Beat Synchronisation, Rhythmic Movement, and Development: A Brief Personal History and Future Research Agenda / Sincronización del ritmo, movimiento rítmico y desarrollo: breve reseña personal y agenda de investigación futura

This Prospectives article traces an interdisciplinary research trajectory at the intersection of music, movement, and child development to argue that beat synchronisation is an underutilised but promising construct for advancing developmental science and addressing inequities. Drawing on personal and professional experiences spanning music therapy, developmental psychology, and intervention research, I reflect on the development and evaluation of the Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) programme as an example of translating science to practice. I then outline a future research agenda with four priorities: (1) developing reliable and scalable measures of beat synchronisation in early childhood; (2) establishing developmental norms; (3) investigating beat synchronisation as a potential transdiagnostic neurodevelopmental marker; and (4) clarifying mechanisms within rhythm- and movement-based interventions. Collectively, this agenda highlights opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration which will yield valuable and exciting outcomes over time.