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September 10, 2025Open Access

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

YCYumeng CaiWeifang Medical University DKDan KangHunan Normal University XXXiwu XuHunan Normal University

Key Points

Musical training significantly enhances children's executive function, with a notable effect size of g = 0.350.
Longer duration of musical training correlates with greater improvements in executive function, emphasizing duration's role.
The meta-analysis synthesized data from 46 studies, totaling 3,530 participants, enhancing the findings' reliability.
Findings suggest that musical training is particularly effective in collectivist countries, indicating cultural influences.

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.

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