The impact of music and meditation on anxiety symptoms in students

This paper reviews current literature on anxiety disorders, their causes, types, typical therapies, and comorbidities, noting gaps in knowledge about comorbidity complexities and alternative therapies such as music- and meditation-based interventions. The author presents an original case study investigating high school students' anxiety levels during music-containing and music-free guided meditations. The research confirms the need for continued study of anxiety complications and supports directing funding to a wider range of resources.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Due to the ubiquitous nature of anxiety conditions and comorbidities and their detrimental damages, there has been increasing interest in anxiety research and treatment development. Here, current literature on anxiety and therapies are combined to form an overview of the available scientific knowledge. There is currently a substantial amount of information on anxiety disorders, such as the general cause, types, and typical therapies. There is also a wealth of knowledge on anxiety comorbidities. However, gaps in the literature exist regarding comorbidity complexities and alternative, nontraditional therapies, namely music- and meditation-based ones. The available research on both meditation and musical interventions is reviewed in this paper, including the background knowledge and current implementations. An original case study by the author involving the investigation of high school students’ anxiety levels during both music-containing and music-free guided meditations is presented as well. The case study’s design, procedure, results, and limitations are also discussed. This research confirms the need for continued research on anxiety complications and supports directing funding to a wider selection of resources.