Empowered listening: Self-selected music's role in uplifting emotions during stress

Music listening is increasingly recognized not only as a form of entertainment but a complementary intervention for well-being. Its ability to promote relaxation and reduce arousal, particularly following stress, highlights its therapeutic potential. However, the differential effects of various types of music on emotional regulation in response to stress remain underexplored, limiting the development of musically derived interventions. The present study examined the effects of self-selected music listening (high valence/high tempo [empowering], high valence/low tempo [calming]) on emotion regulation processes (upregulation of positive emotions, downregulation of negative emotions) following a social rejection stress task.

A multi-phase research design was employed. In Phase 1 (musical preferences screener), 795 undergraduate students in the United States completed the Short Test of Music Preferences (STOMP) and Music Rating Form. These data were used to create individualized playlists consisting of self-selected empowering (high valence/high tempo) and calming (high valence/low tempo) songs. In the experimental phase (Phase 2), 61 participants from Phase 1 were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (empowering music, calming music, control group) following a stress induction task. Measures of positive and negative emotions (PANAS) were administered at three time points during the experiment.

The stress induction task was effective in increasing participants' stress levels. Results from the primary analyses revealed a significant interaction between time and music listening intervention group for positive emotions. Specifically, participants in the empowering music listening group reported significantly higher positive emotion scores at post-intervention (Time 3) compared to those in the control group. This effect was not observed for participants in the calming music group. In contrast, the time by intervention condition interaction was not significant for negative emotions.

These findings suggest listening to empowering music may serve as an effective and accessible practice for uplifting positive emotions in response to stressors. Notably, this study contributes to the field by demonstrating how specific features of musical interventions (self-selected playlists, distinct musical qualities) can optimize positive emotional outcomes, especially in the context of stress. Overall, these results support the integration of music-based interventions into holistic, strength-based therapeutic practices aimed at improving emotional health.