In order to provide an ecologically valid sample data was also gathered which could account for potential effects of other in school and/or extra-curricular activities. This quasi-control data was collected regarding time spent doing physical activities, as well as leisure activities. This data compared with time spent doing musical activities.
The actual activities reported for time spend doing physical activities included: playing in the park, street dance, dance, ballet, swimming, horse riding, football, tennis,
running, cricket, karate, bike riding, scooting, pogo sticking, badminton, boxing, hockey, brownies/beavers, altar serving, drama, gymnastics, tag rugby, and archery. 24 parents reported that their children took part in these activities outside school. In answer to the question ‘How did your child come to take part in these physical activities?’ There were thirteen answers of ‘1=it was their decision and initiative’, ten answers of ‘2=Parental encouragement’, one answer of ‘3=because their friends attended’, and fifteen answers of ‘4=joint decision between parents and child’.
The activities reported for creative activities and hobbies included clubs for and time spent doing Minecraft, gardening, jigsaws, computer/iPad, art, drama, engineering type games such as Meccano, board games and puzzles, textiles, arts and crafts, cookery, chess, cartoons, fencing, boys brigade, and brownies/beavers. Eighteen parents answered that these activities took place in school and 17 parents answered that the activities took place outside school. In answer to the question ‘How did your child come to take part in these creative activities and hobbies?’ there were fourteen answers of ‘1=it was their decision and initiative’, two answers of ‘2=Parental encouragement’, two answers of ‘3=because their friends attended’, and six answers of ‘4=joint decision between parents and child’. On three occasions parents answered with multiples, such as 2, 3 and 4, or indicated that each activity was chosen for a different reason.
In answer to the request for information regarding the types of musical activities the participants undertook each week, aside from practising on their instruments, answers also included choir practice, dancing, ballet, listening to music with and as a family, and singing together, for example:
“Music on at home all the time; radio, opera, musicals (knows all the words) in the car sings along.”
“[Participant] doesn't attend dance lessons, but he loves dancing. And loves to listen to music, and does both daily.”
Thirteen out of the nineteen participants receiving extra curricular musical tuition did so out of school time. In answer to the question ‘How did your child come to take part in these musical activities?’ there were six answers of ‘1=it was their decision and initiative’, four answers of ‘2=Parental encouragement’, one answer of ‘3=because their friends attended’, and six answers of ‘4=joint decision between parents and child’. The other two did not answer this question.
Table 2.16. Total hours of weekly activity participation as reported by parents
Music Group Hours per Week
Physical Activity
Hours per Week Musical Activity
Hours per Week Leisure Activity SSM (n=15) Mean (SD) 5.07 (2.28) 1.53 (1.06) 3.33 (1.54) Median 5.00 1.00 4.00 Minimum 2.00 .00 .00 Maximum 11.00 4.00 6.00 EMT (n=18) Mean (SD) 4.94 (1.63) 3.22 (1.48) 4.06 (1.29) Median 5.00 3.00 4.00 Minimum 2.00 1.00 .00 Maximum 8.00 6.00 6.00
Table 2.17 describes the data for these activities for the SSM and EMT groups. For complete clarity, the minimum, maximum and median amount of hours are also shown. A statistically significant difference between groups was revealed for musical activity t(31) = -3.70, p = .001, but not for Leisure Activity t(29) = -1.43, p = .16 or Physical Activity t(31) = .18, p = .89.
The background information sheet was collected again at Time 2 at the end of the study in order to try to ascertain whether any changes had taken place over the year, or whether the amount of time spent doing activities had changed. The question and answers are provided in table 2.17.
Table 2.17. Qualitative responses from parents at Time 2 Question Please note whether any significant change in
circumstances have taken place during the year
Music Group Number of times question was not answered 9 SSM=8 EMT=1 Number of Answer simply ‘No’ or ‘None’ 16 SSM=6 EMT=10 Number of qualitative answers 13 Verbatim Answers “moving house” SSM X 2 (TWINS)
“Mum has opened a restaurant and so has not been around as much for the children, which she reports participant has found difficult”
SSM
“Extra anxiety, behaviour and psychological issues proving more of a challenge. Confusion/frustration/social
difficulties more apparent with age.”
SSM
“Moved house in March 2014 – parents separated – moved to Dads house first to settle then Mums in May 2014. Parental care 50/50. Very amicable separation.”
“Moving to Australia in summer of 2014 – been planned
and known about for a while.” EMT “A bit of low level bullying experienced” EMT
“Self and partner separating (partner is [Participant's]
Uncle)” EMT
“Participant does say that certain pupils pick on her and
that makes her very upset.” EMT
“Nothing major. Big brother started secondary school. Participant has started going to sleepovers with friends. Has been on family holiday and seen different culture (Africa)”
EMT
“Moved to temporary accommodation whilst renovating
house so no piano, but borrowed a keyboard.” EMT “Moved house in March 2014. Participant seeing ENT
specialist for enlarged adenoids. Speech and communications improving but recently discovered [participant] has double vision (insufficient convergence (close up) – right eye diplopia)”
EMT
Question Please note whether your child has changed the amount or type of activities they do during this year
Number of times question was not answered 10 SSM=8 EMT=2 Number of Answer simply ‘No’ or ‘None’ 12 SSM=5 EMT=7 Number of qualitative answers 16 SSM=6 EMT=10 Verbatim Answers
“Started learning the piano” [doesn't say when] SSM “Really likes drawing and painting” SSM
“More physical activities 2-3 hours daily now. Trampoline in garden really upped this, also cricket and tennis lessons out of school also. More musical activities – learning drums with school now. Less interested in creative work as concentration a challenge and would prefer to be outside playing sport.”
SSM
“Increased outside, started to run as a hobby. Musical activity increased at school – she talks about it more and wants to learn the trumpet [which she did go on to do after
the study ended]. Creative hobbies increased also – art,
sport and friendships”
SSM
“Difficulties with reading, but this has improved greatly. Still does football twice a week outside school. [Participant] has more interest in drawing and writing than before.”
SSM
“Started horse riding and roller disco - no other changes.” SSM
“Not really, we bought a trampoline for the back garden so
they have been playing a lot on that.” EMT “Continuing guitar lesson, plus loom bands and Minecraft
on the iPad” EMT
“No diagnoses. Stopped swimming out of school at the weekend. Has started playing cricket for an out of school club. Started playing piano Oct/Nov.”
EMT
“Diagnoses of ASD, ADHD, Visual Processing Disorder,
dyspraxia. Has been more at home on the tenor horn.” “Participant gets extra help from school with her learning because she is very behind her age levels. She is musically involved with the school. No other changes.”
EMT
“Stopped singing lessons in March 2014” [Participant
continued learning violin and piano]
EMT
“Still struggling with ongoing problem of incontinence and has gone back onto medication after trying without. Has also started attending ensemble once per week (violin) whereas previously just had lessons.”
EMT
“Dropped gymnastics (Easter) and Beavers (pre cub- scouts) but taken up ballet for 1 hour per week since Feb 1/2 term.”
EMT
“Speech difficulties effecting making friends at school. Eyesight problems also effecting school progress. Started Brazilian football for socialisation intervention. Stopped piano as wasn't enjoying lessons but started drums in September. Also started drama in last terms of the year which helps with voice projection and role-paying and he LOVES IT!”
EMT
“Fortnightly riding lessons (30 mins since Feb) and swimming (30 mins Fridays now) and life saving course (1 hour since April). Practising piano more and regular lessons since September 2013. Also into making loom band creations.”
EMT
When asked if participants would be happy to be contacted regarding future studies, only one parent declined. Nine parents did not answer (SSM=7, EMT=2). 28 parents indicated their permission to contact them for future studies of this nature (SSM=11, EMT=17).