Learning music helps young people flourish

Learning music helps young people flourish

• Music education is emerging as a wellbeing strategy to boost young people’s confidence and strengthen relationships.
• New ECU research calls for schools to treat learning music as essential for mental health, not just a nice-to-have activity.
• Experts say schools that fail to provide music education are missing a key opportunity to enhance student wellbeing and engagement.

A new study from ECU’s School of Education has found that learning music plays a critical yet often overlooked role in enhancing the wellbeing of children and adolescents, calling for a stronger focus on music education in schools and communities.

Led by experts from Edith Cowan University (ECU), the research systematically reviewed existing studies on music learning and its impact on wellbeing, revealing that learning music offers significant social, emotional and educational benefits for young people.

While music listening and participation have long been recognised for their positive effects on wellbeing, the study suggests that learning music amplifies these benefits.

Not just extracurricular

Lead author of the research, Dr Jason Goopy, said learning music can bring multiple benefits to children and adolescents.

“Music education in schools goes beyond music appreciation and learning an instrument,” Dr Goopy said.

“It can strengthen self-confidence, social connections and engagement in education.

“We found that music education can foster a sense of belonging, improve emotional awareness and encourage perseverance, all of which contribute to a young person's overall wellbeing.”

The review examined 30 international academic sources and found that almost all reported positive wellbeing outcomes associated with learning music.

Dr Goopy argues that these findings require us to rethink the place and purpose of music in schools.

“Our findings highlight the need for music education to be recognised as a needed wellbeing strategy in schools to support young people”, he said.

“Music classes should not be viewed as an ‘extracurricular option’. They are essential for supporting whole child development.”

The study identified three core wellbeing outcomes of music learning: individual, social and educational.

On an individual level, students reported improvements in self-confidence, emotional regulation and personal fulfillment.

Dr Goopy found music helped students build relationships, develop communication skills and foster a sense of belonging, as well as enhancing engagement and motivation to learn.

“Music learning creates opportunities for self-expression, collaboration and achievement, all of which contribute to students living well and healthy,” Dr Goopy said.

Building student wellbeing

The study identified effective approaches in promoting student wellbeing, including shared and active music making, creating musical products, context-specific artistic excellence and empowerment, and a secure and fun environment.

“At a time when mental health concerns for young people are increasing, it is crucial that schools take advantage of the powerful benefits that music education provides.”

Despite these findings, the study noted that large-scale investigations into the impact of music learning on wellbeing remain scarce, with most existing studies small in scale.

Dr Goopy also called for further interdisciplinary research to develop standardised methods of measuring wellbeing outcomes in music education.

“This research sends a clear message: learning music is more than just an artistic indulgence,” he said.

“It actively contributes to young people's ability to thrive.

“Every child needs access to quality, sequential and ongoing school music education delivered by confident and capable teachers.

“The opportunity to enhance wellbeing from learning music should be available to every child regardless of what school they attend.”

Goopy, J., & MacArthur, S. L. R. (2025). Music learning and school-aged children’s and adolescents’ wellbeing: A scoping review. Research Studies in Music Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X251323562