Using parent singing and music to support infant health
Effects of enriched parent-infant interaction on health in early life
This project uses a brief smartphone-guided program of singing and music to help parents soothe and support the mood and health of infants aged 0 to 4 months.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167721 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you and your baby would be randomly placed into one of four groups, including a smartphone-based music and singing program that encourages parents to use song to soothe infants. The trial plans to enroll about 192 parent-infant pairs with babies starting between birth and 4 months old. Researchers will track how often parents use the music tools, collect short real-time reports of infant mood (ecological momentary assessment), and measure related parent-infant interaction and health outcomes. Participation mainly involves using the smartphone program and providing brief reports during the study period.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are parents or primary caregivers of infants aged 0 to 4 months who can use a smartphone and are willing to try music-based soothing strategies.
Not a fit: Families without reliable smartphone access, infants older than 4 months, or infants with complex medical needs may not benefit from this specific program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer families an easy, low-cost way to soothe infants and support early emotional and physical well-being.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier pilot work found high adherence, low drop-out, and improved infant mood with a smartphone music intervention, but larger randomized trials are still needed.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehr, Samuel a — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Mehr, Samuel a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.