The efficacy of music therapy in alleviating anxiety among college students: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Li S, Gong Z, Wang R, Liu J, Zhan X, Lan J, Feng H
Frontiers in psychology · 4 citas
Cómo se estudió
- Diseño
- Revisión sistemática (indexado por PubMed)
- Estudiado en
- Personas
- Resultado principal
- Marcadores de salud y funcionamiento
Quién lo pagó
- Financiación
- Financiación independiente
- Gobierno
- Education Department of Jiangxi Province
Según 1 financiador declarado y la declaración de financiación del texto completo.
Publicación
- Publicado
- 2026-02-09 · Front Psychol · vol. 16 · pág. 1723316
- Editorial
- Frontiers Media
- Citado
- 4 citas · más que el 97% de estudios similares · 9.1× el promedio de su campo
- Impacto
- Entre el 10 % más citado de su campo
- Referencias
- 60 trabajos
- Acceso
- Acceso abierto (revista) · CC-BY
- Áreas de investigación
- Music Therapy and Health · Music Education and Analysis · Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Palabras clave
- music therapy, anxiety, university students, college student mental health, non-pharmacological treatment, passive music listening, intervention duration, university mental health services
7 autores
- Sirong Li🇨🇳Xinyu University
- Zixuan Gong🇨🇳Xinyu University
- Rujie Wang🇨🇳Xinyu University
- Jialing Liu🇨🇳Xinyu University
- Xingxin Zhan🇨🇳 · autor de correspondenciaXinyu University
- Jia Lan🇨🇳Xinyu University
- Hui Feng🇨🇳Xinyu University
Resumen
El texto original del estudio, en el idioma en que se publicó.
Background
Anxiety is a prevalent psychological issue among university students, adversely affecting their mental health and academic performance. Music therapy (MT) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate MT's efficacy in alleviating anxiety symptoms among college students.
Methods
A comprehensive search of eight databases was conducted up to December 1, 2025.Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving MT interventions for anxiety reduction in college students were included. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool were performed independently by two reviewers. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.2 and Stata 16.0.
Results
Eighteen RCTs (from 17 included studies) involving 1,679 participants (829 in the experimental group; 850 in the control group) were included. The meta-analysis demonstrated that MT significantly alleviated anxiety symptoms compared to control groups [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.08 to -1.01, P I 2 = 95%). Subgroup analyses revealed that both passive and combined (active and passive) MT were effective, with combined interventions showing a larger effect. Studies conducted in domestic settings (n = 13) showed a more significant effect than international ones (n = 3). Significant anxiety reduction was observed across both short-term (<8 weeks) and long-term ( ≥ 8 weeks) interventions.
Conclusion
MT is an effective intervention for alleviating anxiety in university students, with combined delivery formats and longer durations showing particular promise. It represents a safe, low-cost, and flexible option for campus mental health services. Future research should prioritize standardizing MT protocols, implementing long-term follow-ups, and conducting cross-cultural validations to facilitate its broader integration.
Resumen vía Europe PMC. Los derechos de autor siguen siendo de los autores o la editorial (CC BY).
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