Exploring the Emotional Perception of High School Students When Utilizing Music as a Coping Mechanism during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Since December 2019, the SARS-CoV2 pandemic has caused intense stress for all citizens across the globe. Specifically, students have been experiencing high-stress levels due to social isolation and virtual learning environments that have caused significant changes to their daily lives. This study explores the emotional perception of music listening to analyze whether listening to self-selected music is an effective coping mechanism.  An online questionnaire consisting of two closed-ended and six open-ended questions was created on Google Forms and sent out to high school students through email and social media platforms to understand the students’ perceptions better. 16 participant responses were thoroughly analyzed and manually coded to create different themes and average values. Findings from the survey revealed that the majority of the students experienced some level of stress due to the pandemic, and the frequency of listening to music increased since social distancing regulations were implemented. Analysis of student responses revealed that their emotions when listening to music were happiness, sadness, motivation, relaxation, and stimulation. Additionally, pop and hip-hop were the most preferred genres of music by students, and listening to music was generally viewed as a positive form of coping. This study explores whether listening to music can be used as a stress therapy in young adults. However, future research needs to be conducted to make broader implications and investigate the reasoning behind the emotional impact of music.