2026/05/29 by Avnish Shukla, Bhaven N. Tandel, Chintaman Bari · 1 voice
Health Professions · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Noise Effects and Management #Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics #Music Therapy and Health
paper · doi:10.1080/23748834.2026.2673765
openalex publication_date 2026/05/29 · openalex created_date 2026/05/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/14
Noise is an increasingly recognized environmental stressor affecting the cognitive and psychological development of school children. However, existing studies often examine isolated outcomes without integrating exposure pathways and underlying mechanisms. This study presents a systematic review to synthesize existing evidence on the impact of noise exposure in educational environments. Review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, with studies identified from major databases and analyzed using thematic synthesis; study quality and evidence certainty were assessed using the Newcastle – Ottawa Scale and GRADE framework, respectively. Findings indicate that noise levels in traffic-exposed schools, frequently exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended limits. Exposure to elevated noise levels is consistently associated with reduced attention, impaired memory, decreased speech intelligibility, and increased psychological stress among students. The magnitude of these effects varies depending on noise characteristics, age group, and socio-economic context. Overall, the evidence highlights the need for context-specific noise mitigation strategies, improved classroom acoustic design, and integration of noise control measures into urban planning and school infrastructure. Unlike prior reviews, this study integrates noise sources, exposure characteristics, and underlying mechanisms into a unified conceptual framework, enabling a pathway-based understanding of how environmental noise influences children’s cognitive and psychological outcomes.