Development and Acceptability of a Theory-Based and Music-Enhanced Emotion Regulation Program for University Students: A Cross-National European Study

Musical engagement, including actively listening or participating in music-making experiences, fosters socio-emotional development, emotion regulation, and the overall health and well-being of individuals across the lifespan. Further, musical care offers the context for practices that are inclusive and accessible beyond traditional health care environments. Building on musical care principles, the current study explores the acceptability of a music-based emotion intervention program as a form of musical care that holds the potential to ensure equal access for marginalized groups, such as students with learning difficulties, who are a growing population but often do not enjoy the same opportunities as their peers. Developed to be integrated into the academic curriculum across four European countries, the current program is built on the increasingly recognized importance of socio-emotional development as a crucial component of a comprehensive education, vital for students’ academic and career success. Findings from this applicability study provide emerging evidence that multimodal, music-enhanced psychoeducational programs can be both acceptable and beneficial for university students as they help them navigate complex emotional states. Across countries, students consistently reported high levels of satisfaction, enjoyment, and perceived relevance of the course content as evidenced by the high overall acceptability scores. Further, the app was perceived as usable and accessible across diverse user groups, with minimal barriers related to demographics, academic background, or disability status. These results are promising, as they indicate that the design, content, and implementation of the project is well aligned with the needs and requirements of university students with different geographical, cognitive, and cultural backgrounds. Recommendations for future research and policy focus on further developing music-enhanced universal psychosocial programs to enhance mental and social well-being of individuals with diverse needs.