Music improves academic performance

Listening to music while studying improves concentration THE STUDY explored the effect of music on intellectual functions, behavioural aspects, and emotional aspects on 191 nursing students.

A recent scientific study on the effectiveness of music therapy on the academic performance of first Year B.Sc nursing students of Narayana Nursing College in Nellore found that listening to music during study has positive effects on the concentration of students and leads to improved academic performance.

In the backdrop of various findings on the effect of music on intellectual functions, behavioural aspects, and emotional aspects of students, the study explored the role of music on these aspects of nursing students, said Dr Amit Agarwal, Department of Neurosurgery, Narayana Medical College, Nellore.

According to Dr Agarwal, data was collected using a questionnaire. Socio-demographic data, study habits, home related aspects, teacher-related aspects, and an academic performance rating scale was used to analyse the academic performance of the students.

The Instrumental flute and violin music with raag Shivaranjani and raag Mohana were administered to the experimental group using a comfortable headset; it took 10 minutes for each sample. Music therapy was withheld from the control group. A test was conducted on the 30th day in both intervention and control groups with the same tool to assess the effectiveness of music therapy.

Of the 191 participants, intervention arm in the music therapy group (91 nursing students) and in the control group (100 nursing students), the positive findings obtained were that listening to music during studying had positive effects on the concentration of students and improved academic performance.

The null hypothesis (H0) was that there is no statistical significance between academic performance and music therapy and the alternate hypothesis (H1) was that there is statistical significance between academic performance and music therapy.

The current study suggests that a sub-group of students can benefit when music is used as an intervention to improve academic performance, Dr Amit Agarwal said.

The core competencies addressed in the study include medical knowledge; practice-based learning and improvement; interpersonal and communication skills, he added.