Orchestrating Success: Music Proficiency, Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health in Young Adulthood

Lucia Mangiavacchi (), Luca Piccoli and Giulia Gambardella
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Lucia Mangiavacchi: University of Perugia
Giulia Gambardella: University of Perugia

No 18064, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper estimates the long-term causal effects of music proficiency on emotional intelligence and mental health. Leveraging the staggered rollout of a school orchestra program as a quasi-experimental setting, we identify the causal impact of adolescent musical engagement. Our findings reveal that music training significantly improves both emotional intelligence and mental health into young adulthood. Specifically, musical proficiency fosters key non-cognitive traits, including self-motivation, optimism and adaptability, while also mitigating symptoms of poor mental health, including depression and anxiety. These positive effects are particularly pronounced for males and second-generation migrants. Our evidence demonstrates that learning music has a lasting positive impact on non-cognitive skills, suggesting that universal educational music programs can be a powerful, long-term tool for human capital development and inequality reduction.

Keywords: transition to adulthood; mental health; emotional intelligence; music training; extracurricular activities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D91 I24 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cul, nep-hea, nep-lab and nep-neu
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