The Effect of Orchestral Activity on the Violence and Depression of Middle Schoolers

The purpose of this study was to confirm the effect of orchestra activities on violence and depression among the students at S Middle School in the Gyeonggi area, comparing a group that participates in orchestra activities(n=74) and a group that does not engage in any musical activities (n=52). To select participants, we asked middle schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi area to participate in the study, focusing on schools that operate orchestras. As a result, S Middle School agreed to participated in this study, and every study procedure was conducted by the researcher by visiting the school in person with the consent of the school, parents, and students in advance. The results of this study are as follows. First, the group performing orchestral activities was found to have significantly lower levels of violence (t=-3.92, p>0.5) and depression (t=-3.34, p>0.5) than the group not engaging in any musical activities. Second, there was a strong correlation between violence and depression among middle school students (r=.53). Third, participants pointed out that the satisfaction level of orchestra was high, and ‘stress relief’ and ‘emotional stability’ were the most effective results of the orchestra's activities, followed by ‘enjoying performance’ and ‘improving musical ability’.