I am the director of the Wollongong Mental Health Association, an organization which deals with improving and maintaining the psychological health of the members of the community. I am writing to inform you that we are commissioning a research on the impacts of music on the psychological health of students and we wish to employ your organization to conduct the study and write a report thereafter.
We have read recent reports in the newspapers that many students currently rely on music to relieve them of their stressors both in school and at home, thereby reducing the chances of development of mental disorders. We are, therefore, attempting a study on the impacts of music on the mental state of the students to understand how the students perceive music with regards to psychological development and maintenance.
Yours sincerely,
Paula Davies,
Director, Wollongong Mental Association.
MPW Letter of Acceptance
Rai Bev,
Associate Editor,
Professional Writers,
2500, Bessel Avenue, Australia.
Paula Davies,
Managing Director,
Wollongong Mental Health Association,
Allan Street 2500,
Wollongong, Australia.
15th September 2018.
Dear Mrs. Davies,
I am writing to inform you that we have accepted the commission. I am the associate editor from Professional Writers and we wish to inform you that the study will be conducted efficiently. The data for the study will be collected using the online questionnaires administered to 31 international students in the University of Wollongong.
The report will be ready by 2nd
January 2018 and will be sent to your organization via email. We hope that the report will be useful for your organization’s subsequent works on music therapy and the state of the mind.
Yours sincerely,
Rai Bev,
Associate Editor, Professional Writers.
Executive Summary
This report assesse the impacts of music and the mental health of students. The study was conducted by MPW and involved the participation of international students from the University of Wollongong in Australia. The study established that music is important in the attainment and maintenance of mental stability among students. The main areas of focus of this report include:
The effect of music on the mental state of students with mental disorders
How music affects the moods and feelings of students
The functions of music to individuals and,
The role of music in creation of self-awareness.
The report analyzes the data collected in these areas and proposes the application of music therapy in Australian universities to promote mental well-being of students and improve their academic performances.
Contents
Executive Summary. 5
Acknowledgement 7
List of Figures. 8
Introduction. 9
Research Outline. 9
Background. 9
Study Participants. 10
Timeline. 10
Literature Review.. 11
Music and the Psychological Health of Students. 11
Methodology. 13
Data Sample and Analysis. 14
Demographic characteristics of participants. 14
Types and Importance of Music. 15
Music and the mental state of the students. 18
Functions of music to individuals. 21
Conclusion. 23
Findings. 23
Discussion. 23
Limitations of the study. 24
Recommendations. 25
References. 26
Appendix A: Explanatory Statement 28
Appendix B: Survey Questions. 31
Acknowledgement
We wish to thank the leadership of the Wollongong Mental Health Association for trusting MPW with this research. We also appreciate Wollongong Mental Health Association for their efforts in improving the metal health of university students, and for undertaking a study to provide a deeper understanding of how to manage psychological issues in this cohort.
List of Figures
Fig 1. Favorite music genre……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….13
Fig 2: Frequency of listening to music………………………………………………………………………………………………..14
Fig 3: Daily frequencies of listening to music……………………………………………………………………………………..14
Fig 4: Importance of music…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15
Fig 5: Relationship between music and mental health……………………………………………………………………..16
Fig 6: Music and mood……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17
Fig 7: Music and mental stability…………………………………………………………………………………………………………18
Fig 8: Music and the feelings of students…………………………………………………………………………………………..18
Fig 9: Functions of music to individuals……………………………………………………………………………………………..19
Fig 10: Music and self-awareness…………………………………………………………………………………………………………19
Fig 11: Music and bad experience/ memories……………………………………………………………………………………..20
Fig 12: Music and negative behavior…………………………………………………………………………………………………….21
Introduction
Research Outline
This project deals with the effects of music on the mental state of students. The study is based on data collected from university students using the online survey method.
Background
There has been an increasing interest in the therapeutic potential of music in the past few years. Music has been used in hospitals to soothe patients and among individuals who are stressed to provide relief. Music therapy involves the use of music and all its facets in the improvement, restoration and maintenance of health and the well-being of individuals (Aloisio, Tang and Pasonen 2014). In many hospitals, music is currently used to handle the mental conditions of the patients, eventually improving their mental health. It serves as an important therapy in mental health since it provokes the working of the psych of individuals.
Unlike the other treatment methods used for the patients with psychological problems, music acts as a symbol which describes life, expresses, embodies and expresses life. It provides the creators, listeners and individuals who experience it a different way. Music allows people to find and express themselves. Moreover, it enables individuals to think, interact freely and communicate effectively with others. Furthermore, music has direct connection with the personalities of individuals due to its ability to affect both the conscious and the unconscious components of the self simultaneously. Through music, individuals are capable of communicating efficiently with others without the hindrances if the preconscious, unconscious and the physical environment.
Recently, music has been introduced in colleges and universities to enable students to deal with different stressors in the school environment. According to Moasheri, Sharifzadeh, Nahardan and Soofi (2016) students form an important part of the future of any nation and a considerable portion of the young adults. Due to the increase in the numbers of students joining the institutions of higher learning, there is an increase in the numbers of these institutions. Students are, therefore, faced with difficult situations that adversely affect their mental states such as the pressures and burdens related to their academic performances, alienation from their families, the lack of interest in the fields of study, the changes in cultural environment especially for the international students and the inadequacy or lack of recreational facilities. These situations interfere with the psychological state of the students and can either cause or increase the severity of mental disorders among the students. Music, therefore, helps in ensuring that the learning environment is conducive for the students. This research investigates the effects of music on the mental state of international students in Wollongong University.
Study Participants
The participants of this study will be 31 students from the University of Wollongong in Australia. Data will be gathered from the students through the use of structured online questionnaire designed by the researcher. 20 students will be selected randomly to participate in a pilot study to investigate whether the questions are workable. The data collected will be analyzed by excel and presented in graphs. The results of this study will be handed to the university management to help in ensuring that students do not develop mental disorders due to the pressure in the school and at home.
Timeline
The project began on the 1st of October 2018 with the preparation of the survey material and the selection of the participants of the study. Data collection for the study began on October 7th and took two weeks. Analysis of the data collected from the study took place in November. The results will be published on the 15th of December and the report will be finished on 1st
January 2018.
Literature Review
Music and the Psychological Health of Students
The impacts of music on the psychological health of students cannot be underestimated. Different studies show that students in different parts of the world listen to different types of music and that music is important in the everyday lives of learners. According to a study by Lonsdale and North (2011), it was established that students mainly rely on music to alleviate negative feelings and to enhance their moods. The study, which involved 300 students, revealed that the learners spent an average of 3.66 hours in a day listening to music. However, the investigation failed to establish whether there are any negative effects on the psychology of the students associated with listening to music.
Apart from alleviating the negative feelings of the students, music also helps in reducing cases of depression and poor mental state among students (Hedge 2017). According to Montanchez et al (2016), depression scores are lower, and the mental health improvement scores are higher among students who listen to music regularly than those who don’t. In a study involving 80 student participants, Wang, Wang and Zhang (2011) placed 40 students in the experiment and 40 in the control group to investigate the effects of music on depression. It was established that there was a reduction in the depression scores and an improvement in the mental health status of the students in the experimental group. However, there were no changes in the control group. Overall, it was established that music therapy reduces depression and improves the mental state of students.
Thirdly, music has been identified to have a positive effect on the mood of college students. A study conducted by Knoblauch and Zillman (2002) revealed that music therapy is important in mood management among the students. The authors manipulated the moods of 116 undergraduate students and recorded the subsequent choices of music among them. Computer generated tests were used to categorize the participants of the study into good, neutral and bad moods. The participants were then given ten minutes to listen to music and their moods evaluated afterwards. The study established that music helps in improving the moods of individuals. In another study involving the use of music in mood management among students, Bogt et al (2017) also revealed that music is a source of consolation to the young people especially when dealing with daily sorrows and stresses. Music has been identified as an important mood regulator among young people and a promoter of mental health (Thomson, Reece and Di Benedetto 2014; Swaminathan and Schellenberg 2015).
Music has also been associated with sleep quality among students, hence improvements in their psychological well-being. In a study conducted in Hungary, Harmart et al (2008) established that music therapy was important in promoting good quality sleep among the students. The study, which was conducted in the University of Hungary was a randomized control study of 94 students divided into three groups. Each of the groups received different treatments such as listening to classical relaxing music, listening to an audio book or no intervention for 45 minutes. It was established that listening to music resulted in better sleep quality, longer duration of sleep and shorter sleep latency. The results of this study echo the findings of Pan (2017) and Brown, Qin and Esmail (2017).
Methodology
Both primary and secondary data were used in the preparation of this report. Primary data on the effects of music on the mental state of the students was collected from the selected sample of 31 international students who took part in the study. 54.8% of the respondents were female while 45.2% were males. All of the study participants were in the age group 18-24. The data collected was supplemented with data from secondary sources such as google scholar and other databases to provide detailed information about the study topic.
The questionnaire was used in the collection of data from the study sample. The surveys were completed online via survey monkey while maintaining the anonymity of the participants. The questionnaire method was selected for this study for various reasons. First, it allows the collection of data from many people within a short time, thereby saving on time and resources. Secondly, the questionnaire method results in the collection of standardized information, and it is cheaper than the other data collection methods. A major threat with the use of this tool, however, is the likelihood of dishonesty of the respondents.
The research also adhered to a range of ethical concerns. First, the respondents were provided with consent forms that allowed them to participate in the study. The participants were also allowed to withdraw from the study whenever they felt appropriate and the confidentiality of the data collected maintained.
Data Sample and Analysis
Types and Importance of Music
Fig 1. Favorite music genre
The students were allowed to choose their favorite music categories. 45.2% (14) of them selected pop music, 9.7% (3) of them selected rap, R&B and heavy metal each. 22.6% (7) of the students chose indie or alternative music while the remaining 3.1% (1) chose rock music. Overall, it was established that many of the students loved listening to pop music.
Fig 2: Frequency of listening to music
The research also sought to establish how often the selected students listened to music. Out of the 31 study participants, 77.4% (24) participants reported that they listened to music as often as possible, 16.1% (5%) of the respondents reported that they listened to music once a day while 6.5% (2) of them stated that they seldom listened to music.
Fig 3: Daily frequencies of listening to music
To further understand the frequency with which the students listened to music, the research investigated how often in a day the students listened to music. 48.4% (15) of the participants reported that they took less than two hours in a day listening to music, 38.7% (12) of the respondents reported listening to music for 3-5 hours in a day while 12.9 (4) respondents stated that they listened to music for more than 5 hours in a day. Overall, it was established that the students spent some of their time in listening to different types of music depending on their tastes.
Fig 4: Importance of music
Furthermore, the research investigated the importance of music to the students by asking them to rate it. Out of the 31 study respondents, 38.7% (12) reported that music was very important to them, 41.9% (13) rated music as important, and 16.1% (5) rated music as not very important while 3.3% (1) reported that music was not important to them at all. Overall, the study established that music was important to the students.
Music and the mental state of the students
Fig 5: Relationship between music and mental health
To understand the impact of music on the mental state of the students, the study sought a number of answers from the respondents. First. The students were asked to clarify whether their mental health and well-being was impacted by their music taste or vice-versa. 25.8% (8) stated that music taste affected mental health and well-being, 38.7% (12) reported that music taste was impacted by the mental health and well-being of individuals, 19.4% (6) stated that mental health and music impacted one another while 16.1% (5) reported that none of the above situations applied to them. Overall, the study established that there was a positive relationship between music and the mental state of individuals.
Fig 6: Music and mood
The study also sought to investigate the impacts of music on the mood of the students. 45.2% of the students stated that they listened to music depending on their moods, 6.4% stated that they did not listen to music depending on their moods, 48.4% reported that sometimes they listened to music depending on their moods.
Fig 7: Music and mental stability
Also, 48.4% of the students reported that they sought music when mentally unstable, 38.7% reported that they did not really seek music when mentally unstable while 12.9% did not seek music as the first therapy in cases of mental instability.
Fig 8: Music and the feelings of students.
Furthermore, the students were asked to rate how music helped in modifying their moods. 22.6% (7) strongly agreed, 45.2% (14) agreed that music modifies their moods, 19.4% (6) were neutral, and 9.7% (3) strongly disagreed while 3.2% (1) disagreed. The study, therefore, established that music was an important tool in mood modification for the students.
Functions of music to individuals
Fig 9: Functions of music to individuals
The functions of music in the lives of individuals was also investigated in this study. 45.2% of the students stated that music helped them to cope with hard times, 48.4% reported that it gave them strength in hard times, 9.7% found a sense of belonging in music, while 35.5% reported expressing themselves better through music.
Fig 10: Music and self-awareness
The functions of music in the lives of individuals was also investigated in this study. 45.2% of the students stated that music helped them to cope with hard times, 48.4% reported that it gave them strength in hard times, 9.7% found a sense of belonging in music, while 35.5% reported expressing themselves better through music. The study also established that music helps in the creation of self-awareness among students. 70.9% of the students who responded to the survey stated that music helped them in the formation of self-identity, hence the creation of self-awareness.
Negative Effects of Music
Fig 11: Music and bad memories or experiences
To understand the negative impacts of music, the researcher investigated whether music evoked bad memories or experience. 51.6% of the students interviewed in the study reported that music evoked bad memories and experiences, 32.3% were neutral while 16.1% of the respondents disagreed with this statement. Overall, it was established that apart from the positive effects of music, it had negative effects on some of the students such as reminding them of their past.
Fig 12: Music and negative behavior in individuals
To further investigate the negative impacts on music on the students, the researcher sought to determine whether music was associated with negative behavior among individuals. 80.7% of the students reported that it was very unlikely for music to cause negative behavior in individuals. 19.3% of the respondents, however, reported that music had negative effects on the behavior of individuals.
Conclusion
Findings
This study established that music is vital in the psychological well-being of the university students. First, the study established that music helps in the alleviation of the negative feelings, enhancing the moods of the students and reducing their stress levels. Secondly, the research revealed that music therapy is important in ensuring that students with mental disorders are capable of achieving and maintaining the correct state of the mind. Thirdly, the study found out that music promotes self-awareness and performs various functions in individuals including improved communication, source of relief, source of security and escapism from harsh reality. Overall, the study proved that music promotes the psychological well-being of students.
Discussion
Data collected from the survey reveals that music is important in ensuring that students have the correct state of mind, enabling them to concentrate in their studies. During the study, majority (67.8) of the students reported that music helped them in modifying their moods, thereby helping them to maintain the right state of mind for them to concentrate in their studies. Students reported that they listened to music according to their moods, and this helped them to feel better. This finding coincides with the work of Thomson, Reece and Di Benedetto (2014) who state that music is an important mood regulator. The finding also echoes the work of Bogt et al (2017), who perceive music as a source of consolation to individuals especially when dealing with stress.
Apart from the issues related to their moods and feelings which affect their mental states, students also battle problems related to self-awareness and self-esteem. In many cases, students who have low self-awareness have self-esteem issues which eventually affect their psychological health and well-being. This study has established that music helps students in developing self-awareness. By listening to music genres that they can relate to, the students become more aware of themselves and are more capable of engaging themselves in learning, hence better academic performances. This finding corresponds to the work of Navarro (2015) who states that music helps in increasing awareness of the students and reducing their dependence on others.
Moreover, music also performs a range of functions in individuals, improving their psychological well-being in the process. During this study, students reported that music helped them in escaping from harsh reality, allowed them to express themselves better, provided them with a sense of belonging, gave them security, and gave them the strength to sail through tough times. This finding echoes the work of Lonsdale and North (2011) who state that people listen to music often to alleviate negative feelings and to perform other functions such as communication and reducing stress levels.
From this study, it is clear that the place of music in the lives of students cannot be underestimated. Many of the respondents stated that they sought music as the first option when faced with difficult situations that alter the stability of their minds. This finding echoes the work of Aloisio, Tang and Pasonen (2014) who state that music therapy is essential in helping individuals who are depressed or those with anxiety disorders to stay calm despite the difficult situations they may be going through. Overall, music has positive effects on the state of mind of students.
Apart from the positive effects of music, this study also established that music had a range of negative consequences on the students. For instance, it was discovered that music evokes some of the worst memories and experiences of individuals, impacting negatively on their psychological well-being. Such negative impacts of music on individuals should also be considered when investigating the impacts of music on the psychological well-being of students.
Limitations of the study
The study on the impacts of music on the psychological well-being of students had a range of limitations. First, the study sample selected was too small, making generalizability of the study results difficult. Secondly, some of the students were unwilling to provide correct responses on their mental conditions, thus jeopardizing the quality of the study. Time was also a constraint in this study as there was no enough time to interview experts and compare their responses with those of the students for more detailed information.
Recommendations
This study recommends the application of music therapy in colleges and universities in Australia to enable students improve and maintain the correct state of the mind. This way, the schools will be capable of ensuring better academic performances of the students. Overall, music promotes the psychological well-being of students and should be encouraged in institutions of higher learning.
References
Aloisio, L, Tang, K and Pasonen, R, 2014, How Music Affects People, Turku University of Applied Sciences.
Bogt, TMF, Vieno, A, Doonwaard, SM, Pastore, M and Van den Eijnden, RJJM, “You’re not alone”: Music as a source of consolation among adolescents and young adults, Psychology of Music, pp. 1-17.
Brown, CA, Qin P and Esmail, S, 2017, “Sleep? Maybe Later. ” A Cross-Campus Survey of University Students and Sleep Practices, Education Sciences, 7 (66), pp. 1-15.
Hedge, S, 2017, Music therapy for mental disorder and mental health: the untapped potential of Indian classical music, The British Journal of Psychiatry International, 14(2), pp. 31-33.
Knobloch, S, and Dolf, Z, 2002, “Mood Management via the Digital Jukebox.” Journal of Communication, 52 (2), pp. 351-366.
Lonsdale, A, and North, A, 2011, Why do we listen to music? A uses and gratifications analyses, British Journal of Psychology, 102, pp. 108-134.
Moasheri, BN, Sharifzadeh, G, Nahardan, M and Soofi, K, 2016, The Effects of Music Therapy on Depression Among Students, Modern Care Journal, 13(1), pp. 1-5.
Montanchez, TML, Juarez, RV, Martinez, SPC, Alonso, GS, and Torres, MM, 2016, Benefits of Using Music Therapy in Mental Disorders, Journal of Biomusical Engineering, 4(2), pp. 1-5.
Navarro, S, 2015, Music and Self-Awareness, A relationship or not? Behavioral Sciences Undergraduate Journal, 2(1), pp. 24-35.
Pan, B, 2017, The Use of Music Therapy/Music to Address Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Literature Review, Concordia University.
Swaminathan, S and Schellenberg, E.G, 2015, Current Emotion Research in Music Psychology, Emotion Review, 7 (2), pp. 189-197.
Thompson, CJ, Reece, JE and Di Benedetto, M, 2014, The relationship between music-related mood regulation and psychopathology in young people, SAGE Journals.
Wang, J, Wang, H and Zhang, D, 2011, Impact of group music therapy on the depression mood of college students, Available from;
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272675044_Impact_of_group_music_therapy_on_the_depression_mood_of_college_students. Accessed 12th December 2018.
Appendix A: Explanatory Statement
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Project: The Effects of Music on Mental Health of Students
Chief Investigator’s Name: Rai Bev
Company: Professional Writers
Phone: 04248553838
E-mail: [email protected]
You are invited to take part in this study. Please read this Explanatory Statement in full before deciding whether or not to participate in this research. If you would like further information regarding any aspect of this project, you are encouraged to contact the researchers via the phone numbers or email addresses listed above.
What does the research involve?
The aim of this study is to investigate whether the use of music in students’ daily lives has an effect on their mental health and well-being. This will examine the ways in which music is used, attitudes towards music, use of music, and how music helps or has a role in terms of the mental stability of students.
The study includes the completion of a survey in which you will be asked a number of questions that involves your music listening habits, music taste, views on music and your state of mental health. The survey will take about 8 to 15 minutes of your time.
Why were you chosen for this research?
You have been randomly selected based on your interests in music, psychological issues and awareness of mental health and well-being. For this research, individuals that we look for are aged 18 or above and are currently enrolled in university.
Consenting to participate in the project and withdrawing from the research
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. If you want to withdraw from your participation at any time, your data will not be included in any future publications about this study.
Possible benefits and risks to participants
There is no direct benefit if you participate in this study. However, if you choose to participate, it is possible that your awareness of the use of music on a daily basis can have a significant impact on your mental health than you previously thought.
Describe any potential level of inconvenience and/or discomfort to the participant.
This survey does not have content that can harm you physically. But, this survey contains a few sensitive questions, such as the mentions of the types of mental illnesses, which can be triggering to some individuals who have been diagnosed with them or has a history with them. Therefore, if you feel uncomfortable with taking this survey, you are allowed to withdraw from your participation at any time.
Confidentiality
Please be ensured that all participants who have taken a part in this research will not be identifiable, as the survey does not ask you to provide personal details, such as names or contact details. In other words, participants will remain anonymous.
When the study is submitted for publication, the survey responses you did will be formed into code numbers in which you were assigned when you participated in this study. Data collected will be stored in accordance with University privacy regulations and kept on university premises for 5 years. The data will be permanently removed 5 years from the time the research is being conducted.
Results
The results will be released on the 14 th of December. If you would like to see the results, they will be made available by contacting the Chief Investigator of this study, Rai Bev, on [email protected].
Complaints
Should you have any concerns or complaints about the conduct of the project, you are welcome to contact Rai Bev, the Chief Investigator of the study.
Tel: +614248551013838
E-mail: [email protected]
Thank you for participating in the survey.
Sincerely,
RAI BEV
Rai Bev
Appendix B: Survey Questions
1. What is your gender?
a. Male
b .Female
c. Other
d. I would rather not say
2. Please select your age group
a.18 – 24
b.25 – 34
c.35 – 44
d.45 – 54
e. 55 and over
3. Which genres of music is your favorite?
a. Pop
b. Rock
c. Heavy Metal
d. R&B
e. Rap
f. Hip Hop
g. Indie / Alternative
h. Dance
i. Jazz
j. Blues
k. Classical
l. Folk
m. Country
n. Reggae
o. K-Pop
p. Other (please specify in the box provided)
4. How often do you listen to music?
a. As often as possible
b. Once a day
c. A couple times a week
d. Not very often
5. On average, how many hours do you listen to music in a day?
a. Less than 2 hours
b.3 – 5 hours
c. More than 5 hours
6. Rate the importance of music to you.
a. Very important
b. Important
c. Neutral
d. Not very important
e. Not important
7. Based on your personal view, does mental health and well-being are affected by your music taste or the state of your mental health and well-being affect your music taste?
a. Music taste affects mental health and well-being
b. Mental health and well-being affect music taste
c. Both
d. None of those apply to me
Why? Please put your answers in the box below.
8. Do you listen to music based on your mood or your current feelings?
For example, you listen to sad music when you feel upset and you listen to happy music when you feel good, or is it the other way around?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Sometimes
d. It is the other way around
9. When you feel sad, hopeless, anxious or even mentally unstable, is music the first thing you seek?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not really
10. “Music can change or modify my feelings.”
On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is Strongly Agree and 5 is Disagree, what is your response to the statement above?
o 1 – Strongly Agree
o 2 - Agree
o 3 – Neutral
o 4 – Strongly Disagree
o 5 – Disagree
11. Have you ever made any playlists which is distinguished by your mood?
o Yes, I have
o No, I have not (please continue to question number 12)
12. If you answered ‘Yes’ to the previous question, what are the names of the playlists? Put your responses on the box below.
13. Do you struggle with mental health issues?
a. Yes
b. No
14. If you answered ‘Yes’ to question number 13, what mental health issues are you facing? (select any that apply)
a. Anxiety
b. Depression
c. OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
d. Eating Disorder
e. Bi
