Exploring the relationships among music performance anxiety, teaching anxiety, and self-efficacy of Chinese preservice music teachers

Abstract

This quantitative study aimed to explore the relationships among music performance anxiety (MPA), teacher anxiety (TA), and self-efficacy (SE) through a survey study of Chinese preservice music teachers (N = 237). We also examined gender, grade, primary instrument, secondary instrument, music learning time length, and time spent in four activities: peer teaching, practicum, internship, and private teaching as potential predictors of MPA, TA, and SE. Results indicated that the higher the self-efficacy, the lower music performance anxiety and teaching anxiety; Simultaneously, the increased music performance anxiety was associated with an increased teaching anxiety. Partial correlation results indicated a significant but negative correlation between TA and SE with MPA controlled. Teaching anxiety, followed by primary piano, was the strongest predictor of MPA. MPA, followed by SE and peer teaching, was the strongest predictor of TA. TA, followed by grade level, was the strongest predictor of SE. The results from the multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the SE of male preservice music teachers were significantly higher than their female counterparts. As a study implication, music teacher educators may consider interventions and support mechanisms that address both types of anxiety simultaneously to improve overall teacher preparedness.

Keywords: music performance anxiety; preservice music teachers; relationships; self-efficacy; teaching anxiety.