Using Music to Manage Anxiety: A Mixed Methods Intervention Study Between Two Lockdowns

Abstract

Lockdowns were a central strategy for managing the outbreak of COVID-19, and Melbourne, Australia had some of the most extensive restrictions globally during 2021. As a result, university students were faced with isolated living and challenging learning experiences. This pilot study occurred during 2021, close to both university assignment due dates and end of semester examinations and some of the longest lockdowns. Seventy-one participants responded to recruitment materials describing using music playlists to manage anxiety and avoid negative thinking patterns during stressful times. They then participated in a 1-hour live, virtual workshop incorporating didactic teaching and practice activ..