‘I would want to listen to it as a medicine’–Lo-fi music and state anxiety, a mixed-methods pilot study on young adults
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
International Journal of Adolescence and Youth
Abstract
Faced with heightened state anxiety, today’s youth are turning to lo-fi music for relief–but does it truly work, how and why? This study represents a pioneering initial exploration of lo-fi music and state anxiety through the lens of critical realism. It employs a mixed-methods intervention design to assess the preliminary effectiveness of lo-fi music in alleviating state anxiety and explores its possible underlying mechanisms. A pre-post experiment (n = 76) followed by interviews (n = 27) was conducted on young adults pursuing post-graduate education in Karnataka, India. Results demonstrate a significant reduction in state anxiety after lo-fi exposure. Participants reported that lo-fi disrupts intrusive thoughts and promotes relaxation, sleep, and positive mental states, construing it as an antidote to anxiety. This research unearths the unique characteristics of lo-fi music that may drive this effect. Future investigation is warranted to test the efficacy of this music in youth-focused mental health interventions.
DOI
10.1080/02673843.2024.2388787
Publication Date
1-1-2024
Recommended Citation
Dsouza, Melanie Pius; Shetty, Ankitha; TS, Shwetha; and Damodar, Pooja, "‘I would want to listen to it as a medicine’–Lo-fi music and state anxiety, a mixed-methods pilot study on young adults" (2024). Open Access archive. 10747.
https://impressions.manipal.edu/open-access-archive/10747
