Music Engagement and Mental Health
The relationship between music engagement and mental health is multifaceted. While many people intuitively think that playing music has a positive impact on their mental health and results from intervention studies promote this, larger population-based studies offer a more nuanced picture. Some suggesting that musicians may even actually experience higher rates of mental health issues. Research from our team has provided valuable insights by incorporating genetic factors into the analyses. We found that shared genetic factors influence both musical engagement and mood disorders, suggesting that genetic overlap can drive observed associations, even in the absence of causality. Most people do not necessarily play an instrument, but engage with music through listening. Building on our earlier work on the genetic links between playing music and mental health, we are now exploring the interplay between genetic and environmental factors in the relationship between music listening, mental health, and overall well-being.
Publications
Wesseldijk, L. W., Ullén, F., & Mosing, M. A. (under review). Does listening to music relate to mental health in the general population: a genetically informed approach. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports.
Bratchenko A., Xia P., Boomsma D.I., Mosing M.A., Ullén, F., Wesseldijk, LW. (2025). Music style preferences and well-being: A genetic perspective. Personality and individual differences, 241,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113162
Wesseldijk L.W. Mosing M.A., Lu, Y., Karlsson, R., Ullén, F., & Mosing, M. A. (2023). A comprehensive investigation into the genetic relationship between music engagement and mental health. Translational psychiatry, 13(1), 15.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02308-6
Gaston E., Ullén F., Wesseldijk L.W. & Mosing M.A. (2024). Can flow proneness be protective against mental and cardiovascular health problems? A genetically informed prospective cohort study. Translational Psychiatry, 13;14(1):144. doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-02855-6
Wesseldijk, L. W., Ullén, F., & Mosing, M. A. (2019). The effects of playing music on mental health outcomes. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 12606.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49099-9
Theorell, T. P., Lennartsson, A. K., Mosing, M. A., & Ullén, F. (2014). Musical activity and emotional competence - a twin study. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 774.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00774
Researchers
