A Comprehensive Perspective on Gender Differences in Music Based Emotion Regulation Network

Background: Music plays a significant role in emotion regulation, exerting both positive and negative effects. The relationship between music-based emotion regulation, emotion regulation self-efficacy, and emotional symptoms is complex and influenced by gender.Methods: This study examined healthy and unhealthy music use, emotion regulation self-efficacy, and levels of depression, anxiety, and alexithymia among 16,588 Chinese university students (M_age = 19.82 years, SD = 1.78; 55% male, n = 9,128; 45% female, n = 7,460) through an online survey. Gender differences were investigated using a multi-step analytical framework combining independent-sample t-tests, regularized partial correlation network (RPCN) analysis, and network comparison tests (NCT).Results: Network comparison analyses revealed significant gender differences in both healthy and unhealthy music-use networks (all invariance tests, p < 0.05). In the healthy-use network, males demonstrated greater node strength for Difficulty Identifying Feelings (DIF, p = 0.001) and Despondency-distress Efficacy (DES, p < 0.001), whereas females exhibited higher node strength for Depression (p = 0.022). A similar pattern of male predominance in DIF (p = 0.005) and DES (p < 0.001) was observed in the unhealthy-use network.Conclusions: These findings underscore the significance of gender in music-based emotion regulation and highlight the need for gender-sensitive strategies in targeted interventions. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic interrelations between music use and emotional processes, offering valuable implications for theory, clinical practice, and the development of music-related digital tools and emotion regulation programs.

背景：音乐在情绪调节中发挥着重要作用，兼具积极与消极影响。基于音乐的情绪调节、情绪调节自我效能感与情绪症状之间的关联较为复杂，且受性别因素影响。
方法：本研究通过线上问卷调查，对16588名中国大学生（平均年龄M_age=19.82岁，标准差SD=1.78；其中男性占比55%，样本量n=9128；女性占比45%，样本量n=7460）的健康与非健康音乐使用行为、情绪调节自我效能感以及抑郁、焦虑和述情障碍（alexithymia）水平进行了考察。本研究采用结合独立样本t检验、正则化偏相关网络（RPCN）分析与网络比较检验（NCT）的多步分析框架，对性别差异展开探究。
结果：网络比较分析显示，健康与非健康音乐使用网络均存在显著的性别差异（所有不变性检验均p<0.05）。在健康使用网络中，男性在情绪识别困难（Difficulty Identifying Feelings，缩写DIF，p=0.001）与低落-痛苦效能感（Despondency-distress Efficacy，缩写DES，p<0.001）上展现出更高的节点强度，而女性在抑郁维度上的节点强度更高（p=0.022）。在非健康使用网络中，同样观察到男性在DIF（p=0.005）与DES（p<0.001）维度上占优势的相似模式。
结论：本研究结果凸显了性别在基于音乐的情绪调节中的重要性，并强调在针对性干预中需采用性别敏感型策略。本研究有助于更深入地理解音乐使用与情绪过程之间的动态关联，可为理论研究、临床实践以及音乐相关数字工具与情绪调节方案的开发提供重要参考。