The positive effects of online group singing on psycho-physiological variables during the COVID-19 pandemic—A pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The psychological variables that were particularly influenced by social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic—stress, loneliness, social participation, and well-being—correspond closely to variables that can also be influenced by music. The present study is a pilot randomized controlled trial examining the effects of online group singing on psycho-physiological variables during the pandemic. Over 4 weeks, an online singing group sang together once a week, for 1 h, under the guidance of a professional voice coach. In a first control group, participants also met for 60 min per week but only discussed and exchanged personal experiences about music. A second control condition consisted of a waiting list group. Across all variables studied (positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, stress, loneliness, social participation, self-efficacy, and body perception), positive effects were revealed in the singing group and in the discussion group, but not in the waiting list group. The effects of the variables self-efficacy, social participation, loneliness, and life satisfaction were markedly stronger in the singing group than in the discussion group. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of group singing on a number of psycho-physiological variables, which can be used profitably in and outside of times of crisis, in both clinical and non-clinical settings.