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What works for wellbeing? A systematic review of wellbeing outcomes for music and singing in adults.

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Daykin, Norma, Mansfield, Louise, Meads, Catherine, Julier, Guy, Tomlinson, Alan, Payne, Annette, Grigsby Duffy, Lily, Lane, Jack +6 more·2018·Perspectives in Public Health
DOI 10.1177/1757913917740391PMC PMC5753835
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Abstract

Aims: The role of arts and music in supporting subjective wellbeing (SWB) is increasingly recognised. Robust evidence is needed to support policy and practice. This article reports on the first of four reviews of Culture, Sport and Wellbeing (CSW) commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded What Works Centre for Wellbeing ( https://whatworkswellbeing.org/ ). Objective: To identify SWB outcomes for music and singing in adults. Methods: Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in PsychInfo, Medline, ERIC, Arts and Humanities, Social Science and Science Citation Indexes, Scopus, PILOTS and CINAHL databases. From 5,397 records identified, 61 relevant records were assessed using GRADE and CERQual schema. Results: A wide range of wellbeing measures was used, with no consistency in how SWB was measured across the studies. A wide range of activities was reported, most commonly music listening and regular group singing. Music has been associated with reduced anxiety in young adults, enhanced mood and purpose in adults and mental wellbeing, quality of life, self-awareness and coping in people with diagnosed health conditions. Music and singing have been shown to be effective in enhancing morale and reducing risk of depression in older people. Few studies address SWB in people with dementia. While there are a few studies of music with marginalised communities, participants in community choirs tend to be female, white and relatively well educated. Research challenges include recruiting participants with baseline wellbeing scores that are low enough to record any significant or noteworthy change following a music or singing intervention. Conclusions: There is reliable evidence for positive effects of music and singing on wellbeing in adults. There remains a need for research with sub-groups who are at greater risk of lower levels of wellbeing, and on the processes by which wellbeing outcomes are, or are not, achieved.

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  • Participating in music has been associated with psychological wellbeing, reduced anxiety, lower levels of depression, or coping among people with health conditions and, in general, increased subjective wellbeing.

    “From listening to music to any active participation in music making, individually or in groups, music has been associated with psychological wellbeing, reduced anxiety, lower levels of depression, or coping among people with health conditions and, in general, increased subjective wellbeing (Daykin et al., 2018).”

    From Uses and Perceptions of Music in Times of COVID-19: A Spanish Population Survey (2021) · cites this paper as Daykin et al., 2018

    The Conclusion (page unavailable) broadly supports music and singing for improved wellbeing and reduced depression, while the Discussion reports reduced anxiety and improved wellbeing in several groups, including adults with health conditions. But the copy does not report coping as an outcome, and the Conclusion cautions that few studies examined instrumental music-making and that the varied studies are difficult to generalise from. The claim’s reference to any active participation is therefore broader than the evidence reviewed. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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  • These initiatives reflect the widespread perception among citizens that making music for other people contributes to their personal wellbeing.

    “These initiatives reflect the widespread perception among citizens that making music for other people contributes to their personal wellbeing (Daykin et al., 2018).”

    From Uses and Perceptions of Music in Times of COVID-19: A Spanish Population Survey (2021) · cites this paper as Daykin et al., 2018

    The Discussion of quantitative findings reports improved emotional outcomes in some music-making and group-singing studies, including a programme involving performance. It does not establish a widespread perception among citizens, or isolate making music for other people as the reason for improved personal wellbeing. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Research works printed but not linked: 43

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Authors
Daykin, N., Mansfield, L., Meads, C., Julier, G., Tomlinson, A., Payne, A., Grigsby Duffy, L., Lane, J., D’Innocenzo, G., Burnett, A., Kay, T., Dolan, P., Testoni, S., & Victor, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Winchester (GB)
  • Brunel University of London (GB)
  • Anglia Ruskin University (GB)
  • University of Brighton (GB)
  • Welfare, Health and Wellbeing, Institute for Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
  • London School of Economics and Political Science (GB)
Corresponding author
Daykin, Norma
ORCID
Venue
Perspectives in Public Health
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2017-11-13
Volume
138
Issue
1
Pages
39-46
ISSN
  • 1757-9139 (ISSN-L)
  • 1757-9147
DOI
10.1177/1757913917740391
PMC
PMC5753835
OpenAlex
W2770891864
Cited by
348
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 52 · 2024: 43 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 71 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4
FWCI
2.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Perspectives in Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Anglia Ruskin Research Online (Anglia Ruskin University) (submittedVersion)
  • London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • University of Brighton Repository (University of Brighton) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Winchester Research Repository (submittedVersion)
  • UWE Research Repository (UWE Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Brunel University Research Archive (BURA) (Brunel University London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Stirling Online Research Repository (University of Stirling) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Brunel University Research Archive (BURA) (Brunel University London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/NOO3721/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Music Therapy and Health
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Conservation › Art Therapy and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Music › Diverse Music Education Insights
Keywords
subjective well-being, music, singing, arts-based interventions, music listening, group singing, community choirs, anxiety, mood, psychological well-being, quality of life, self-awareness, coping, older adults, depression, dementia, marginalized communities, well-being measurement
MeSH terms
Adult, Health Status, Humans, Mental Health, Music, Quality of Life, Singing

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