Date

8-20-2026

Department

School of Music

Degree

Doctor of Music Education (DME)

Chair

Hanna Byrd

Keywords

adolescent mental health, choral participation, choir, depression, anxiety, music education, Social Identity Theory

Disciplines

Educational Psychology | Music

Abstract

Adolescent anxiety and depression continue to present significant challenges for schools, prompting increased interest in educational experiences that may support students’ psychological well-being. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the relationship between participation in school-based choral ensembles and the mental health of adolescents. Grounded in Social Identity Theory, the study compared depression and anxiety symptoms between choir participants and nonparticipants and examined whether the length of choir participation was associated with these outcomes. Participants included 26 students enrolled in Grades 9-12 at a public high school in Mississippi. Data were collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7). Independent-samples t tests were conducted to compare depression and anxiety scores between groups, and Spearman rank-order correlations analyses examined relationships between the number of semesters in choir and mental health outcomes. Results indicated no statistically significant differences in depression or anxiety scores between choir participants and nonparticipants. A statistically significant positive correlation was identified between the number of semesters of choir participation and PHQ-A scores, whereas no significant relationship was found between semesters of choir participation and GAD-7 scores. Although the findings did not demonstrate that choir participation reduced symptoms of depression or anxiety, the study contributes quantitative evidence to the limited body of research examining adolescent mental health within school-based choral settings. The findings support continued investigation using larger and more diverse samples to further examine the potential role of school choral programs in promoting adolescent well-being.

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