Tune into this AMTA-Pro podcast to learn of the research of our music therapy colleague Shannon de l’Etoile related to infant-directed singing and infant self-regulation. In this conversation, recorded at the AMTA conference in November, 2013, Dr. de l’Etoile talks about the universal nature of mothers singing to their infants and the resulting benefits of maintaining attention and leading the infant to a comfortable state of arousal. She discusses her clinical work in this area and the series of studies that led her to focus on the impact of infant-directed singing when either the mother or the infant is at risk and not responding to the interaction, research that has far-reaching implications for music therapy. Shannon also takes time during this podcast to overview the outstanding music therapy program at University of Miami Frost School of Music.

[display_podcast]

Infant-Directed Singing and Infant Self-Regulation

AMTA-Pro Podcast

— + —

Shannon de l’Etoile, Ph.D., is Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Music Therapy at the University of Miami Frost School of Music.  Dr. de l’Etoile is a board-certified music therapist and current member of both the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), and the Southeastern Region of the AMTA. She is recognized as a Fellow of the Robert F. Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy, serves on the editorial review board for the Journal of Music Therapy and has previously served on the editorial review board for Music Therapy Perspectives. Widely published, she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music therapy from Colorado State University, and received her doctorate in music education with an emphasis on music therapy from the University of Kansas.  Dr. de l’Etoile joined the Frost School of Music faculty in fall 2001 and previously taught music therapy at the University of Iowa and at Colorado State University.  She was also a research associate for the internationally-recognized Center for Biomedical Research in Music in Fort Collins, Colorado where she contributed to projects centering on neurorehabilitation.  Her clinical background includes working with adults with mental illness, children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders, adults and children with developmental disabilities, and adults and children with neurologic disorders.  Dr. de l’Etoile’s primary research focuses on infant response to music, specifically maternal and infant behavior during infant-directed singing.  She is also conducting research on infant response to auditory rhythm, as funded by the GRAMMY Foundation® of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).

RESOURCES: Below please find a list of Dr. de l’Etoile’s publications and projects most relevant to this podcast.

de l’Etoile, S. K. (2014).  Responses to infant-directed singing in infants with
Down syndrome. Manuscript submitted for publication.

de l’Etoile, S. K.  (2012).  Responses to infant-directed singing in infants of
mothers with depressive symptoms. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 39, 353-366.

del’Etoile, S. K. & Leider, C. N. (2011).  Acoustic parameters of infant-directed
singing in mothers with depressive symptoms. Infant Behavior and
Development, 34, 248–256.

de l’Etoile, S. K.  (2006).  Infant behavioral responses to infant-directed singing
and other maternal interactions. Infant Behavior and Development, 29,
456-470.

de l’Etoile, S. K. (2006).  Infant-directed singing:  A theory for clinical intervention.
Music Therapy Perspectives, 24(1), 22-29.

de l’Etoile, S. K. (2001).  An inservice training program in music for child care
personnel working with infants and toddlers. Journal of Research in Music
Education, 49, 6-20.

de l’Etoile, S.K.  (2011).  [Commentary on Mother-infant musical interaction and
emotional communication: A literature review]. Australian Journal of Music
Therapy, 22, 56-58.

de l’Etoile, S.K.  (Fall 2008).  Teaching the youngest learners:  Musical
experiences for infants. General Music Today, 22(1), 35-37.