Effects of Electronic Dance Music on Academic Performance among Medical Students: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Music always influences how a person thinks and communicates with others. Research on the relationship between music and education has been growing for several years. Some scholars suggest that listening to music may improve cognitive capabilities, while others believe that it may slow down complicated brain processes. Electronic dance music (EDM) is a subgenre of electronic music originally composed for use in bars, clubs and other venues that include dance-based amusement. Some scholars argue that EDM is a music style that benefits our brain activities, particularly their cognitive aspects. However, the use of EDM to enhance academic performance among students is still not widely practised globally. Furthermore, research on EDM usage among medical students is rarely conducted. Hence, this study aims to investigate EDM as a learning tool and discover whether it is helpful in improving medical students’ academic achievement and overall growth. The study consists of a narrative review conducted according to the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA). Literature searches were performed in the databases of PubMed, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar for the period between September 2012 and November 2022. The review revealed limited research on the use of EDM as an instrument to enhance academic performance among medical students. However, existing studies suggest that EDM may have cognitive benefits and positively influence brain activities, particularly in the cognitive domain. Although EDM is commonly associated with leisure and entertainment settings, its potential for learning remains underexplored in the context of medical education.