on long-term retention of academic content. Mind Brain Educ. 2014, 8, 144–148. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  15. Gustems-Carnicer, J.; Calderón-Garrido, D.; Navarro, M.; Segura, G. The recorder in school: The music teacher’s opinion. [The recorder in the school: The opinion of the music teacher]. Rev. Electrón. LEEME 2020, 46, 17–33. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  16. De Prada Creo, E.; Mareque, M.; Portela-Pino, I. The acquisition of teamwork skills in university students through extracurricular activities. Educ. Train. 2021, 63, 165–181. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  17. Oriola-Requena, S.; Calderón-Garrido, D.; Gustems-Carnicer, J. Keys to adolescent participation in youth music ensembles: The case of choirs in Catalonia and bands in Valencia, Claves para la participación de los adolescentes en agrupaciones musicales juveniles: El caso de los coros en Catalunya y las bandas en Valencia [Keys to adolescent participation in youth music ensembles: The case of choirs in Catalonia and bands in Valencia]. Per Musi. 2021, 2021, 1–15. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  18. Kitchenham, B.; Charters, S. Guidelines for Conducting Systematic Literature Reviews in Software Engineering; Keele University and Durham University: Keele, UK, 2007. [Google Scholar]
  19. Vain, P.D. The interpretive approach in educational research: Some theoretical-methodological considerations. Rev. Educ. 2012, 3, 37–46. [Google Scholar]
  20. O’Neil, H.F.; Mashburn, D. Core Abilities: Bringing the Mission to the Classroom; Wisconsin Technical College System, Inc.: Madison, WI, USA, 1997. [Google Scholar]
  21. O’Neil, H.F.; Lee, C.; Wang, S.; Mulkey, J. Final Report for Analysis of the Teamwork Skills Questionnaire; Advanced Design Information: Sherman Oaks, CA, USA, 1999. [Google Scholar]
  22. Moher, D.; Tetzlaff, J.; Liberati, A.; Altman, D.G.; PRISMA Group. Preferred reporting elements for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. Ann. Intern. Med. 2009, 151, 264–269. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  23. Shorner-Johnson, K. Visible, legitimate, and beautiful justice: A case study of the formalization of music education in a Haitian NGO. Int. J. Music Educ. 2017, 35, 391–402. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  24. Abeles, H.; Weiss-Tornatore, L.; Powell, B. Integrating popular music into urban schools: Evaluating the effectiveness of a comprehensive music teacher development program. Int. J. Music Educ. 2021, 39, 218–233. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  25. Jansson, D.; Elstad, B.; Døving, E. Universality and situatedness in educating choral conductors. Music Educ. Res. 2019, 21, 344–358. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  26. Jansson, D.; Døving, E.; Elstad, B. Constructing leadership practice: Making sense of leader competencies. Leadership 2021, 17, 560–585. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  27. Oriola, S.; Gustems, J.; Filella, G. Youth bands and choirs as a resource for the integral development of adolescents, [Youth bands and choirs as a resource for the integral development of adolescents]. Rev. Electrónica Complut. Investig. Educ. Music 2018, 15, 153–173. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Ros-Morente, A.; Oriola-Requena, S.; Gustems-Carnicer, J.; Filella Guiu, G. Beyond music: Emotional skills and their development in young adults in choirs and bands. Int. J. Music Educ. 2019, 37, 536–546. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  29. Bishop, L.; Goebl, W. Negotiating a shared performance during a piano duet performance. Music Sci. 2020, 3, 2059204319896152. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  30. Gaunt, H.; Treacy, D.S. Ensemble practices in the arts: A reflective matrix for enhancing teamwork and collaborative learning in higher education. Arts Humanit. High. Educ. 2020, 19, 419–444. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  31. Harrop-Allin, S. Higher education student learning beyond the classroom: Findings from a community music service learning project in rural South Africa. Music Educ. Res. 2017, 19, 231–251. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  32. Kelly, B.L.; Neidorf, J. The adaptability of teaching artists in group music education residencies. Soc. Work. Groups 2021, 45, 228–243. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  33. Min, X. The practice of interactive knowledge sharing in music education: Student-teacher exchanges. Cult. Educ. 2022, 34, 630–657. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  34. Treacy, D.; Gaunt, H. Promoting interconnections between reflective practice and collective creativity in higher arts education: The potential of engaging with a reflective matrix. Reflective Pract. 2021, 22, 488–500. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  35. Vanzella, P.; Balardin, J.B.; Furucho, R.A.; Morais, G.A.Z.; Janzen, T.B.; Sammler, D.; Sato, J.R. fNIRS responses in professional violinists while playing duets: Evidence for distinct leader and follower roles at the brain level. Front. Psychol. 2019, 10, 164. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  36. Weston, D. The value of ‘Soft Skills’ in popular music education in nurturing musical livelihoods. Music Educ. Res. 2020, 22, 527–540. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  37. Abramauskienė, J.; Ozarovska, E. Expression of leadership rudiments of preschool children in musical activities, [Ikimokyklinio amžiaus vaikų lyderystės pradmenų raiška muzikinėje veikloje]. Pedagogika 2017, 126, 143–154. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  38. Anderson, K.; Willingham, L. Environment, intention, and intergenerational music making: Facilitating participatory music making in diverse community music contexts. Int. J. Community Music 2020, 13, 173–185. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  39. Barrett, M.S.; Zhukov, K. A common obsession: Children and youth perceptions of learning in an intensive summer choral program. Front. Educ. 2022, 7, 827496. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  40. Clayton, M.; Jakubowski, K.; Eerola, T. Interpersonal entrainment in Indian instrumental music performance: Synchronization and movement coordination relate to tempo, dynamics, and metrical and cadential structure. Music Sci. 2019, 23, 304–331. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  41. Cores-Bilbao, E.; Fernández-Corbacho, A.; Machancoses, F.H.; Fonseca-Mora, M.C. A music-mediated language learning experience: Students’ Awareness of their Social-Emotional Skills. Front. Psychol. 2019, 10, 2238. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  42. Dabby, D.S. The Engineer’s Orchestra: A Conductorless Orchestra for Developing 21st Century Professional Skills. In Proceedings of the Paper Presented at the ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, Online, 26–29 July 2021; Available online: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85124550536&partnerID=40&md5=0e4a6f183c9928bd5268db4034bafdf1 (accessed on 20 January 2023).
  43. Diaz Abrahan, V.; Justel, N.; Shifres, F. Musical improvisation: A mixed methods study of social interactions in young and older adults. Nord. J. Music Ther. 2022, 32, 48–66. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  44. Guerrero, R. Facing the unprecedented: Creative youth development guides organizations to adapt, support, and thrive. Arts Educ. Policy Rev. 2021, 123, 14–21. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  45. Hendry, N.; Lynam, D.S.; Lafarge, C. Singing for wellness: Formulating a Model for Community Group Singing Interventions. Qual. Health Res. 2022, 32, 1399–1414. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  46. Howe, E. Music brings us together: A comparative ethnographic narrative inquiry of a teacher educator and a teacher candidate on the benefits of music education. J. Educ. Teach. 2022, 48, 115–128. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  47. Ko, C. A study on learning satisfaction in keyboarding courses with problem-based learning teaching modality. Front. Psychol. 2022, 13, 884311. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  48. Isabirye, J. Can indigenous music learning processes inform contemporary schooling? Int. J. Music Educ. 2021, 39, 151–166. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  49. Joseph, D.; Southcott, J. Compassionate dictatorship: Directing elderly singers in community choirs in Australia. Qual. Rep. 2020, 25, 1489–1504. [Google Scholar]
  50. Kang, H.J. Amateur orchestra participation and subjective well-being in Korea. Arts Psychother. 2019, 65, 101579. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  51. Kladder, J.R. The nontraditional secondary music performance classroom. In The Student-Centered Music Classroom: Models and Possibilities; Routledge: London, UK, 2019; pp. 141–160. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  52. Lamont, A.; Murray, M.; Hale, R.; Wright-Bevans, K. Singing in later life: The anatomy of a community choir. Psychol. Music 2018, 46, 424–439. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  53. MacGregor, E.H. Participatory performance in the secondary music classroom and the paradox of belonging. Res. Music Educ. 2020, 22, 229–241. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  54. McFerran, K.S.; Crooke, A.H.D.; Bolger, L. Promoting engagement in school through tailored music programs. Int. J. Educ. Arts 2017, 18, 1–28. [Google Scholar]
  55. O’Donoghue, J.; Egan, G.; Moss, H.; Clements-Cortes, A. Participation in group music therapy: A preliminary study of the experiences and perceptions of adolescents who stutter. Arts Psychother. 2021, 75, 101809. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  56. Legendre, F.R.; Varela, G.R. Music and Creativity as Educational Strategies of Sociability, Group Dynamics with Students of Educational Degrees at the Francisco de Vitoria University of Madrid. Music Scholarsh. 2020, 1, 110–121. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  57. Lindblad, K. “No, I guess it’s something sensitive”—Communication patterns in a music listening group with older men. Nord. J. Music Ther. 2021, 30, 424–439. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  58. Sutherland, A.; Cartwright, P.A. Working together: Implications of leadership style in the musical ensemble. Int. J. Music Educ. 2022, 40, 613–627. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  59. Jansson, D. Recontextualizing real-life learning to a university setting. Teach. High. Educ. 2021, 28, 1706–1724. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  60. Price, C. The watchmaker’s screwdriver: Aural competence. In The Routledge Companion to Aural Skills Pedagogy: Before, in, and beyond Higher Education; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2021; pp. 222–269. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  61. Valenzuela, D.G. Pedagogical criteria employed by conductors in adult amateur choirs, [Pedagogical criteria employed by conductors in adult amateur choirs]. Rev. Electrónica LEEME 2021, 48, 115–129. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  62. Sætre, J.H.; Zhukov, K. Let’s play together: Teachers’ perspectives on collaborative chamber music teaching. Music Educ. Res. 2021, 23, 553–567. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  63. Soler-Campo. Women, music and leadership. Rev. Estud. Género Ventana 2020, 51, 111–137. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  64. Jauset-Berrocal, J.A. Music and Neuroscience: Music Therapy. Its Foundations, Effects and Therapeutic Applications; UOC: Barcelona, Spain, 2017. [Google Scholar]
  65. Barbeau, A.K.; Cossette, I. The effects of participating in a community concert band on quality of life and mental and physical health in older adults. Int. J. Community Music 2019, 12, 269–288. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  66. Harvey, A.R. Links between the neurobiology of oxytocin and human musicality. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 2020, 14, 1–19. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  67. Koelsch, S. A coordinate-based meta-analysis of music-evoked emotions. NeuroImage 2020, 223, 117350. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  68. Sá, M.J.; Serpa, S. Transversal competencies: Their importance and the learning processes of higher education students. Cienc. Educ. 2018, 8, 12. [Google Scholar]
Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart of the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart of the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Education 13 01194 g001
Figure 2. Distribution of study participants according to age group.
Figure 2. Distribution of study participants according to age group.
Education 13 01194 g002
Table 1. Categories and subcategories of the analysis.
Table 1. Categories and subcategories of the analysis.
CategoriesSubcategoriesClassification
Bibliometric indicatorsAuthor(s)
Geographical location
Institution
Editorial
Magazine
Methodological aspectsParticipants
Age group
Methodological approach
Soft skills that improve with musicIntervention skillsSocial, methodological and practical
Characteristics of the programsApplication group
Musical specialties
Academic scope of application
Benefits of the programs according to age
Professional, amateur and semi-professional sectors
individual or group instrumental practice, voice; non-performance specialties
formal or non-formal
Table 2. Categorization of competencies for the analysis and list of competencies and authors.
Table 2. Categorization of competencies for the analysis and list of competencies and authors.
Types of CompetenciesCompetencies Defined in the Articles ReviewedAuthors
Social skillsPositive attitude(Batt-Rawden and Stedje, 2020)
Self-efficacy(Ko, 2022; Abeles et al., 2021).
Self-esteem(Isabirye, 2021)
Autonomy(Hendry et al., 2022; Isabirye, 2021; Kladder, 2021).
Self-perception(Barret and Zhúkov, 2022; Ros-Morente et al. 2019).
Perception of well-being(Barret and Zhúkov, 2022; Hendry et al., 2022; Batt-Rawden and Stedje, 2020; Joseph and Southcott, 2020; Lamont et al., 2018; Harrop-Allin, 2017, Mcferran et al., 2017; Guerrero, 2021; Kang, 2019; Lindblad, 2021).
Communication skills(Min, 2022; Hendry et al., 2022; Howe, 2022; Dabby, 2021; Bishop and Goebl, 2020; De Prada Creo et al., 2021).
Commitment(Mcferran et al., 2017; Gustems-Carnicer et al., 2020).
Rely on(O’Donoghue et al., 2021).
Cooperation(Gaunt and Treacy, 2020; Cores-Bilbao et al., 2019; Howe, 2022; Saetre and Zhukov, 2021; Legendre and Varela, 2020).
Creativity(Howe, 2022)
Empathy(Jansson, 2021)
Empowerment(Jansson, 2021)
Expression(O’Donoghue et al., 2021).
Social skills(Saetre and Zhukov, 2021)
Social interaction(Hendry et al., 2022; Valenzuela, 2021; Joseph and Southcott, 2020; MacGregor, 2020; Cores-Bilbao et al., 2019; Clayton et al., 2019; Kladder, 2021).
Social bonding(MacGregor, 2020)
Leadership(Barret and Zhúkov, 2022; Hendry et al., 2022; Valenzuela, 2021; Kelly and Neidorf, 2021; Weston, 2020; Joseph and Southcott, 2020; Jansson et al., 2019; Vanzella et al., 2019; Lamont et al., 2018; Abeles et al., 2021; Harrop-Allin, 2017; Abramauskienė and Ozarovska, 2017; Sutherland and Cartwright, 2022; Howe, 2022; Jansson et al., 2021; Dabby, 2021; Isabirye, 2021; Ros-Morente et al. 2019; Anderson and Willingham, 2020;Oriola-Requena et al., 2021; Saetre and Zhukov, 2021; Legendre and Varela, 2020; Bishop and Goebl, 2020; Jansson, 2021; De Prada Creo et al., 2021; Shorner-Johnson, 2017; Price, 2021; Oriola et al., 2018).
Intrinsic motivation(Ros-Morente et al. 2019)
Aesthetic pleasure(Oriola-Requena et al., 2021)
Interpersonal relationships(Jansson et al., 2019; Lamont et al., 2018; Oriola-Requena et al., 2021).
Social responsibility(Harrop-Allin, 2017; Howe, 2022)
Sense of responsibility(Harrop-Allin, 2017)
Vulnerability(Jansson, 2021)
Methodological competenciesCollaboration(MacGregor, 2020; Bishop and Goebl, 2020).
Check(Jansson, 2021; Gustems-Carnicer et al., 2020).
Flexibility(Kladder, 2021; Gustems-Carnicer et al., 2020).
Cultural competencies(Saetre and Zhukov, 2021)
Teamwork(Ko, 2022; Min, 2022; Treacy and Gaunt, 2021; Gaunt and Treacy, 2020, Howe, 2022; Dabby, 2021; Jansson, 2021; De Prada Creo et al., 2021; Gustems-Carnicer et al., 2020).
Practical skillsDiscipline(Howe, 2022)
Table 3. Benefits of the programs according to age.
Table 3. Benefits of the programs according to age.
Age GroupsBenefits and ImprovementsAuthors
Infants (0–11 years)LeadershipAbramauskienė and Ozarovska (2017).
Youth (12–17 years old)WelfareGuerrero Bar (2021)
Teamwork, communicationDe Prada Creo et al. (2021)
TeamworkGaunt and Treacy (2020)
WelfareKang (2019)
social interactionKladder (2021)
Cooperation, leadershipLegendre and Varela (2020)
Cooperation, leadershipMacGregor (2020)
WelfareMcFerran et al. (2017).
Teamwork, communicationMin (2022)
CommunicationO’Donoghue et al. (2021).
LeadershipOriola et al. (2018).
Aesthetic pleasureOriola-Requena et al., (2021)
Self-perceptionRos-Morente et al. (2019).
Social skillsSaetre and Zhukov (2021)
LeadershipShorner-Johnson (2017).
LeadershipSutherland and Cartwright (2022)
Soft skills in generalWeston (2020)
Adults (18–65 years old)Self-efficacyAbeles et al. (2021)
LeadershipAnderson and Willingham (2020)
Collaboration, leadershipBishop and Goebl (2020)
Leadership, teamworkDabby (2021)
Self-control, teamworkGustems-Carnicer et al. (2020).
LeadershipHarrop-Allin (2017)
Social relations, coordinationClayton et al. (2019).
Cooperation, social actionCores-Bilbao et al. (2019).
LeadershipIsabirye (2021)
Self-control,Jansson (2021)
Social RelationshipsJansson et al. (2019).
LeadershipJansson, et al. (2021).
TeamworkTreacy and Gaunt (2021)
LeadershipKelly and Neidorf (2021)
TeamworkKo (2022)
Leadership, social relationsValenzuela (2021)
LeadershipVanzella et al. (2019).
Seniors (>66)WelfareBatt-Rawden and Stedje (2020)
Wellness, leadershipJoseph and Southcott, (2020)
Social RelationshipsLamont et al. (2018).
WelfareLindblad (2021)
MixedLeadershipBarret and Zhúkov (2022)
LeadershipHendry et al. (2022)
CommunicationDíaz Abrahan et al. (2022)
Creativity, leadershipHowe (2022)
LeadershipPrice (2021)
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Diz-Otero, M.; Pino-Juste, M.; Esteve-Faubel, J.M.; Domínguez-Lloria, S. The Development of Soft Skills through Music in Educational Contexts: A Systematic Review. Educ. Sci. 2023, 13, 1194. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121194

AMA Style

Diz-Otero M, Pino-Juste M, Esteve-Faubel JM, Domínguez-Lloria S. The Development of Soft Skills through Music in Educational Contexts: A Systematic Review. Education Sciences. 2023; 13(12):1194. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121194

Chicago/Turabian Style

Diz-Otero, Mario, Margarita Pino-Juste, Jose María Esteve-Faubel, and Sara Domínguez-Lloria. 2023. "The Development of Soft Skills through Music in Educational Contexts: A Systematic Review" Education Sciences 13, no. 12: 1194. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121194

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop