Validation of the Chinese version of the adaptive functions of music listening scale among Chinese university students

As global digital streaming and mobile device usage continue to embed music deeper into everyday life—with individuals aged 16 to 64 averaging 20.7 hours of weekly listening—psychologists are increasingly focused on why people turn to music and how those habits influence mental health. Addressing a notable gap in cross-cultural psychological assessment, a team of researchers from Shandong Normal University and the Weifang Institute of Technology has successfully validated the Chinese version of the Adaptive Functions of Music Listening Scale (AFML). Published in Frontiers in Psychology, the comprehensive study evaluates the psychological properties of the scale among thousands of university students, providing a robust instrument for future mental health research and campus counseling frameworks.

Study Methodology and Participant Demographics

The validation project was launched to address the lack of multidimensional assessment tools capable of measuring the complex, everyday psychological uses of music within Chinese cultural frameworks. To ensure statistical power and minimize sampling bias, the research team recruited a large sample of 2,829 first- and second-year university students from the Weifang Institute of Technology in Shandong, China. The cohort comprised 1,454 first-year students and 1,375 sophomores, with a balanced gender distribution and a demographic profile reflecting the broader Han-majority population.

Data collection took place during standardized 45-minute computer lab sessions, where participants completed self-report batteries under supervised conditions. The study achieved a high participation rate of 96.8% among contacted students. Prior to the main survey administration, the research team conducted a rigorous translation-back-translation procedure. Bilingual psychology professors evaluated the items for semantic and conceptual equivalence, followed by cognitive pilot interviews with ten university students to ensure age-appropriate clarity and cultural comprehension.

Psychometric Evaluation and Factor Structure

To establish the structural validity of the Chinese AFML, the full dataset was randomly split into a calibration sample (n = 1,414) and an independent cross-validation sample (n = 1,415). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) performed on the calibration sample initially evaluated the original 46-item, 11-factor structure developed by Western researchers Michael Groarke and Alison Hogan.

While the initial model demonstrated strong overall fit, item 37 ("When listening to music, I do not admire the talent of the performers") yielded a standardized factor loading of 0.317, falling below the predetermined threshold of 0.40. Guided by both statistical criteria and theoretical alignment regarding the subscale’s core focus, the research team removed the item. A subsequent re-estimation of the revised 45-item, 11-factor model demonstrated exceptional fit indices (CFI = 0.980, TLI = 0.978, RMSEA = 0.018, SRMR = 0.020). Independent cross-validation using the second subsample successfully replicated these results, confirming the structural stability of the instrument. Furthermore, multi-group confirmatory factor analyses verified scalar measurement invariance across gender and formal musical training experience, permitting valid mean-level group comparisons.

Gender and Musical Training Differences

The study revealed notable differences in how various demographic segments utilize music. Independent-samples t-tests demonstrated that female students scored significantly higher than male students across all 11 AFML dimensions, a finding that aligns with prior psychological literature suggesting women exhibit heightened emotional and social responsiveness to music.

Similarly, students with three or more years of formal training in singing or playing an instrument reported significantly higher endorsement of adaptive music-listening functions compared to peers with less training. Researchers attribute this to enhanced auditory perception, greater emotional sensitivity, and more sophisticated cognitive processing fostered by long-term musical engagement. However, researchers noted that the effect sizes for these demographic variations were modest (Cohen’s d ranging from 0.13 to 0.28), indicating that while statistical differences exist, the underlying human reliance on music remains broadly shared.

Affective, Social, and Cognitive Implications

Beyond psychometric validation, the study investigated criterion validity by examining how the 11 AFML subscales associate with positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction, and perceived social support. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses uncovered complex patterns: while adaptive dimensions such as anger regulation, anxiety regulation, and strong emotional experiences positively predicted positive affect and social connection, maladaptive dimensions revealed contrasting outcomes.

Specifically, musical rumination—the habit of using music to dwell on sad or anxious feelings—exhibited a consistently maladaptive profile, predicting higher negative affect alongside lower life satisfaction and reduced perceived social support. Conversely, identity-related music listening was associated with higher positive affect and life satisfaction, but also correlated with increased negative affect, reflecting the emotional turbulence and self-exploration characteristic of emerging adulthood.

Implications for Campus Mental Health and Future Directions

The validation of the Chinese AFML provides educators, psychological counselors, and clinical practitioners with a sophisticated diagnostic tool to better understand how young adults process stress and emotion through sound. Given that emerging adulthood is a critical window marked by academic pressure, social adaptation, and identity formation, the findings underscore the dual nature of music engagement.

While purposeful music listening can serve as an accessible, low-cost resource for emotional regulation and resilience, habitual rumination through music can exacerbate distress. Researchers emphasize that campus mental health initiatives should move beyond generalized wellness messaging to help students recognize their listening habits, encouraging active, adaptive engagement while mitigating maladaptive cycles. Future research will need to expand beyond university cohorts to evaluate longitudinal reliability and test the scale across diverse age groups and broader cultural settings.