Effects of exposure to activating and relaxing music on the emotional state of a population of adolescents

Abstract

Anxiety is defined as the anticipation of a future threat with a prevalence that reaches 8% in young people around the world. Objective. The purpose of this work was to identify the effects of exposure to music on anxiety in a sample of adolescents between 10 and 14 years of age of both sexes. Materials and methods. Each of the participants completed a standardized test to assess their anxiety. Prior to the treatments, the participants completed the STAI status and trait scales, then listened to sound stimuli (relaxing, activating music, or white noise) and finally completed the anxiety status scale. Results. The results indicated that the musical stimulus with activating characteristics generated an anxiogenic effect in the participants. Conclusion. These data are relevant to the field of music therapy, a discipline that uses music with therapeutic purposes and that addresses anxiety disorders in different populations.