Cognitive and emotional benefits of piano training: effects on working memory and psychological well-being

The present study aimed to empirically assess how regular piano instruction over a six-month period could influence working memory capacity and subjective psychological well-being among students with no prior musical training. A total of 120 first- and second-year students from Peking University participated in the experiment. Outcomes were assessed using the Working Memory Index from the WAIS-IV and the short form of Carol Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale. Students in the piano training group exhibited significant improvements in both cognitive and emotional indicators. In the experimental group, mean working memory scores increased from 98.46 to 108.92 (p < 0.001, r = 0.61); concurrently, subjective well-being scores rose from 71.86 to 80.37 (p < 0.001, r = 0.61). The comparable magnitude of these changes suggests a parallel pattern of improvement, which warrants separate consideration and discussion. The results of the 2 × (2) mixed-design ANOVA revealed a significant Group × Time interaction: for working memory, F(1, 118) = 58.74, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.33; for psychological well-being, F(1, 118) = 71.26, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.38, with both effect sizes classified as large. These findings indicate an association between piano instruction and improvements in cognitive and emotional outcomes; however, this interpretation should be considered with caution given the limitations of the study design. Whether the observed effects are specific to piano training rather than to structured activity in general remains an open question and requires replication using an active control group.