Testing the beneficial effects of singing in a choir on mood and stress in a longitudinal study: The role of social contacts

Abstract

Choir singing has mood-enhancing and stress-reducing effects. However, most of the studies are cross-sectional, and longitudinal evidence on the nature of these effects is warranted. Especially as choir singing is a musical group activity, the question arises whether social factors influence these beneficial effects. A total of 44 healthy singers (mean age 22.98 ± 2.18 years) in an amateur student choir completed questionnaires regarding their current mood and experience of stress before and after each of a total of 13 choir sessions (two performances, two practice days, and nine regular rehearsals). Additionally, after each choir session, singers rated the quantity and quality of their social contacts within the choir by means of a social network map. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we found that singers reported better mood and lower stress after singing. Longitudinal analyses showed that these beneficial effects of singing fluctuated over time, decreasing in the run-up to the first performance and increasing thereafter. Likewise, they decreased after the practice days and increased thereafter. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of singing in a choir were not associated with social contacts within the choir. Singing in a choir had positive effects on mood and stress longitudinally. The type of choir session (rehearsal, practice day, performance) affected these beneficial effects. Social contacts within the choir might be more relevant in samples that specifically attend choirs to seek social contact.