Don’t worry, be happy – the power of music to manage worry and stress in children

You probably already know that music helps you feel less stressed.

You’ve probably experienced a wave of relief as you tune into your favourite relaxing song, or danced away a stressful day on a night out.

You might’ve also seen this with your kids. How quickly they respond when you put on their favourite song (it’s probably saved you a few times on a long car trip), and how music can set just the right mood from playtime to bedtime.

These implicit understandings of music - that it’s GOOD for us – are increasingly supported by a growing body of evidence, and we’re learning more every day [1, 2].

Thanks to improvements in technology, we know that even just listening to music lights up multiple areas of the brain. Listening to your favourite pieces of music releases happy hormones including serotonin and dopamine, and engaging in shared musical experiences boosts oxytocin (our bonding hormone) [3].

While most people get that music can be helpful, its powerful effects can be enhanced through using it intentionally for wellbeing. Understanding why and how we use music helps ensure we’re using music effectively and supports its use as a resource in everyday life [1, 4].

Music for worry and stress in children

Music and music-related activities (playing, listening, dancing and singing) offer a unique and appealing approach to supporting your children to manage stress and worry. Engaging intentionally with music offers an accessible and active pathway to mindfulness activities, which is increasingly shown to reduce worry and stress in adults and children alike [5, 6].

Engaging actively in music-related activities engages the whole brain, and its motivating and enjoyable factors are helpful for redirecting attention away from worry while simultaneously promoting positive emotions [5].

Music also gives children a way to express and understand their feelings, which is helpful for exploring and reappraising what these feelings mean, and how we might helpfully respond to them [5].

 Participating actively in music-related activities also supports increased confidence and self-efficacy, which can be the building blocks to overcoming worry and stress [7]. The reasons for this might vary for each child. For example, your child might feel less anxious to leave home because of their motivation to engage in a scheduled music-related activity. Or your child might feel more confident in themselves as they acquire new skills. Importantly, these benefits can only occur when music is experienced in an accepting environment where the focus is on the process rather than the outcome [7].

Without the pressure of getting things ‘right’, music offers opportunities for self-expression, focus away from distressing thoughts, and empowerment [7].

Engaging in music-related activities in childhood serves as a supportive early intervention to help your child develop confidence, emotional intelligence, and active coping strategies to support their ongoing wellbeing.

The unique benefits of Bachata

Bachata is a style of music and dance that originated in the Dominican Republic. Bachata is characterised by strong musical elements that tell an emotional story. These clearly communicated emotions provide a platform to identify and explore emotions in a non-confrontational way.

The emotive vocals are supported by a strong rhythmic base of (typically) guitar, bass, bongo and guiro, with each instrument playing an important role within the sound. Music with a strong rhythm supports us to synchronise to the music, helping us tap into the natural musicality of our bodies [8]. When we do this with others, we can feel more connected and confident in our interactions. 

A key part of Bachata dance is the connection between partners. To make the dance work, partners need to develop trust, and learn to communicate through subtle body movements.

Through Bachata dance, children can experience different social roles as either leader or follower, and develop confidence in key social skills relating to communication, cooperation and working towards shared goals.

When combined with the positive benefits of sharing musical experiences, children can gain a sense of competence and satisfaction as they work with others to learn something new.  

Music and its role in therapy

While the benefits of music are available to all, Music Therapy offers a more intensive and personalised support for children (and adults) with more acute needs (such as anxiety, dysregulation and trauma).

Music Therapy is a regulated Allied Health Profession, and is recognised as a therapeutic support within the NDIS and Victoria’s School’s Mental Health Fund. Music therapists draw on the benefits of music to support people within a therapeutic relationship, offering musical approaches to work on non-musical goals.

Music therapists are also increasingly providing consulting services to educators and health professionals, such as Rose Phoenix Health, to support the intentional use of music to support health and wellbeing.

Feel Free to reach out to Dr Kate McMahon, a Registered Music Therapist from Mind Body Music Therapy who has witnessed the benefits of shared musical and dance experiences to support children’s wellbeing. Dr McMahon is excited by what Rose Phoenix Health’s Bachata Balance dance program and what it can offer in this space.

Dr Kate McMahon

References 

1. Batt-Rawden, K. and G. Tellnes, How music may promote healthy behaviour. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2011. 39(2): p. 113-120.

2. Stige, B., et al., Where Music Helps: Community Music Therapy in Action and Reflection : Community Music Therapy in Action and Reflection. 2016, Abingdon, UNITED KINGDOM: Taylor & Francis Group.

3. Gfeller, K.E., Music: A human phenomenon and therapeutic tool, in An Introduction to Music Therapy: Theory and Practice, W.B. Davis, K.E. Gfeller, and M.H. Thaut, Editors. 2008, American Music Therapy Association: Silver Spring, Maryland. p. 41–75.

4. Stige, B., Health musicking: A perspective on music and health as action and performance, in Music, Health, and Wellbeing, R.A.R. MacDonald, G. Kreutz, and L. Mitchell, Editors. 2012, Oxford University Press: New York, NY, US. p. 183-195.

5. Knoerl, R., et al., Exploring the feasibility of a mindfulness-music therapy Intervention to Improve anxiety and stress in adolescents and young adults with cancer. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2022. 63(4): p. e357-e363.

6. Medcalf, B., Exploring the music therapist’s use of mindfulness informed techniques in practice. Australian Journal of Music Therapy, 2017. 28: p. 47-66.

7. Hallam, S., The power of music: Its impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people. International Journal of Music Education, 2010. 28(3): p. 269-289.

8. Clark, I. and J. Tamplin, How music can influence the body: Perspectives from current research. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 2016. 16(2).