The effects of preferred versus nonpreferred music with aerobic dancing on state anxiety of adolescent females

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of music and aerobics on state anxiety. Twenty-three adolescent females enrolled in girls sports at a middle school were subjects for the study. Using their preference ratings of 30 musical selections, the researcher ascertained whether the selections were preferred or nonpreferred. On the first day of the study, the subjects participated in an aerobics class with their nonpreferred music and, 10 days later, in an aerobics class with their preferred music. The subjects took Spielberger's (1970) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, State Form, as a pre, post, and follow-up test to each aerobics class. The data analysis of change scores of pre/post, pre/follow-up, and post/follow-up tests yielded no significant differences in state anxiety changes between the two conditions. However, according to a repeated measures t-test analysis, state anxiety was significantly reduced for the nonpreferred music condition.