Adolescents and their music. Insights into the health of adolescents
E. F. Brown and W. R. Hendee
Group on Science and Technology, American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill 60610.
During adolescence, teenagers are expected to develop standards of behavior
and reconcile them with their perceptions of adult standards. In this
context, music, a powerful medium in the lives of adolescents, offers
conflicting values. The explicit sexual and violent lyrics of some forms of
music often clash with the themes of abstinence and rational behavior
promoted by adult society. Identification with rock music, particularly
those styles that are rejected by adults, functions to separate adolescents
from adult society. Some forms of rock music extend well beyond
respectability in fulfilling this definitional role. Total immersion into a
rock subculture, such as heavy metal, may be both a portrait of adolescent
alienation and an unflattering reflection of an adolescent's perception of
the moral and ethical duplicity of adult society. Physicians should be
aware of the role of music in the lives of adolescents and use music
preferences as clues to the emotional and mental health of adolescents.
