Emotion regulation through music listening, subjective stress, and problem-focused coping: Longitudinal results

Listening to music is a strategy used by many people to regulate mood and enhance subjective quality of life, in daily life and particularly during emotionally moving times. The present study examined whether listening to music for emotion regulation is associated with subjective stress (e.g., demands, COVID-19-related stress) and problem-focused coping (e.g., active coping, planning, seeking social support). Variables were assessed in a three-wave longitudinal study (with intervals of approximately 1 year) with 262 adults aged 30-80 years. Longitudinal effects were computed with latent growth models. The cross-sectional results showed that emotion regulation through music listening (ERtM) is correlated with subjective stress and the use of problem-focused coping. The longitudinal results showed that increases in ERtM are associated with increases in problem-focused coping and demands but not with COVID-19-related stress. This study provides cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence for the use of music in association with the use of intentional coping efforts during times of increased stress. The protective function, or the extent to which emotions successfully change through music listening, remains an open question.