Predictors of Elementary Students' Intentions to Continue in Music when Entering Middle or Junior High School

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine those variables that best predict a student’s intention to continue in a music class when entering middle or junior high school. This study utilized the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a framework to aide in examining student behavioral intentions regarding school music participation. The original TPB constructs of (a) attitude, (b) subjective norms, and (c) perceived behavioral control were utilized as independent variables. Additionally, two constructs related to parental involvement (parental attitudes towards music study and parental expectations for music study) and the variable of peer influence were included as additional independent variables. The participants in this study (N = 278) were students from six schools located in south Louisiana. All participants were enrolled in compulsory elementary general music classes during their final year of elementary school. Statistically significant correlations were found between all examined variables (p < .01), with the highest correlation being between the TPB construct of attitude and intention. A simultaneous multiple regression analysis revealed that all independent variables accounted for 68.1% of the variance in the dependent variable of intention. The overall multiple regression was statistically significant, R2 = .681, F(6, 271) = 96.52, p < .001. Further examination of the regression results revealed that three variables were statistically significant predictors of intention: TPB-attitude (p < .001), TPB-subjective norm (p < .001), and parental attitudes towards music study (p = .001). An analysis of the written responses to the open-ended statement that asked students to indicate possible reasons other students might not choose to continue in school music revealed that the highest cited category was attitude towards school music.