Two groups of students were exposed to the music.
The First group was comprised of 10 high school students, grade 9-12, ages 15-18. This group did not have any learning disabilities but were dealing with emotional issues such as anxiety and depression. They listened to the music over the course of a week and reported that the music had “calming” effects on them. One student reported that the music helped with falling asleep. Most all the students stated that the music had relaxing and calming effects on them. There were no reports that the music helped with focus. However, none of the students in this first group had learning issues.
The second group exposed to the music was comprised of two 5 th grade classes from an elementary school, age 11. Their teachers played the music to both classes. They reported that their students seemed to find the music relaxing. In addition, no one complained or said it was distracting which was likely due to the fact that it was played softly, as background music.
Few of the specific comments about the music were:
- A 5 th grade girl on an IEP (full program language/reading) felt she could pay attention more with the music. She liked it very much.
- A 5 th grade boy stated it kept him calm and “cool”.
- A 5 th grade girl reported feeling really focused, “this music helps me think…”
The teacher decided to keep playing the music in her class because she found it to be a positive influence on her students.
In conclusion, both groups found that “Everyday Happiness” music was both calming and relaxing while one student with a documented learning disability felt she could focus better.