Course

MUSC-480

Document Type

Student Paper

Publication Date

Winter 1-16-2018

Disciplines

Music

Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement

While stress is a common occurrence within society, some individuals face extreme stressors that can negatively impact their physical and psychological health. College students are a subsect of society that face extreme stress on a daily basis. One of the most common forms of coping among college students is listening to music. The current research examines the effects of music listening on college student’s stress levels. Participants (N= 27) were instructed to complete an impossible mental arithmetic task while under a time limit. Afterwards, participants were given a questionnaire to rate their anxiety levels. During a five-minute recovery period, participants either sat in silence or listened to a piece of music. Then, they were given the same questionnaire to rate their anxiety levels again. A 2x2 mixed ANOVA test concluded that music had no effect on the college student’s stress levels. While these findings do not coincide with current literature, this study can be the starting point in examining how music or music therapy could be used among college students.

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