How Listening Develops and Affects Well-being Throughout Childhood

This review study was a first attempt to map the existing theoretical and empirical literature about a possible core capacity for well-being: listening. The main research question was: drawing from a multidisciplinary evidence base, what is the empirical and theoretical knowledge of children’s listening and how does it interact with overall well-being throughout childhood? Moreover, the review of the literature will contribute to the understanding of listening as a core capacity for well-being within the Learning for Well-Being framework. The review included systematic searches in four electronic databases and a selection of studies based on pre-set criteria. It focuses on the development of listening throughout childhood, listening in formal and informal learning, listening in family and community settings, and possible links between listening and well-being. Relevant empirical studies were identified that further explain the development of listening comprehension throughout childhood. Relevant streams of literature identified included listening to music and positive effects on child well-being, children’s extensive listening in schools, and the effects of undesirable listening environments. Overall, in combination with the mapping papers on the eight other core capacities, this paper can contribute to the understanding of core capacities possibly benefiting child well-being.