Can listening to different type of music regulate negative emotions in adolescents?

Abstract

The aim of this study is to find out whether different types of music can regulate negative emotions. 32 adolescents aged 13–19, including 21 males and 11 females, were exposed to different music genres for 2 weeks. Three scales measuring anxiety, depression and happiness were administered at the beginning and the end of the experiment, and the collected data were analyzed with independent samples t-test. The results indicate that listening to soft music helps adolescents reduce anxiety, while listening to rock music increases anxiety levels. However, no significant relationship was found between depression and either type of music listening. Overall, music therapy is an effective intervention when soft music tracks are used.