Name:Kyra Bonus

School/Affiliation:McMaster University

Co-Authors:Maya Flannery, Lauren Fink

Virtual or In-person:In-person

Abstract:

Music plays a central role in emotional and cognitive development, shaping regulatory processes from early life onward. While adaptive music engagement supports well-being, recent findings suggest that certain patterns of music listening may become maladaptive, particularly during sensitive developmental periods. The present research clarifies how maladaptive music listening (MML) has been conceptualized and evaluated in the literature, with special attention to its developmental framing. Study 1 employed a systematic PRISMA review and thematic analyses of definitions and measures of MML across four databases (JSTOR, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ProQuest). Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis of definitions revealed one overarching theme, "poor psychological health", encompassing sub-themes of "adolescence/youth", "externalizing problems", "internalizing problems", and "inefficient coping". Measures commonly assessed "interactions with music", "music preferences", and "engagement strategies". Notably, most measures were developed and validated exclusively with adolescent samples, leaving their generalizability to adult populations largely untested. Given the theoretical links between personality and emotional regulation, Study 2 conducted a meta-analysis on Big Five personality correlates of MML. Four studies (N = 2,225 total participants) met inclusion criteria. Only neuroticism was consistently examined, yielding a significant moderate association with MML (Fisher’s Z = 0.21 [0.16–0.25]), with no evidence of publication bias. These findings clarify concepts surrounding maladaptive music listening and highlight its importance within developmental trajectories---with the caveat that we raise critical questions about whether its apparent connection to adolescence reflects a genuine developmental phenomenon or an artefact of measurement. Nonetheless, understanding how early emotional and personality factors shape adaptive versus maladaptive music use may inform interventions that harness music’s potential to promote resilience and well-being.