Non-Cochrane · intervention · PM41620710
The effectiveness of music interventions on psychological, physiological and academic outcomes in health sciences students: a meta-analysis.
Dalli Öznur Erbay, Pehli̇van Seda · BMC medical education · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1186/s12909-026-08693-y
Findings
Population Undergraduate and postgraduate health sciences students (nursing, medical, dental, midwifery)
10 findings
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Depression Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | SMD -1.0 [-1.95, -0.04] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 278 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Systolic blood pressure Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | MD -7.15 [-9.64, -4.66] GRADE not reported 5 studies · 448 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Self-efficacy Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | SMD 0.32 [-0.56, 1.19] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 140 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Diastolic blood pressure Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | MD -3.72 [-5.53, -1.91] GRADE not reported 5 studies · 448 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Academic performance (exam scores) Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | SMD 0.5 [-0.09, 1.08] GRADE not reported 6 studies · 451 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Stress Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | SMD -0.29 [-1.0, 0.43] GRADE not reported 3 studies · 149 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Pain (VAS) Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | MD -1.9 [-4.39, 0.6] GRADE not reported 4 studies · 257 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Pulse or heart rate Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | MD -3.77 [-7.46, -0.07] GRADE not reported 10 studies · 714 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Anxiety Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | SMD -0.48 [-0.72, -0.23] GRADE not reported 16 studies · 1055 participants |
| Music interventions (music medicine or music therapy; recorded or live) | Control: no intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Sleep quality (PSQI) Post-intervention (last measurement) · Health sciences education (examinations, simulation, clinical skill practice, lectures, rest) | MD -2.24 [-5.66, 1.19] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 118 participants |
Included primary studies 35
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algailani 2023 The Impact of Music on Stress Reduction and Academic Performance of Dental Students. PMID:37933358 | 2023 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Bellier 2020 Impact of Background Music on Medical Student Anxiety and Performance During Anatomical Dissections: A Cluster Randomized Interventional… DOI:10.1002/ase.1918 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Borzoo 2025 The effect of aromatherapy and music therapy on blood pressure and heart rate of nursing students before taking the exam DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-97199-6 | 2025 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Chen 2015 The effects of <scp>C</scp>hinese five‐element music therapy on nursing students with depressed mood DOI:10.1111/ijn.12236 | 2014 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Contreras 2025 Music in Academia for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Study DOI:10.1097/01.nep.0000000000001287 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Cura 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dag 2025 Evaluating the Effects of Popular Music on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Study DOI:10.4274/mnm.2024.24243 | 2025 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Dogan 2025 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ekitli 2022 Effects of a Cognitive-Behavioral–Integrated Musical Rhythms Intervention on Anger: A Randomized, Single-Blind Factorial Trial DOI:10.3928/02793695-20210916-02 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Erzincanli 2025 Effect of Listening to Music on Anxiety Levels of Nursing Students During Their First Experience with Intravenous Catheterization: A… DOI:10.14744/jern.2025.12316 | 2025 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Evangelista 2017 Effects of Classical Background Music on Stress, Anxiety, and Knowledge of Filipino Baccalaureate Nursing Students DOI:10.1515/ijnes-2016-0076 | 2017 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Eyuboglu 2021 Effect of music therapy on nursing students' first objective structured clinical exams, anxiety levels and vital signs: A randomized… DOI:10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104687 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Fuson 2012 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Gebhart 2020 Distraction‐focused interventions on examination stress in nursing students: Effects on psychological stress and biomarker levels. A… DOI:10.1111/ijn.12788 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Gosselin 2016 Music for Anxiety Reduction and Performance Enhancement in Nursing Simulation DOI:10.1016/j.ecns.2015.12.002 | 2016 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Gosselin 2024 Efficacy of 15-minute music intervention on nursing students' anxiety, self-efficacy, and performance in simulation testing: A randomized… DOI:10.1016/j.ecns.2024.101625 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Inangil 2020a Effectiveness of Music Therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique on Test Anxiety in Turkish Nursing Students: A Randomised Controlled Trial DOI:10.1016/j.eujim.2019.101041 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Inangil 2020b The Effect of Music Therapy and Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise on Anxiety Before the First Clinical Practice in Nursing Students:… PMID:34263213 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ince 2017 The effect of music listening on the anxiety of nursing students during their first blood draw experience DOI:10.1016/j.nedt.2017.02.009 | 2017 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Indira 2018 Effectiveness of music therapy on academic performance of nursing students DOI:10.4103/ijam.ijam_32_18 | 2018 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Istadi 2018 Students Who are Listening to Classical Music during Anatomic Identification Test Have Lower Stress Level DOI:10.30659/sainsmed.v9i2.3144 | 2018 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kavurmaci 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kavurmaci 2020 Effect of Music Therapy on Sleep Quality. PMID:31221932 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kim 2017 Effectiveness of 100 Beats per Minute Music on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Compression Rate Education: A Manikin Study DOI:10.1177/102490791702400102 | 2017 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kucukkaya 2024 The effect of listening to music and drawing on coping with dysmenorrhea complaints in nursing students: randomized controlled trial DOI:10.1186/s12905-024-03398-0 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kumari 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lai 2008 Randomized crossover trial studying the effect of music on examination anxiety DOI:10.1016/j.nedt.2008.05.011 | 2008 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Latha 2014 Effect of music on heart rate variability and stress in medical students DOI:10.4103/2348-8093.137409 | 2014 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Mojarrab 2020 The effect of a stress and anxiety coping program on objective structured clinical examination performance among nursing students in… DOI:10.1186/s12909-020-02228-9 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Pakis Cetin 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Song 2024 Effect of group impromptu music therapy on improving test anxiety and emotional regulation ability in medical students DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1467830 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Tastan 2017 The effects of music on the cardiac resuscitation education of nursing students DOI:10.1016/j.ienj.2016.06.007 | 2017 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Usta 2024 Evaluation of the effect of Mozart’s music on stress, anxiety, and dexterity levels of dental students in preclinical endodontic training… DOI:10.14744/tej.2024.97658 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Yao 2024 Research on the intervention effect of Five-Element Music combined with Eight-Section Brocade on depression among medical students in… DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1439713 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Yoo 2013 Effects of Passive Music Listening on Psychological Well-Being and Depression in Undergraduate Nursing Students DOI:10.5932/jkphn.2013.27.3.490 | 2013 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Undergraduate or postgraduate students in nursing, midwifery, medical or other health sciences programs | Health sciences students: nursing (n=24), medical (n=7), dental (n=2), midwifery (n=1); n=2841 |
| Intervention | Music interventions (pre-recorded or live music, improvisational group therapy) as a single intervention | Music medicine (n=21) and music therapy (n=13) interventions, 10 to 180 min |
| Comparison | No intervention, standard education, or alternative non-music intervention | Standard education or no intervention; drawing, aromatherapy, cold massage, exercise or other non-music controls in some studies |
| Outcomes | Primary: anxiety, stress, depression. Secondary: pain, fatigue, blood pressure, pulse/heart rate, academic outcomes (exam performance) | Anxiety (n=16 in meta-analysis), stress (n=3), depression (n=3), self-efficacy (n=2), sleep quality (n=2), pain (n=4), systolic and diastolic BP (n=5), pulse rate (n=10), academic performance (n=6) |
| Study designs | RCTs and controlled clinical trials with pre- and post-test measurement and a control group | RCTs and CCTs (34 studies; 29 in meta-analysis) |
| Timing | Not specified | Last post-intervention measurement |
AMSTAR 2 items
Two independent extractors rated each item. Their ratings are shown side by side because they have not been reconciled yet. The overall rating follows Shea et al. 2017: one critical flaw gives Low, more than one gives Critically Low.
| Item | Extractor A | Extractor B | Agree |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Research question includes PICO components | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 2Protocol established before the reviewcritical | Partial Yes | Partial Yes | yes |
| 3Choice of study designs explained | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 4Comprehensive literature searchcritical | Partial Yes | Yes | no |
| 5Study selection in duplicate | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 6Data extraction in duplicate | No | No | yes |
| 7List of excluded studies with reasonscritical | No | No | yes |
| 8Included studies described in detail | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 9Risk of bias assessed satisfactorilycritical | RCT: Yes · NRSI: Partial Yes | NRSI: Partial Yes · RCT: Yes | no |
| 10Funding of included studies reported | No | No | yes |
| 11Appropriate meta-analysis methodscritical | RCT: Yes · NRSI: No | NRSI: No · RCT: Yes | no |
| 12Impact of risk of bias on the pooled results | No | No | yes |
| 13Risk of bias accounted for in interpretationcritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 14Heterogeneity explained | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 15Publication bias investigatedcritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 16Conflicts of interest reported | Yes | Yes | yes |
| Overall | Critically Low | Critically Low | yes |