Music lessons to boost kid's academic achievements 'waste of money'

Making a child learn a musical instrument to enhance their academic achievement is a waste of money, a psychologist has claimed.

Although research has shown that children, who take music lessons, are more likely to be top of their class, Professor Glenn Schellenberg of the University of Toronto said this link is misleading.

He told the Daily Mail that parents' education was the most influential factor on musicality.

Schellenberg asserted that kids who take music lessons, come from families with higher incomes, their parents are well educated, they also do more extra-curricular activities, have higher IQs, and perform better at school.

In tests on 167 children who played piano or other musical instruments, the researchers found that their answer to personality tests could predict how likely it was for them to continue their music lessons.

Children who were more outgoing and conscientious were more likely to continue play instruments.

Although the children who took music lessons did better at school, when the researchers adjusted the results to take into account their social background, there was no link to increased intelligence.

Instead, the research suggested that upbringing and background played a major role in the increased intelligence.

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