The effect of music on teenagers in combatting stress and improving performance

Mental health disorders, especially those related to stress and anxiety, are some of the most critical issues facing teenagers today. While previous studies have focused on music’s effect on brain development and rehabilitation, there is a significant gap in understanding music’s effect on teen mental health. As one of the most avid consumers of music, teenagers’ frequent exposure to music can be utilized to combat the growing teen mental health crisis. We hypothesized that participation in music activities by teenagers would alleviate their stress levels and improve their performance. This research investigated how exposure to active versus passive music affects a teenager’s ability to perform a challenging task, namely a Sudoku puzzle, under stressful conditions. The study tested 75 high school teenagers in a Bay Area high school, split into 2 groups: students singing in a choir (active music) and students listening to low-fidelity music (passive music). Our results showed that active participation in music activities like choir yields a significantly greater improvement in performance compared to passive listening for brief time periods. Additionally, the more a participant listened to music, the better they appeared to manage stress levels and improve their performance on everyday tasks. Most participants reported listening to music while doing everyday tasks to relieve stress, boost mood, and improve focus. These results reinforce the importance of music in helping teens cope with stress and combat the growing mental health crisis. Schools and music teachers can use these findings to advocate for universal access to music programs.