Background
Adolescence is a pivotal period of development marked by significant physical, emotional, and social transformations. As a result, adolescents often have increased chances of having mental health issues associated with a wide variety of reasons (Merikangas et al., 2022). The mental well-being of adolescents can have implications for various aspects of their lives, including concentration, energy levels, cognitive functioning, academic achievement, and even physical health (Chen & Lucock, 2022). Thus, understanding the causes of mental health illnesses is of extreme importance for reducing the morbidity of adolescents.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on the mental health of the youth due to decreased social contact. Jones et al. (2022) reported that students who experienced a lack of close relationships with their classmates had a significantly higher chance of having mental health problems, such as anxiety, behavioral dysfunctions, and suicide attempts.
The disruptions caused by the pandemic have created a range of challenges that can contribute to the development or exacerbation of mental health illnesses in this age group (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], 2022). Recent national health reports demonstrate that up to 20% of children and adolescents are diagnosed with mental health conditions in the US (AHRQ, 2022). Thus, it may be concluded that the prevalence of mental health conditions among adolescents is on the rise.
Problem Statement
Understanding factors that affect the mental health of adolescents is of extreme importance, as it can help to reduce the prevalence of mental conditions through timely interventions. One possible factor is musical preferences. In particular, research demonstrates that young heavy metal fans are usually aggressive towards elders and peers, disrespect social norms, commit crimes more often, and are generally vulnerable to mood disorders (Olsen et al., 2022). However, there is a lack of evidence that confirms the effect of heavy metal music on emotional dysregulation, anxiety, and depression symptoms. This study aims to address this problem by conducting an empirical study that assesses the effect of heavy metal on a sample of US adolescents.
Literature Review
A theoretical framework exists concerning the association between heavy metal music and the adolescent brain (Calamassi & Pomponi, 2019). Notably characterized by its audibly intense qualities and assertive lyrical content, heavy music holds particular significance. Nonetheless, given the delicate and volatile nature of the adolescent psyche, exposure to such auditory stimuli may exert adverse effects. Modern music is predominantly written in low frequencies, which can “reprogram” the mind and affect psychological well-being (Calamassi & Pomponi, 2019).
On the one hand, heavy metal provides an emotional release and does not promote violence in teenage children (Rigby, 2019). On the other hand, Olsen et al. (2022) provide significant evidence that adolescents who listen to heavy metal music are more likely to seek thrills and exhibit reckless behavior than non-fans of the genre. Thus, it can be concluded that heavy music may have a negative impact on the psychological well-being of young people.
Research is uncertain on the effect of heavy metal music on anxiety. Shafron and Karno (2013) conducted a cross-sectional study that studied its effect on the prevalence of anxiety in adolescents. The results demonstrated that those who listened to it displayed a higher chance of having anxiety disorders (Shafron & Karno, 2013). At the same time, Recours et al. (2009) stated that the level of anxiety prevalence was comparable to the general youth population. It is worth noting that the study by Recours et al. (2009) had a sample of 333 adolescents. In contrast, Shafron and Karno (2013) collected data from 551 college students. This implies that Shafron and Karno’s study may be more reliable.
There is also contradicting evidence concerning the effect of heavy metal on depression symptoms. A study by Lacourse et al. (2001) demonstrated that listening to heavy metal music had no significant effect on depression in students or increased suicidal intentions. However, Shafron and Karno (2013) stated that it had a significant positive correlation with depression. Therefore, further research is necessary to resolve this contradiction.
Research on the effect of metal music on emotional disorders is scarce. Angeler (2018) suggests that there is a significant positive correlation between listening to heavy metal and bipolar disorder. This implies that teen listeners of heavy metal are more likely to experience difficulties in processing their emotions and responding adequately to external stimuli (Angler, 2018).
However, Baker and Bor (2008) suggest that the correlation can be explained by the fact that people attempt to match their internal emotional state with their preferred music style. In other words, heavy metal music may not directly affect the mental state of people; instead, individuals listen to heavy metal because they experience emotions that align with the type of music (Baker & Bor, 2008). Therefore, further research is necessary to provide a more comprehensive examination of the issue.
Hypotheses
The literature review helped to formulate the following three hypotheses.
H10: Adolescents who listen to heavy metal music have similar mean anxiety/depression/emotional dysregulation scores in comparison with adolescents who listen to music of other genres.
H1A: Adolescents who listen to heavy music show a stronger association with anxiety/depression/emotional dysregulation compared to their peers who listen to other genres.
Importance
The research’s importance is expressed in an in-depth analysis of the impact of heavy metal songs on adolescents and the development of guidance for them. The obtained results and recommendations can be used to instill in students a caring attitude toward their body state, health, and the development of musical literacy. This study is novel because, currently, there is a lack of high-quality and reliable information about the impact of heavy metal music on adolescents, as well as guidance on listening to music without harm to their psyche and behavior. Furthermore, it is based on a longitudinal study design, providing a clearer understanding of the correlation between the dependent and independent variables.
Methods
Participants
One hundred individuals, selected according to specific criteria, are involved in the research conducted voluntarily. This study compares 50 heavy metal fans with 50 other teens who listen to classical music, pop, jazz, and country. They are young girls and boys between the ages of 15 and 20 (M = 17.3, SD = 1.89) who are students in schools, colleges, and universities worldwide. The majority of participants were individuals who identified as white (n = 65, 65%), followed by 25 Black individuals (25%), and 10 Asian individuals (10%). Most participants were non-Hispanic (n = 80; 80%), while 20 participants identified as Hispanic (20%).
Design
A longitudinal, between-subject correlational design was used to investigate whether an adolescent’s music preference (heavy metal or other genres) impacts their emotional regulation, anxiety, and depression levels. The study anticipates two key advantages from this design: it is expected to generate additional evidence to clarify the previously ambiguous effects of heavy metal music on these psychological outcomes, and its longitudinal nature will be valuable for establishing causative links between music preference and the dependent variables.
Measures
Anxiety
Anxiety levels were evaluated using the psychometrically strong Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7). This instrument comprises seven Likert scale items that ask about symptoms such as nervousness and difficulty controlling worry over the past two weeks. Participants scored these items on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), and the final anxiety variable was calculated by summing these scores (Swinson, 2006).
Depression
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to measure depression symptoms. The questionnaire includes nine four-point Likert scale questions (Haddad et al., 2013). The instrument asks how often, during the past two weeks, participants were bothered by nine problems, such as feeling little interest or pleasure in doing things and experiencing feelings of depression, hopelessness, or sadness (Haddad et al., 2013). The scores varied between 0 (not at all) and 3 (nearly every day). The variable was measured as a sum of scores.
Emotional Dysregulation
The Emotional Dysregulation Questionnaire (EDQ) was used to measure emotional dysregulation. The questionnaire included 24 five-point Likert scale questions that asked how often the participants experience different states, such as “My emotions felt out of control” and “I couldn’t stop thinking about what I was upset about” (Gill et al., 2021). The scores varied between 1 (Rarely) and 5 (Most of the time). The measure is associated with high validity (Gill et al., 2021).
Procedure
Participants were recruited online using social media. The inclusion criteria were being aged between 15 and 20 and having no specific preference in music. First, participants were contacted via personal messages, which explained the purpose of the study and invited them to participate in the research. Second, after an informal consent was received, an informed consent form was sent to the participants to ensure the ethicality of the research.
Third, the participants were randomly assigned to two groups: those who listened to heavy music and those who listened to various kinds of music. The first group was asked to listen to heavy metal music for at least 30 minutes a day for six months. Links to examples of heavy metal music were provided. The second group was asked to listen to other music for at least 30 minutes a day for six months. Finally, the participants were contacted after six months for data collection using quantitative questionnaires.
Statistical Analyses
The data were analyzed using three independent-sample t-tests comparing the depression, emotional dysregulation, and anxiety scores between groups.
Results
According to an independent-samples t-test, participants who listened to heavy metal had higher levels of emotional dysregulation (M = 23.5, SD = 5.48) than those who listened to other music genres, t(98) = 10.5, p = .017. Another test revealed that the heavy metal listeners had higher amounts of depression (M = 21.8, SD = 5.19) than the group who listened to other music, t(98) = 12.3, p =.004. Finally, it was discovered that there was no significant difference on average between the groups in terms of anxiety, t(98) = 2.8, p =.681.
Discussion
Initially, we hypothesized that listening to heavy metal songs is associated with different types of mental disorders and negative behaviors among adolescents, as compared to adolescents who do not listen to heavy metal music. In particular, this study hypothesized that adolescents who listen to heavy metal music are likely to experience emotional dysregulation, anxiety, and depression in comparison with adolescents who listen to other genres of music. H1 posited that adolescents who listen to heavy metal music exhibit higher average scores of anxiety compared to those who listen to other genres, H2 suggested the same for depression, and H3 proposed that for emotional dysregulation.
First, the results of the study provided no significant evidence to support H1. In other words, the results of this study suggest that listening to heavy metal music had no significant effect on anxiety levels in adolescents. The results of this study are in accord with Recours et al. (2009), who stated that anxiety levels were similar among youths who listen to heavy metal and those who do not. However, the research results contradict the findings of Shafron and Karno (2013). Such a contradiction may be due to the effect of confounding variables, such as national cultures, that may have interfered with the relationships between the two variables.
Second, the study validated H2, showing a substantial positive impact of heavy metal on reducing depression symptoms in adolescents, a finding consistent with Shafron and Karno (2013). Additionally, this research demonstrated that listening to heavy metal affects emotional dysregulation. This result supports Angeler (2018) and disproves the null hypothesis regarding causality proposed by Baker and Bor (2008).
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths of the study include the decent sample size of 100 participants, which allows for meaningful analysis in a correlational study. The sample is diverse, representing adolescents with different backgrounds. Established and validated measures, such as the GAD-7, PHQ-9, and EDQ, are utilized to ensure the reliability and validity of the collected data. Additionally, the study employs a longitudinal design, following participants for six months, which enables the exploration of changes over time and enhances the robustness of the findings.
However, the study also has limitations. First, the recruitment process through online platforms and social media may introduce self-selection bias, potentially overrepresenting individuals with a strong interest in heavy metal music or a greater inclination to participate in research. Furthermore, the reliance on self-report measures for assessing mental health may be susceptible to biases such as social desirability or subjective interpretations. Additionally, the generalizability of the study is limited to adolescents from the US. It cannot be applied to other populations. Finally, the study does not explicitly account for potential confounding variables, such as pre-existing mental health conditions or personal life circumstances, which could influence the outcomes.
Implications
This study suggests that heavy metal music has a significant impact on emotional dysregulation and depression. This suggests that certain psychological conditions may be alleviated by reducing exposure to heavy metal music and replacing it with other genres. Thus, practitioners may recommend that adolescents avoid listening to heavy music to reduce depression and emotional dysregulation symptoms.
Future research should address the limitations of this study. Randomized controlled trials with larger and more diverse samples could provide stronger evidence regarding the probability of heavy metal music causing anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation. Longitudinal studies that follow individuals over an extended period would help establish causal relationships and examine the long-term effects.
Furthermore, exploring the potential influence of confounding variables, such as cultural factors, on the relationship between heavy metal and mental health would contribute to a more comprehensive understanding. Additionally, it would be valuable to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which heavy music affects mental health outcomes. For example, examining factors such as lyrical content, emotional engagement, and social dynamics within the heavy metal community could provide insights into the specific processes involved.
References
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