Regional Music Engagement, Mental Wellbeing, and Social Connectedness among Undergraduate Students: A Psychological Study of Zubeen Gargs Music in Sivasagar District of Assam

Abstract

Music is widely recognized as an important contributor to emotional health, social relationships, and personal identity. Although a substantial body of research has examined the psychological benefits of music engagement, relatively little attention has been given to the role of regional popular music in influencing the well-being and social experiences of young adults, particularly within culturally distinctive settings. To address this gap, the present study explores how engagement with the music of Zubeen Garg relates to mental well-being, social connectedness, and fan identity among undergraduate students in Sivasagar district, Assam. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from 250 undergraduate students enrolled in twelve colleges through proportionate stratified random sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to measure listening engagement, mental well-being, social connectedness, and fan identity. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, independent-samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that students are actively engaged with Zubeen Garg's music and generally perceive it as contributing positively to their emotional well-being, cultural attachment, and social relationships. Significant positive associations were found among listening engagement, mental well-being, social connectedness, and fan identity. Regression analysis further showed that listening engagement, social connectedness, and fan identity were significant predictors of mental well-being, jointly accounting for 66% of the observed variation, with listening engagement emerging as the strongest predictor. Students who listened to his music more frequently also reported higher levels of perceived mental well-being. The findings suggest that regional popular music extends beyond entertainment by serving as a meaningful psychological, social, and cultural resource for young adults. By providing empirical evidence from Assam, the study enriches the literature on music psychology and media psychology and demonstrates the value of culturally rooted musical experiences in fostering student well-being, social connectedness, and cultural belonging.