Infant Directed Singing: An Intervention for At-Risk Mothers and Infants
Thursday, November 17, 2022
10:30am-11:30am (EST)
Virtual Zoom Webinar
Registration is Free
1 CEU Hour Available*
Infant-directed (ID) singing is a universal caregiving behavior through which mothers modify both musical and vocal qualities to modify or match infant state. Through this dynamic interaction, mothers demonstrate sensitivity toward infant cues and infants gain critical experience in self-regulation as needed for emotional competence across the life span. When mothers or infants face certain risk factors, such as post-partum depression or infant disability, ID singing may be altered or absent, thus compromising opportunities for infant self-regulation. Through a coaching intervention, mothers may learn how to better use ID singing to promote their infant’s development.
Featured Presenter:
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. She is a board-certified music therapist, member of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), and recognized as a Fellow of the Robert F. Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy. Additionally, she currently serves on the editorial review board for the Journal of Music Therapy.
Her research explores infant response to music, including responses to maternal singing in typical populations, as well as with mothers experiencing post-partum depression and in infants with Down syndrome. Dean de l’Etoile has further received funding from the GRAMMY© Foundation to determine how infants move in response to auditory rhythm. More recently, she received additional GRAMMY© support to explore the impact of an infant-directed singing intervention for mothers and their infants with prenatal drug exposure.
*Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies of Palm Beach County is approved through the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, Florida Board of Psychology, and Florida Board of Nursing- CE Provider Number #50-28664.