Film-Based Music Therapy With AI-Generated Verbal Guidance for Anxiety in Young Adults

Summary

This study aims to examine whether music-based relaxation combined with different types of verbal guidance can help reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being in young adults.

University students often experience high levels of stress related to academic demands and daily life. Music listening is commonly used as a simple and safe method to promote relaxation. In addition to music itself, verbal guidance during music listening may influence how individuals imagine, interpret, and emotionally respond to the music experience.

In this study, participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group listens to music accompanied by verbal guidance generated by a large language model and designed to reflect Eastern aesthetic imagery. A second group listens to music with standard relaxation guidance commonly used in music therapy. A third group listens to relaxing music without any verbal guidance. Each participant takes part in a single music listening session lasting approximately 25-30 minutes.

Levels of anxiety, positive and negative emotions, and heart rate are measured before and after the music session. By comparing the results across the three groups, this study seeks to better understand whether culturally adapted verbal guidance can enhance the effects of music-based relaxation for young adults.

Conditions

• Anxiety
• Psychological Stress
• Emotional Regulation

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Music Listening With AI-Generated Eastern Imagery Verbal Guidance

Participants listen to a curated music program accompanied by verbal guidance generated by a large language model. The verbal guidance is designed to evoke Eastern aesthetic imagery and is delivered by a researcher during a single 25-30 minute music listening session in a quiet setting.

BEHAVIORAL

Music Listening With Standard Verbal Guidance

Participants listen to music accompanied by standard relaxation-oriented verbal guidance commonly used in music therapy practice. The guidance is delivered during a single 25-30 minute music listening session in a quiet setting.

BEHAVIORAL

Music-Only Relaxation

Participants listen to relaxing music without any verbal guidance during a single 25-30 minute session in a quiet setting.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Wen Li

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Wen Li, PhD · Aba Teachers College

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-10-01

Primary Completion

2026-01-30

Completion

2026-01-30

Countries

• China

Study Locations