Music Performance Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and the Effects of Self-Modeling on Young Musicians
Creators: name: MacAfee, Erin
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2021
Subjects: Music performance anxiety
Self-efficacy
Self-modeling
Music education
Young musicians

description: Public performance is often a central component of music education for young musicians, and the demands of performing in festivals, exams, auditions, and recitals can cause young performers to experience music performance anxiety (MPA: Boucher &amp; Ryan, 2011; Thomas &amp; Nettelbeck, 2014). The current dissertation explored MPA in young musicians from a variety of perspectives, using four main research purposes. The first article examined the relationship between MPA and self-efficacy in young musicians and investigated the extent to which gender moderates the relationships between MPA, age, and self-efficacy in young musicians (aged 7-17 years). The results of statistical analyses indicated that while gender did not moderate the relationship between age and MPA, age had a significant main effect on MPA. There was no significant difference between males’ and females’ levels of self-reported MPA. Additionally, there were no significant main effects of age or gender on self-efficacy, or an effect of gender on the relationship between age and self-efficacy. A strong negative relationship between self-efficacy and MPA indicates that students with low levels of self-efficacy are more likely to have high levels of MPA. Next, the MPA/self-efficacy and MPA/age-related findings from article one led to the second and third articles of this dissertation which investigated a self-modeling intervention designed to target MPA and self-efficacy in adolescent musicians. Article two examined the relational changes between MPA, self-efficacy, performance quality, and behavioural anxiety in five adolescent piano students over a six-week intervention. The study also explored the effects of a positive self-review self-modeling intervention on adolescent musicians using quantitative methods. Results indicated that the relational changes between MPA, self-efficacy, and performance quality are complex. There were no observed relationships between MPA and self-efficacy or performance, suggesting that MPA can have both debilitative and facilitate effects on these variables. Additionally, there was no relationship between MPA and behavioural anxiety, suggesting that students may appear less anxious than they feel. Finally, the results suggest that self-modeling has individual effects on musicians, meaning that self-modeling can provide teachers with a versatile strategy for reducing MPA, improving performance quality, and/or increasing performance confidence. Article three expanded on the self-efficacy results of article two and investigated how Bandura’s (1977) four sources of efficacy influenced self-efficacy beliefs in adolescent musicians within a six-week self-modeling intervention. The study also explored the effects of a positive self-review self-modeling intervention on musician self-efficacy using qualitative methods. Results indicated that mastery experience was most influential on self-efficacy beliefs in participants. Observing similarly skilled models, receiving positive feedback, and feeling calm or focused prior to performance increased self-efficacy in participants, while observing advanced models, making negative comparisons, and feeling anxious, distracted, or fatigued decreased self-efficacy. These results provide music teachers with several practical strategies that may facilitate stronger self-efficacy beliefs in students. Additionally, the self-modeling video increased self-efficacy when participants liked and related to their video or used the video to facilitate performance improvements, suggesting that both the performance and strategic functions of modeling may be beneficial to musicians. Finally, the fourth and final article of the dissertation explored MPA from music teachers’ perspectives by identifying and describing common coping strategies teachers use to support students with MPA. A quantitative content analysis of scientific and non-scientific MPA literature identified preparation, open communication, realistic expectations, exposure therapy, and deep breathing as the five most common coping strategies mentioned in the literature. Qualitative thematic analyses of literature and semi-structured interview transcripts with piano teachers provided descriptions of the five commonly identified strategies. A comparison of literature and interview results suggests a gap between research knowledge of MPA and practical teaching application. While music teachers employ a variety of strategies to help students cope with MPA, they may also benefit from formal MPA training opportunities grounded in research to provide additional resources for effectively managing students with MPA. The four articles of the dissertation combine to give an overview of MPA in young musicians from several different perspectives. Findings from article one help identify students who may be more at risk to suffer from MPA, while self-modeling findings from articles two and three provide musicians and teachers with a viable strategy to help reduce MPA and increase self-efficacy. Finally, given that teachers can act as a front-line defense against MPA (Liu, 2016), findings from article four help identify areas where researchers can provide teachers with further MPA training, which will in turn help fortify young musicians against MPA.