Music Therapy's Impact on University Students' Social and Mental Health

Launched by THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG · Jun 9, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how music therapy might help university students who are feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed. The study aims to see if music therapy can improve both mental health and social skills by comparing two different types of music activities: one where participants create their own songs with a therapist, and another where they listen to music and have group discussions without a therapy focus.

To join this study, participants need to be adults aged 18 to 40 who don’t have a diagnosed mental illness but are experiencing moderate levels of stress, anxiety, or depression related to academic challenges or social life at university. They also need to be able to speak and read Mandarin, Cantonese, or English. If eligible, participants will be randomly assigned to attend four individual sessions of either songwriting therapy or music listening with discussion. The study is currently recruiting women who meet these criteria. This is a unique opportunity to see how music can support mental well-being and social connection during a stressful time like university life.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • (1) adults who aged between 18-40
• • (2) without any mental diagnosis
• • (3) able to speak and read Mandarin, Cantonese, or English
• • (4) moderate stress or problems in academic activities, problems in interpersonal relationships, or adaptability to college life.
• • (5) participants DASS-21 score \>= "Moderate" severity on each subscale (Depression \>= 14; Anxiety \>= 10; Stress \>= 19).
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • (1) has more than 10 consecutive years professional music training
• • (2) with chronic illness and taking medication
• • (3) with prior history of brain trauma or brain surgery
• • (4) wearing metal piercings or implants.