The Role of Music in Emotional Regulation and Mental Health in Musical Theatre

An interdisciplinary approach that explores the artistic, psychological, and sociological aspects of musical theatre.

Lilac Y.C. Toh

PME 896: Capstone

Queen’s University

November 17, 2024

Minds On

Word Cloud

Music &

The Brain

Music &

Mental Wellbeing

Additional Resources

Importance of

Musical Theatre Programs

Agenda

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Rose, Bud, and Thorn

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How Music Affects the Brain

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The Science Behind It All

The Science Behind It All

• When listening to music, our brain function is stimulated and increased

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• It is a mood booster! Has a beneficial effect on brain chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin (Warren, 2008).

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• It strengthens the visual, auditory, and motor cortices

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• Increases activity in the corpus callosum, which leads to effective problem-solving skills

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• When paired with literacy, music can enrich vocabulary and speaking skills (Woodall & Ziembroski, 2012).

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• Connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, �as well as linguistic and mathematical precision�(Warren, 2008).

Your Brain On Music

Please follow the link below for a more in-depth analysis:

https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/your-brain-on-music/

(University of Central Florida, 2019).

(University of Central Florida, 2019).

(University of Central Florida, 2019).

(University of Central Florida, 2019).

Flow Theory

• When students are focused on a task (in this case, an artistic experience), this can lead to them experiencing what Csikszentmihalyi (1990) described as “Flow State”

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• “A state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).

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• When one is experiencing Flow, you have:
• Complete concentration on the task at hand
• A balance between challenge and skills
• A feeling of control over the task
• Time appears to speed up and slow down
• A rewarding experience

Your Brain On Flow

• In a state of Flow, the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for higher cognitive functions (memory, self-reflective consciousness, and temporal integration) has been known to temporarily down-regulate in a process called transient hypofrontality (Dietrich, 2003).

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• This may lead to feelings of distorted time and loss of inner critic

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• The graph on the right shows how an optimal Flow state is created when people engage in an activity that is not too easy to be boring, and not too challenging to elicit anxiety

Your Brain On Flow

• Researchers have found a negative correlation between flow and neuroticism and a positive correlation between flow and conscientiousness (Ullén et al., 2012).

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• Flow allows more brain areas to communicate freely and engage in the creative process (Dietrich, 2004).

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• Gruber, Gelman, & Ranganath (2014), hypothesize that Flow state is related to the brain’s dopamine reward circuitry, as the state of curiosity is amplified during Flow

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• Students can engage in Flow experiences as a collective. This promotes communication, team-building skills, and metacognition and self-reflective practices

What is your motivation behind Flow State?

Music and Wellbeing

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70%

75%

Did You Know?

of mental health problems have their onset during childhood and adolescence (YMHC, 2019).

of children with mental disorders do not access specialized treatment service (YMHC, 2019).

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Canada’s youth suicide rate is one of the highest in the industrialized world, with Inuit youth at 11 times the national average.

These findings were taken pre-pandemic.

Regulating Emotions

With Music

• Music can help us connect to our feelings and to the feelings of others (Heshmat, 2019).

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• Guided listening and imagery increases positive thinking

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• Assists in relieving stressors and promotes mindfulness (Kukkonen, 2021).

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• Helps us to develop, explore, and empower our individual identities (Kukkonen, 2021).

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• While music can boost one’s immune system, the benefits of listening to music as a distraction are temporary

The Importance of Musical Theatre Programs

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WHY Should We Have Musical Theatre Programs In Schools?

Creative Problem Solving Abilities

Improves Brain Concentration

Confidence and Leadership Skills

Rooted In

Work-Based Learning

Time Management Skills and Self-Discipline

Provides a Safe Community Space

Creative Problem

Solving Abilities

Improves Brain Concentration

• Creative processes which are used to solve problems can be applicable to many jobs. Musical theatre work involves identifying problems and evaluating potential solutions (Carton, 2022).
• These come up across all fields of musical theatre: Directing, acting, playwriting, stage management, backstage crew, tech crew, and more

• Students will be focused on their goals when memorizing their cues and retaining new knowledge
• It can help them develop sustainable concentration of their mind and body (Long Island High School for the Arts, 2021).
• These skills can be applied to other subjects at school

Time Management Skills

and Self-Discipline

Confidence and Leadership Skills

• Punctuality and organization are essential learning skills
• Students involved in extracurriculars learn to balance their rehearsal schedule with their academics, and take responsibility for any missed school work they might have throughout the rehearsal and performance process (Carton, 2022).

• Musical Theatre training and The Arts participation involves putting yourself out there and working outside of your comfort zone
• Teaches you to build confidence, develop a growth mindset, and learn how to handle challenging situations (Joubert, 2021).

Rooted In

Work-Based Learning

Provides a Safe Community Space

• Allows students to view the possible career options that one can have �(Carton, 2022).
• All roles play an important part in the success of a show. Students can observe first-hand how each role depend on each other in order for a production to run smoothly
• Portrays The Arts as a prospective career, rather than just “a hobby”

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• Musical Theatre provides a space for students of different learning backgrounds to come together and work towards one common goal
• Students find an outlet for individual expression while collaborating with students they may not encounter in their regular classes
• Opportunities for older grade students to mentor and provide support to younger grades and newcomer students

Additional Resources

Student Resources

• Self-Care and Gratitude Check �Wellness tips from Synergy Music Therapy and Wellness Services
• Mental Wellness Reminders �Free downloadable graphics and posters

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Teacher Resources

• Attached at the Root �Trauma Informed Classroom Spaces, teacher resources & workshop offerings
• Supporting Youth Mental Health in and Through the Arts�By Dr. Tiina Kukkonen of Queen’s University
• Nurturing student creativity through assessment for learning in music classrooms�By Dr. Benjamin Bolden and Dr. Christopher DeLuca of Queen’s University
• Music and Literacy infographic

References

Bolden, B., & DeLuca, C. (2022). Nurturing student creativity through assessment for learning in Music Classrooms. Research Studies in Music Education, 44(1), 273–289. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103x211054793

Carton, L. (2022, June 2). Department of Theatre and Dance. 25 Life Skills Learned in Theatre. https://theatreanddance.appstate.edu/students/prospective-students/25-life-skills-learned-theatre

Cook, T., Roy, A. R., & Welker, K. M. (2017). Music as an emotion regulation strategy: An examination of genres of music and their roles in emotion regulation. Psychology of Music, 47(1), 144–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735617734627

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Dietrich, A. (2004). Neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the experience of flow. Consciousness and Cognition, 13(4), 746-761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2004.07.002��Gruber, M.J., Gelman, B.D., & Ranganath, C. (2014). States of curiosity modulate hippocampus-dependent learning via the dopaminergic circuit. Neuron, 84(2), 486-496. https://doi.org/10.1016.j.neuron.2014.08.060 ��Heshmat, S. (2019, September 2). 7 effective ways to regulate emotion with music. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/science-choice/201909/7-effective-ways-regulate-emotion-music#:~:text=People%20use%20music%20to%20improve,thereby%20activating%20a%20relaxation%20response ��Joubert, S. (2021, March 22). 5 Benefits of Musical Theatre. London Singing Institute. https://www.londonsinginginstitute.co.uk/5-benefits-of-musical-theatre-lessons/

References

Kukkonen, T. (2021). Supporting Youth Mental Health in and through the Arts. English Language Arts Network. ��Long Island High School for the Arts. (2021, August 5). Why Musical Theatre Classes are Important. https://www.longislandhighschoolforthearts.org/blog/why-musical-theatre-classes-are-important/

Ullén, F., de Manzano, Ö., Almeida, R., Magnusson, P. K., Pedersen, N. L., Nakamura, J., … & Madison, G. (2012). Proneness for psychological flow in everyday life: Associations with personality and intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 52(2), 167-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.10.003��University of Arizona Global Campus. (n.d.). How does music affect your brain? https://www.uagc.edu/blog/how-does-music-affect-your-brain ��University of Central Florida. (2019, October 30). Music and the brain: What happens when you're listening to music. https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/your-brain-on-music/ ��Warren, J. (2008). How does the Brain Process Music? Clinical Medicine, 8(1), 32-36).��Woodall, L., Ziembroski, B. (2012). Promoting Literacy Through Music. https://www.songsforteaching.com/lb/literacymusic.htm ��Youth Mental Health Stats in Canada. Youth Mental Health Canada. (2019). https://ymhc.ngo/resources/ymh-stats/

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Thanks for Listening!

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