Parent involvement in instrumental music: A parent's perspective

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to identify the elements of Epstein’s (1995) and Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s (2005) frameworks for parent involvement that were significant to instrumental music education and to explain that significance. Ample qualitative descriptions and an undersized survey sample shifted the methodology to a qualitative, phenomenological study using the seven-step modified van Kaam method (Moustakas, 1994). Data analysis indicated six main themes emerged: parental musical knowledge, suggestions for school-based activities or music program improvements, parent contributions to the program, child motivation, parental involvement with or impact on children, and parent-teacher communication. Based on these themes, parent involvement in instrumental music education relates more to Epstein’s framework, though some elements of Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler’s framework were noteworthy