HARMONIZING GROWTH: EXPLORING MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLIN ADOLESCENT EDUCATION
Keywords:
psychosocial skills, adolescents, music education in Latvia, musical developmentAbstract
Psychosocial skills – often referred to as psychosocial competence, soft skills, or non-cognitive strengths – are particularly crucial during adolescence, a period characterized by substantial changes across neurobiological, physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional domains. Adolescence represents a pivotal phase of life during which the capacities for achieving full human potential are most profoundly developed. Given that psychosocial skills are malleable and continue to develop throughout life, it is important to prioritize their cultivation – especially during adolescence. Consistent support from key individuals, particularly during the school years, plays a vital role in strengthening adolescents’ psychosocial competence.
This article emphasizes the need for research on the role of psychosocial skills in education, an area that remains unexplored in Latvia. Latvia’s unique music education system not only nurtures young musical talent but also reinforces national identity. Given this, it is essential to investigate adolescent musical development through psychosocial dimensions. The diversity of music education opportunities in Latvia provides a valuable context for both theoretical and, more importantly, empirical research, whose evidence-based findings could be implemented in educational practice through collaboration among all stakeholders. Accordingly, this article aims to provide an overview of the construct of psychosocial skills in adolescence and to examine the Latvian music education system as a context for research. Furthermore, it argues for the integration of psychosocial skill development into music education.
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