@misc{10481/112483,
year = {2026},
month = {3},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/112483},
abstract = {Attention and vigilance are fundamental cognitive abilities
that develop throughout childhood and adolescence and
have been associated with cognitively demanding activities
such as formal musical training. This cross-­ sectional study
examined whether individuals engaged in long-­ term musical
training show superior attention and vigilance compared
with matched controls without such training. Participants
(N
=
268; ages 8–34 years) were drawn from two samples
of children, adolescents and adults, with musicians and
nonmusicians matched on a wide array of demographic
and lifestyle variables using multivariate propensity-­ score
matching. Attentional performance was assessed using the
ANTI-­ Vea, a validated computerized task that measures two
components of vigilance – executive and arousal vigilance.
Moreover, we applied advanced behavioural modelling given
their sensitivity to the complex developmental trajectories in
vigilance. For many indices, musically trained participants
outperformed nonmusicians at all ages, with overall faster
responses, fewer attentional lapses, detecting more vigilance
targets and lower variability in arousal vigilance trials.
Other group differences became more pronounced with
age, indicating a possible dosage effect. Crucially, these
findings remained after extensive control for confounders.
Although the advantages associated with musical training
were modest and the correlational study design, they are
consistent with the hypothesis that music practice may
foster domain-­ general cognitive skills.},
organization = {European Union's Horizon 2020 & Marie Skłodowska-­ Curie (Nº 101149355)},
organization = {University of Granada (P22-­ 2022)},
organization = {Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020-­ 114790GB-­ I00 and PID2023-148421NB-­ I00)},
organization = {Junta de Andalucía (PY20_00693)},
organization = {University of Granada/CBUA},
publisher = {Wiley},
keywords = {Adolescence},
keywords = {Behavioural modelling},
keywords = {Childhood},
title = {Attention and vigilance advantages related to formal musical training across childhood, adolescence and young adulthood},
doi = {10.1111/bjop.70068},
author = {Román Caballero, Rafael and Trujillo Patón, Laura and Martín-Sánchez, Paulina del Carmen and Martín-Arévalo, Elisa and Lupiáñez Castillo, Juan},
}