School principals’ use of music for mood regulation: associations with stress and emotional demands at work

Purpose This study examines how using music-based mood regulation is associated with school principals’ work demands and stress. Although music has been identified as a resource for mood regulation, its use among educational leaders remains unexplored. Design/methodology/approach Using cross-sectional survey data from the Finnish Principal Barometer (N = 323), the study assessed work demands, stress, and burnout with selected scales from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Music-based mood regulation was assessed with the Brief Music in Mood Regulation scale, both as a composite score and as separate strategies. Associations were examined using stepwise regression analyses, and hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to identify distinct music use profiles. Findings Higher emotional demands at work and greater somatic stress were associated with more frequent use of music for mood regulation. Principals’ music use was more strongly aligned with constructive mood regulation than with emotional venting or distraction. Notably, this pattern was also common among principals reporting higher stress. Practical implications The findings suggest that music may represent an accessible, low-threshold coping resource for educational leadership professionals. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it examines music-based mood regulation among educational leaders, a professional group not previously studied in this context. Second, it complements previous work by analysing seven distinct mood-regulation strategies in relation to work demands and stress, providing a differentiated picture of how music use is embedded in demanding professional roles.