Open Access

ARTICLE

The Impact of Music Education Intervention on Anxiety Symptoms among Non-Music Major University Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Pengpeng Yang^*, Anne Noor Sri Juwaneeta Jamaludin

Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

* Corresponding Author: Pengpeng Yang. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2026, 28(8), 12 https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2026.080765

Received 14 February 2026; Accepted 21 April 2026; Issue published 31 August 2026

Abstract

Backgrounds: Anxiety symptoms represent a prevalent mental health challenge among university students, yet accessible and scalable intervention approaches remain limited. This study examined the effectiveness of a structured music education intervention in reducing anxiety symptoms among non-music major university students in China. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group, 110 participants experiencing anxiety symptoms were allocated to either an intervention group (n = 55) receiving a 12-week music education program comprising two 90-min sessions weekly, or a control group (n = 55) continuing regular academic activities. Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and one-month follow-up (T2) using validated instruments including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 (CD-RISC-10), WHOQOL-BREF, and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Results: The intervention group demonstrated significant anxiety reduction from baseline (GAD-7: 11.8 ± 3.2) to post-intervention (7.3 ± 2.8) and follow-up (7.8 ± 2.9), yielding large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 1.47 and 1.32, respectively), while the control group showed minimal change. Clinically, 68.1% of intervention participants achieved significant anxiety reduction compared to 12.0% of controls. Secondary outcomes including depression, psychological resilience, and quality of life showed significant improvements with medium-to-large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.43–0.68). A dose-response pattern indicated that higher session attendance predicted better outcomes (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting that music education may represent a feasible and potentially effective approach for anxiety management in university settings. Given the quasi-experimental design, results should be interpreted cautiously, and randomized controlled trials are needed to establish causal efficacy.

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