Eudaimonic Music Listening: Psychometric Validation and Mediating Role in Coping

Eudaimonic experiences are crucial for understanding the music-well-being relationship, yet validated measures are scarce in non-WEIRD contexts. This study has two primary aims: (1) to translate, adapt, and validate the Eudaimonic Functions of Music Listening (EFML) scale for the Brazilian context, and (2) to test its mediating role between musical coping strategies and positive affect. A sample of 473 Brazilian adults completed questionnaires on the EFML, musical coping, and well-being. The validation process involved Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), while the mediation was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results supported a unidimensional, 9-item version (EFML-BR) with strong psychometric properties (χ²(27) = 73.88; CFI = 0.992; TLI = 0.989; RMSEA = 0.062; ω = 0.86). Critically, the EFML-BR fully mediated the relationship between avoidance coping and positive affect (β_indirect = 0.077, 95% CI [0.011, 0.149]). We conclude that eudaimonic music listening is not a direct cause of well-being, but the core mechanism that converts strategic musical distancing into genuine emotional flourishing.