Music preferences, listening purposes, perfectionism and substance use in Egyptian college students: a cross-sectional study

Music plays an important role in psychological experiences, social interaction, and identity development, particularly among youth and young adults. This study examined associations between music preferences, listening contexts, and purposes with psychological traits, including perfectionism and substance use tendencies, among Egyptian college students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 Egyptian students aged 18–24. Data were collected via face-to-face and online questionnaires, which assessed music listening behaviours (based on a revised Music Preference Questionnaire), drug use tendencies, and perfectionism using the Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS). Exploratory bivariate analyses were performed using chi-square tests and independent t-tests to examine group differences and associations. Rap music preference was significantly more common among male students (p < 0.001) and, when listened to in social contexts such as parties or peer gatherings, was associated with higher substance use tendency scores (p = 0.002). Preference for Egyptian folk music was also associated with higher substance use tendency (p < 0.001), whereas classical Arab music preference was associated with lower substance use tendency (p = 0.03). Male students scored significantly higher than females in socially prescribed perfectionism (p = 0.028) and across subcomponents of narcissistic perfectionism, including entitlement, hypercriticism, grandiosity, and other-oriented expectations. Music preferences and listening contexts were associated with distinct psychological and behavioural patterns among Egyptian college students. Certain music genres and social listening contexts showed consistent associations with substance use tendency, while gender differences were observed in perfectionism dimensions. These findings underscore the relevance of music-related behaviours as correlates of psychological traits and support further longitudinal research to clarify directionality and underlying mechanisms.