Are the Kids Alright? Music’s Role in Adolescent Development
I have loved music of all kinds as long as I can remember. My children learned the tunes and words to blues, rock, country, and pop songs along with their nursery rhymes and Disney movie soundtracks. Imagine my surprise when, as my children entered their teens, music became a source of conflict between us. I had to stop and evaluate my reaction the day the clichéd parental lament passed through my lips: “Why do you insist on listening to that awful music?!?!?”
An interesting article written by Saarikallio and Erkkilä, researchers in Finland, suggests that music may actually support the psychosocial development of adolescents and be a useful tool in mood regulation. The development of Music Therapy as a treatment modality reflects the belief that music can improve mood, which in turn may assist coping ability and recovery. Adolescence can be an especially trying time; it makes sense that music can function as a tool for coping with the stresses associated with navigating this stage of development. Saarikallio and Erkkilä’s research identifies four areas where music can play a role in teens’ development:
1. First, teens may work on constructing their adult identities and self knowledge through choosing music that reflects their uniqueness.
2. Second, by choosing what music to listen to and learn, they are assuming control of their environment and 
achieving mastery, which effects self esteem.
3. Third, music plays a role in interpersonal growth by helping teens in establishing an identity independent from their parents while developing a sense of belonging within their peer groups.
4. Lastly, the emotional outlet of listening to music offers opportunities for self-reflection, may help in identifying feelings, and may offer a distraction from daily concerns as well as enjoyment and pleasure.
Music is an important mood regulator in humans. Daniel Levitin, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal, notes how the amygdala, the fear center of the brain, is activated by music we don’t like, and how dopamine, a neurotransmitter that influences the brain’s reward center, is released in response to hearing music we do enjoy. An MTV Youth Culture report suggests that 65% of young people around the globe use music to reduce stress. Saarikallio and Erkkilä ound that mood improvement and mood control can be achieved through a number of different strategies. Music can be used purely as entertainment, to create a positive atmosphere. It can be used for renewal, energizing or promoting relaxation. In an adolescent’s search for emotional experience, music can provide intense sensations. Music can offer a diversion from unpleasant ideas and emotions. It can be an outlet for emotional discharge as well. Music can induce contemplation and self-assessment. For some, music is a source of solace, offering teens a sense of acceptance, belonging, and understanding. These functions may frequently overlap.
Understanding this, will I attempt to learn to appreciate all the music my kids listen to? Not as long as my fear centers are being activated! I may, however, use talking about music as a way to open dialogue with my kids and clients about how they are coping with the changes and challenges of adolescence. Finding out what they like to listen to, why, and what meanings they make of their musical experiences could offer insight into their lives that might otherwise be elusive. As stated by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence, and whereto."
Sources: Hendon, C. & Bohon, (2007). Hospitalized children's mood differences during play and music therapy. . 34(2), 141 – 144.
Saarikallio and Erkkilä (2007).The role of music in adolescents' mood regulation. Psychology of Music. 35: 88-109
Author: Lori Standish, St. Joseph's College
