Document Type : Original Article
Author
Art University of Tehran
Abstract
The students of Western classical music performance encounter different kinds of anxiety pressures. One of the most prevalent ones is music performance anxiety. Performance anxiety-the exaggerated and incapacitating fear of performing in public-is a widespread problem among musicians. It occurs frequently and can cause considerable distress. This fear afflicts individuals who are generally prone to anxiety, particularly in the situation of high public exposure or evaluation. Hence, with a cognitive over view, performance anxiety is like Test-anxiety and social phobia. Performance anxiety probably is as old as artistic performance itself, but psychological researches on it was started only about some decades ago. Studies have shown that high percentages of anxiety disorders are common among musicians during performance activities. Irrationality, perfectionism and catastrophic cognitions, are the main characteristic of musicians. Unfortunately, these are the main cognitive reasons of increasing fear which reduces success-ratio of performance. Fear of the negative evaluations, pessimistic self-talk, irrational beliefs and feeling of panic can seriously affect performance quality.
Conquering stress needs normal personal characteristics such as self positive evaluation. Self-esteem is a durable and stable evaluation of one's self and has been the subject of many researches of the recent decades. Research showed that the high level of this evaluation is an effective factor in the case of curing anxiety disorders.
This study investigates the correlation between performance anxiety and self-esteem in Western classical music instrumental performance students of University of Art. In this correlational-descriptive study, 120 performance students enrolled in second to eighth semester were selected in December 2016. The sample includes 59 female and 61 male (mean age = 21.6 years, SD=4) students. They had musical instruction for mean (SD) time of 9.29 (3.9) years. Demographic data were collected via self-reported component questionnaires. Furthermore, validated Osborne-Kenny music performance anxiety inventory questionnaires (15 questions) were used in order to assess the quantity of student’s performance anxiety. Then, the data were supported by validated Spielberg state-trait anxiety inventory (40 questions). Calculated Cronbach’s alpha showed high internal consistency reliability of both inventories (α= 0.9). Finally, the quantity of self-esteem was assessed by validate Cooper Smith Self-esteem inventory (58 questions) with high internal consistency (α= 0.8). The data were analyzed by SPSS-22 software, using descriptive statistical methods and Pearson correlation coefficient with significance level 0.05.
The results showed, the mean (SD) of student’s performance anxiety scores were assessed 47.8 (15.09) and state and trait anxiety scores were calculated in order 44.07 (14.4) and 43.2 (11.8). The mean (SD) of self-esteem scores was 31/5 (1.7). There was statically significant negative relationship between performance anxiety and self-esteem. In addition, the statically significant negative relationship between self-esteem and state-trait anxiety was found. With a deductive overview, results showed students’ self-esteem were considerably effective on performance anxiety. It means that the high levels of self-esteem can reduce the performance anxiety disorders. According the above mentioned, learning techniques of increasing self-esteem may be beneficial. Hence, it was recommended, a rehabilitation courses with the purpose of instructing these techniques in the educational period of Western classical music performance’s students to be hold.
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