Investigation of the Effects of Music-Accompanied Fitness Classes on Students' Performance and Motivation: An 8-Week Study

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of fitness classes accompanied by music on the performance and motivation of students in the Faculty of Sports Sciences. Music is known to influence emotional and physical responses during exercise, and this study investigated its impact within university-level sports education. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with repeated measures was used. The sample consisted of 180 students (male = 112, female = 68) at Kirikkale University. Of these, 90 students participated in fitness classes accompanied by music, while 90 students in the control group attended fitness classes without music. Data were collected using the Scale of Music’s Effect in Sports Applications (SUMEÖ). Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0, and differences between groups were analyzed using the independent samples t-test and ANOVA.  The findings revealed that students participating in music-accompanied fitness classes had significantly higher psychological resilience, physical strength and performance, and motivation scores compared to the control group during the fitness classes (p < 0.001). Effect size analyses showed variability across outcomes, with effects ranging from small to large during the intervention and tending to be low at the end of the intervention. The results indicate that music-accompanied fitness classes are effective in enhancing students’ motivation and performance. Incorporating music strategically into exercise programs can improve both physical and psychological engagement, and its use is recommended in sports and fitness training settings.