When Did You Stop Singing?: Elementary Boys' Attitudes and Self-Efficacy Toward the Act of Singing

Authors

Eric D. Wyler, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Dr. Rhonda Fuelberth

Date of this Version

8-2021

Comments

A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Music, Major: Music, Under the Supervision of Professor Rhonda Fuelberth. Lincoln, Nebraska: August, 2021

Copyright © 2021 Eric Wyler

Abstract

The “missing males” epidemic is one which has baffled music educators and researchers for decades. Many research studies have been conducted to explore why boys choose to not be involved in choral ensembles at their middle and high schools. These studies list numerous retention/recruitment strategies; however, the problem remains. Many boys decide before they reach middle school whether they like to sing. The purposes of this study are to examine elementary age boys’ attitudes toward singing and determine at what grade level, if any, there is a significant difference in boys’ attitudes, to search for a relationship between boys’ attitudes and self-efficacy toward the act of singing, and to try to pinpoint reasons and factors contributing to boys’ declining interest in singing at a young age.

Advisor: Rhonda Fuelberth