AI-Powered music therapy shows promise for student stress
NCT ID NCT07359950
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether listening to music with AI-generated verbal guidance that uses Eastern imagery can reduce anxiety and improve mood in Chinese university students. 123 participants were randomly assigned to music with AI guidance, standard relaxation guidance, or music alone for a single 25-30 minute session. Anxiety, emotions, and heart rate were measured before and after to see if the culturally adapted guidance made a difference.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Music listening with AI-generated verbal guidance
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, low-cost way to help young adults manage anxiety and stress using music and culturally tailored guidance.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-session study with no long-term follow-up. Results may not apply to other groups or real-world settings, and the effect may be small or no better than music alone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
123 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Oct 2025
- Finished
-
Jan 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 25 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 18 and 25 years at the time of enrollment. * Currently enrolled as a university student. * Able to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent. * Willing to participate in a single music listening session lasting approximately 25-30 minutes. * Able to complete self-report questionnaires before and after the intervention. Exclusion Criteria: * Self-reported history of diagnosed psychiatric disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders). * Current use of psychotropic medications that may significantly affect mood or anxiety. * Self-reported hearing impairment that could interfere with music listening. * Self-reported cardiovascular conditions or other medical conditions that could affect heart rate measurements. * Participation in other psychological or behavioral intervention studies within the past 30 days.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Anxiety are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Aba Teachers College
Aba, Sichuan, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can video games calm anxious teens?
- Can a group program teach teens to cope before therapy starts?
- Could a Patient's playlist take the sting out of nerve testing?
- Three spanish group sessions put a neuroscience twist on anxiety therapy
- Can a rewired EMDR therapy ease the mental toll of migration?
- Can yoga calm anxious minds and sharpen focus?