Substance use references in college students’ diverse personal music libraries predicts substance use behavior

Erin Morris Miller,Brian M Kelley,Christian Midgett,Chelsea Parent,Peter Walla

doi:10.1080/23311908.2016.1220446

Erin Morris Miller, Brian M Kelley + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2016.1220446

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Abstract

AbstractAims: Musical preferences have been associated with substance use, but research has not fully considered the effect of the changes in music consumption in the digital age. We examined the effect of self-chosen music on substance use behaviors. Methods: Sixty college-age students volunteered to participate in exchange for class credit. Self-reported substance use behavior, sensation seeking, and school commitment were measured through surveys. Music preferences were assessed through self-report of the top 20 most played songs from each participant’s digital music devices. Each song was evaluated for references to substance use. Findings: Song and genre choices in private digital collections varied widely. Listening to music with a greater number of references to substance use was associated with greater reported substance use behaviors. Conclusion: The relationship between substance use and music preference in this study of idiosyncratic music libraries remains consistent with previous research tha...

Highlights

Substance use among adolescents and emerging adults is a major concern on college and university campuses (Arria, Caldeira, Bugbee, Vincent, & O’Grady, 2013; Hingson, Zha, & Weitzman, 2009).ABOUT THE AUTHORSDrs Brian M
The relationship between references to substance use in personal music libraries and substance use behaviors confirmed the findings of previous research
The relationship between musical choice and substance use is informative but many different mechanisms may be at play

Summary

Introduction

Substance use among adolescents and emerging adults is a major concern on college and university campuses (Arria, Caldeira, Bugbee, Vincent, & O’Grady, 2013; Hingson, Zha, & Weitzman, 2009).ABOUT THE AUTHORSDrs Brian M. Substance use among adolescents and emerging adults is a major concern on college and university campuses (Arria, Caldeira, Bugbee, Vincent, & O’Grady, 2013; Hingson, Zha, & Weitzman, 2009). Dr Kelley is a neuropsychologist specializing in substance use and abuse and public mental health. Dr Miller is an educational psychologist specializing in intelligence and creativity. Chelsea Parent and Christian Midgett graduated from Bridgewater College in 2014. Parent recently completed a master’s program in education and human development from George Washington University. Midgett currently works in the management development program at GEICO. This research began through a program designed to involve undergraduate psychology majors in smallscale research projects studying substance use and abuse on campus. Other projects involved cognitive modeling of conceptions of substance abuse and a study of stress and substance use

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