Exploring the therapeutic effects of emotion equalization app during daily walking activities

Mobile apps and games are discovered to be some forms of therapeutic tools for improving emotion. In this study, we explored the therapeutic effects of integrating music and digital devices into daily walking activities. We aimed to determine whether subjects experienced therapeutic effects when listening to proposed music during their walks in an uncontrolled setting. Through this study, we are able to analyze the emotion changes for the pre- and post-tests using Russell’s model and identify the most effective method for generating a playlist that improves the emotions of the subjects. We recruited forty undergraduate students who used an app to listen to proposed music playlists during their walks. The results showed that the energy level and mood of the songs influenced the walking distance of the participants. Additionally, there were positive changes in the arousal and valence values of the subjects after listening to the music. The Angry quadrant was found to be the most powerful area for generating therapeutic music. These findings provide us an idea of the use of music and digital devices into daily activities for therapeutic purposes.