Language development in infants involved in a protocol of musical experiences focusing on elements of prosody
Prosody refers to the rhythm, intonation, and accentuation of spoken language. Studies in different fields of knowledge provide evidence that prosody plays an important role in the development of language skills and that musical elements such as pitch, duration, and stress, among others, are directly related to the adequate speech perception and emission. This study aims to verify the effects of a musical intervention protocol, focused on prosodic elements, on language acquisition and development. Twenty-two infants aged 12 to 20 months (M=14,95; SD=2,19) participated in this study. Over seven weeks, 14 musical interventions (two per week, 30 minutes each) were performed. Data collection was carried out before and after the intervention period using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III and two eye-tracking paradigms developed for this study. The Bayley Scales were used to analyze infants’ performances on language, cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional domains. Joint attention and prosodic perception were analyzed through the eye-tracking protocols.