AUTHOR=Cai Yumeng , Kang Dan , Xu Xiwu 

TITLE=Boosting executive function in children aged 3–12 through musical training: a three-level meta-analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1659927

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1659927

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=For an extended period, musical training has been recognized as a key enhancer of children’s development, particularly affecting executive functions. This three-level meta-analysis examines the influence of musical training on executive functions in children aged 3–12 and identifies key moderating factors. The study analyzed 46 original research articles, encompassing 192 effect sizes from a total of 3,530 participants. The results demonstrate that musical training significantly enhances children’s executive function [g = 0.350, p < 0.001, 95% CI (0.247–0.453)]. The longer the duration and cycle, the greater the impact of musical training on children’s executive function. In collectivist countries, musical training is more effective. Among the sub-dimensions of executive function, inhibitory control showed the most significant improvement due to musical training. The discussion explores the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.