The harmful side of music: Understanding the effects of rumination on adolescent mental health

The power of music is undeniable, as it can evoke emotions and transport us to different places and times. However, research shows that music can also induce harmful effects, particularly when it comes to rumination. When a person dwells on negative thinking or feelings, it can contribute to the development of depression and anxiety or worsen existing conditions. This is especially concerning for teenagers, as music can be a powerful tool for self-expression and emotional regulation. As parents, it is important to have conversations with our children about the effects of music on mood and cognition, and to help them understand how to avoid using music to reinforce unhealthy coping strategies.

Rumination, or repetitive thinking or dwelling on negative feelings, can occur when a teen is listening to sad music to induce rumination and therefore experiences affective harm via the worsening of mood. In addition, researchers find that music-induced harm can occur when people listen to self-identified sad music during moments of psychological distress. Among teens, this can be potentially harmful when music is used with the intention of attaining feelings of support, but instead, the music intensifies symptoms which can result in behaviors that are unhealthy or harmful. Researchers also find that it is important to understand the influence of peer subcultures and the potential influence of preferred music on self-injurious behavior.

Other factors to consider include the role of a musical genre in constructing an adolescent’s personal, social, group and cultural identity. This is an important factor for parents to consider as some genres of music are associated with substance and alcohol abuse, opposing authority and rebelliousness along with violent behavior, delinquency, and impulsive and violent traits. According to Miranda, social schema and stereotypes about fans of different musical genres can influence intergroup dynamics and can influence seven major areas of development: aesthetics, identity, socialization, emotional regulation and coping, personality and motivation, gender roles, and positive youth-development.

Rumination is assessed using multi-item questionnaires such as the Response Styles Questionnaire (RSQ). Studies indicate that high rumination scores predict higher future depressive symptoms and major depressive episodes in child and adolescent samples. In 2022, researchers studied the eight musical emotion mechanisms highlighted in the Brain Stem: Reflex, Rhythmic Entrainment, Evaluative Conditioning, Contagion, Visual Imagery, Episodic Memory, Musical Expectancy, and Aesthetic Judgement (BRECVEMA). In a sample of young adults, according to Larwood, it showed an increase in sadness among those who listened to a self-nominated sad song. Moreover, individuals with higher levels of rumination had greater increases in sadness and were more likely to experience musical entrainment and select songs with associated memories while experiencing emotional contagion. This means that adolescents who are experiencing symptoms of depression may intentionally select music that can induce rumination which can exacerbate mood symptoms.

So, as a parent, what can you do if you are concerned?

It is important for parents to have conversations with their children about the effects music can have on mood and cognition as social identification with a particular musical genre becomes prevalent in adolescence. Help your children practice listening to different musical styles. It might be helpful for parents to pay attention to their growing adolescent’s preferred musical artist(s) and examine who influenced that artist. While learning about a given artist’s musical influences, you may come to discover various alternatives to share while learning more about different musical subcultures. By engaging children in a discussion about music: its feeling, its content, imagery, and influences, parents can teach their them how to be more aware of the effects of music and to understand how music can elicit rumination.