Musical practice as a strategy of mood regulation for adolescents in stressful situations

Are musicians less stressed than non-musicians and ex-musicians, as they use their musical practice as a strategy of mood regulation? To examine this research question, Saarikallio and Erkkilä’s (2007) model of mood regulation by music was tested, which stipulates that musicians use music practice as a mood regulation strategy. Younger and older adolescents, who make music or not, were surveyed in order to examine the possible mid-term and long-term effects of music practice on stress. The participants filled out questionnaires before and after a school exam. Younger and older musicians, non-musicians and ex-musicians did not differ significantly in their stress level..