The purpose of the study in question was to investigate the relationship between academic performance and test anxiety. Empirical literature and previous research indicated that a higher level of test anxiety might be a predictor of lower grades among the students who suffer from it. The hypothesis of the study based on previous findings was that there would be an inverse correlation between the level of test anxiety and academic performance. The main goal of the study was to investigate this relationship in large samples of students.
The study was designed to determine causality between the level of test anxiety and average grades of a student. The researchers studied a sample of students consisting of about 5500 students majority of whom were undergraduates (Chapell et al., 2005). The researchers collected data by asking the participants to complete questionnaires. The students were provided with one-page forms consisting of questions about their status (graduate or undergraduate), sex, age, major, grade point average (GPA), year in school, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES). In addition to that, the students were administered the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI).
The TAI is a special self-report instrument that was designed to measure test anxiety among students. It includes 20 items in which participants are requested to report the regularity of anxiety symptoms they experienced before, during, and after tests. The TAI puts respondents on the scale of test anxiety ranging from 20 to 80 where a higher score indicates a higher level of anxiety.
Using the means and standard deviation provided by the TAI, the researchers divided the participants of the study into three groups, namely low, meditate, and high test anxiety. Students with TAI scores within one standard deviation from the mean formed the mediate group, and those with scores lower and higher than that formed the low and the high test anxiety groups, respectively. The study has shown that there was no statistically significant relationship between the level of test anxiety and the GPA among graduated male students.
Female graduate students with a low level of test anxiety showed higher results compared to their high-test-anxious counterparts. The difference appeared to be even more substantial among undergraduate female students. It also suggested that female students tend to have much higher test anxiety levels than males. The difference in average test anxiety between sexes was estimated at one-third of a standard deviation. The cumulative GPA in female groups was also higher than in groups of male students (Chapell et al., 2005). Thus, the results of the study prove that correlation between the studied variables is statistically significant, especially in female groups.
The study proved the initial hypothesis showing a statistically significant but small inverse relationship between students’ performance and test anxiety. The results of the research help to clarify the situation and improve the understanding of the issue by the academic community, and the large scale of the study ensures that the results are reliable. Although, the fact that researchers fully relied on self-reported information about the students, which might be inaccurate, is a limitation of the study.
A relatively small effect on the GPA suggests that test anxiety is not a major factor determining the academic success of an individual, especially among male students, and it should not be overstated. Nonetheless, this phenomenon has been proven to have some impact on academic performance, and the findings of the research are important for future studies in the field.
Reference
Chapell, M. S., Blanding, Z. B., Silverstein, M. E., Takahashi, M., Newman, B., Gubi, A., & McCann, N. (2005). Test anxiety and academic performance in undergraduate and graduate students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97(2), 268-274.
A variety of issues affects the academic performance of students, with most being external. Various stress factors affect learners in colleges and universities and prevent them from operating at their full capabilities. However, there are also internal issues, which require different methods to address them. Some students do not study enough while others do, but all are worried about the extent of their knowledge.
Tests serve as the metric for the evaluation of what one has learned, and so, they become a focus of students’ worries. The phenomenon has earned the name ’test anxiety’ and affects many students negatively. It is necessary to develop methods of addressing it to ensure that people can learn and finish their education. For this purpose, this essay will analyze two research papers on the topics and highlight their findings.
Test Anxiety and Self-Efficacy
The work by Jennifer Barrows, Samantha Dunn, and Carrie A. Lloyd proposes self-efficacy as a potential solution to the issue. They confirm that test anxiety affects a student’s test performance negatively. However, Barrows et al. put forward the thesis that test anxiety reduces test performance, but improved self-efficacy can help students resolve it and achieve better results (204). They find in the literature review that the characteristic “influences people’s belief about their capabilities, which has been shown to enhance students’ academic performance” (Barrows et al. 205).
As such, since one factor reduces a student’s self-opinion and the other improves it, the researchers propose the idea that the positive factor may mitigate the negative. They conduct a study on 110 students in a variety of majors and gauge their test anxiety and self-efficacy, then collect their results on a test and analyze the results.
The investigation finds that both factors influence one’s performance, and students with high self-efficacy and low test anxiety perform measurably better than vice versa. However, as Barrows et al. conclude, “test anxiety may be too detrimental to have a moderating variable, even high self-efficacy” (207). Students with high self-efficacy do not necessarily have lower test anxiety values than those with low scores in the characteristic.
Regardless, the promotion of the trait is beneficial for academic performance, and the findings are useful. As Barrows et al. highlight, “studying increases test performance, but […] confidence in doing well, also has a considerable effect on the outcome” (207). Additionally, the authors note that the study provides future scholars with potential research directions in the continuing search for test anxiety moderators.
Test Anxiety and Scheduled Preparation
Hasan Yusefzadeh, Jamileh Amirzadeh Iranagh, and Bahram Nabilou discuss students’ trend of cramming for exams the day or the hour before they begin. Yusefzadeh et al. confirm that “test anxiety is one of the effective factors causing the students to perform poorly” (246). They put forward the thesis that scheduled study preparation reduces students’ test anxiety and improves their academic performance.
They also investigate the characteristic from various angles, observing its relationship with general anxiety and stress. Notably, they find that the levels of general and test anxiety in students are unrelated. For their study, they enroll 20 students in the intervention group and keep 25 as a control, performing scheduled study sessions for the former and evaluating both teams over time. The research takes place throughout the semester, with the overall results being tallied at the end.
The researchers find that the intervention reduces test anxiety on the students who undergo it. They also make a variety of other noteworthy discoveries, such as that general stress levels remain unaffected. One remarkable finding is that “Frequent evaluation of students can lead them to study further, gain better results, and be less concerned about the final exam” (Yusefzadeh et al. 249). Regular confirmations help learners affirm that their studies are progressing adequately and that they will be ready for the test. However, too many tests, or excessively strict ones, can make students worry and increase their worries about the finals.
Overall, the study’s results are useful, as they offer a tangible way to reduce test anxiety without compromising education quality or study time. If students can be convinced to study regularly, their results should improve significantly.
Analysis
Overall, both studies confirm that test anxiety is a significant concern that lowers students’ academic performance. The findings of the second work suggest that the phenomenon is unique and distinct from various other stress factors. As such, it requires more dedicated research into its origins and the methods of its mitigation, as traditional approaches may not be viable. The results of the first study partially confirm this logic, as high student self-opinion is shown not to affect their test anxiety. It should still be cultivated among learners, as it improves their performance regardless, but self-efficacy is not the solution to the issue.
Research into the matter should continue, using current findings as a foundation on which to base their inquiries. However, as the first study notes, there may be no significant moderating internal influences on the characteristic.
However, there may be practical external moderators based on the idea that continuous learning and evaluation of one’s knowledge can reduce worries about upcoming tests. Students tend to underprepare for exams, and their implicit acknowledgment of the fact contributes to increasing their anxiety. As such, regular study sessions can instill the feeling that one is performing adequately, especially combined with frequent evaluations.
However, excessive checks can make students feel as though the test is challenging and they have to learn too much, increasing their anxiety instead. There is also the matter of convincing students, many of whom have other priorities, to attend regularly scheduled study sessions. Many would prefer to study in their free time when they are not occupied by business, such as part-time work. As such, the solution is potentially viable, but it requires additional work before it can be implemented fully.
Conclusion
The review of the two essays shows that test anxiety is a prominent but insufficiently researched issue that lowers students’ academic performance. It is not associated with general anxiety or stress and appears to be at least partially rational. As such, one’s self-efficacy does not reduce the severity of the issue, though it increases a student’s test performance and warrants further research due to this quality.
There may be other internal moderating factors, but further research is necessary to find them, and they are likely to be insignificant. However, regularly scheduled studies combined with frequent, but not excessive, examinations can reduce test anxiety, likely because students can validate their readiness. There are still complicating factors that can interfere with the implementation of the method, but it warrants further testing and experimentation.
Works Cited
Barrows, Jennifer, et al. “Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and College Exam Grades.” Universal Journal of Educational Research, vol. 1, no. 3, 2013, pp. 204-208.
Yusefzadeh, Hasan, et al. ”The Effect of Study Preparation on Test Anxiety and Performance: A Quasi-Experimental Study.” Advances in Medical Education and Practice, vol. 2019, no. 10, pp. 245-251.
Students often face numerous stressors while studying. This situation has become even more critical recently as almost 16% of college students suffer from anxiety (Brown, 2016). Professionals from the UNSW Sydney (2017) state that this issue can be perceived as excessive worry that affects students’ lives adversely. Blackhart, Williamson, and Nelson (2015) believe that anxiety can be mainly described as people’s inability to control themselves appropriately. This idea is supported by Johansen (2013) and Rachman (2013). While speaking about learners who come from other countries, professionals mainly focus on issues associated with relocation and adaptation to the new environment (Hechanova-Alampay, Beehr, Christiansen, & Van Horn, 2002; Szabo, Ward, & Jose, 2016). Problems faced by local students tend to be more connected with general ones, such as overload or fear of having poor grades (Azadeh, 2013; Rogaten, Moneta, & Spada, 2013; Schuler, 2013). It is vital to focus on the problem of student anxiety in detail because it can lead to depression and suicide among this population (Eckart, 2018). This paper will prove that anxiety experienced by local and international students differs because foreigners are affected not only by the necessity to have good marks but also by a new environment and culture. In particular, this essay will discuss peculiarities of anxiety faced by the diverse learner population, reveal associated differences and similarities, and describe the best coping strategies.
Both international and local students often feel anxious because of their performance. Academic demands can turn out to be a cause of constant stress experienced by learners because they “focus on task-irrelevant stimuli, which negatively affect the performance” (Azadeh, 2013, p. 55; Schuler, 2013). Academic achievements have an enormous influence on students’ success in life because being outstanding people receive an opportunity to have a scholarship and to be accepted for a well-paid job (Osnat & Tulchinsky, 2017; Rogaten et al., 2013; Schuler, 2013). Realizing this fact, parents tend to make learners focus on studying and constant performance improvement as the recent survey data suggest (Dabney, Chakraverty, & Tai, 2013). Educators, in their turn, often emphasize that those students who fail to obtain a particular mark will not be allowed to retake their test, will have to take the same course one more time, or will be expelled from the educational establishment (Ritchwood, Carthron, & Decoster, 2015; Rogaten et al., 2013). As a result, students become anxious if expected results are not received. In this way, the intensity of test anxiety can increase over the course of time, revealing both physical and mental symptoms (inability to calm down, dizziness, sweating, etc.) (Johansen, 2013; NIMH, 2016; Rachman, 2013). Therefore, local and foreign students are pressed by their parents and educators, which increases the anxiety levels in both student groups.
However, there are certain differences related to social and emotional anxiety. Local students usually face these types of anxiety, as increased demand is the major element that alters their life when accomplishing high school education. International students are also affected by it, but these individuals seem to suffer more from the necessity to leave their homes and adapt to a new environment and culture (Hechanova-Alampay et al., 2002; Szabo et al., 2016). Those individuals who come from abroad need to cope with a range of additional issues, which presupposes that their level of anxiety is often higher than the one observed in local students. This is the central difference between foreign and local learners (Hechanova-Alampay et al., 2002; Khawaja, Chan, & Stein, 2017). Family and friends’ support is vital for students because it provides them with an opportunity to cope with everyday stressors (Hechanova-Alampay et al., 2002; Jibeen, 2016). That is why an unfamiliar environment can turn out to be a critical problem, especially for those students who are used to the fact that their parents take care of the majority of routine issues (Hechanova-Alampay et al., 2002; Jibeen, 2016; Khawaja et al., 2017). Cultural differences may also become a problem because such things lead to misunderstanding (Hechanova-Alampay et al., 2002; Loh, Moy, Nur, & Zaharan, 2013; Zender & Cassedy, 2014). For instance, according to Hechanova-Alampay (2002), a cultural novelty that defines the level of comfort in a foreign student in relation to the host culture might seriously increase the level of strain if the cultures are rather different. In such a way, both international and local learners have specific stressors that cause anxiety. The first group is more subjected to emotions while the second to social ones.
To reduce adverse influences associated with anxiety, students should follow coping strategies. One of them is relaxation such as meditation, relaxation breathing, or music, which have the capacity to minimalize anxiety symptoms (Brodersen, 2017; Cho et al., 2016; Ghasemi, Lotfollahzadeh, Kermani-Ranjbar, & Kharazifard, 2017; Ratanasiripong, Park, Ratanasiripong, & Kathalae, 2015). Researchers also note that a healthy diet and avoidance of caffeine help decrease anxiety (Rogers, Heatherley, Mullings, & Smith, 2013; Saneei et al., 2016). Another useful method is to have enough sleep and exercise regularly because these are the best ways to be clear-headed and release tension (Jayakody et al., 2014). These strategies help to minimize the level of stress and engage in specific activities that help to avoid negative thinking (Cho, Ryu, Noh, & Lee, 2016; Jayakody, Gunadasa, & Hosker, 2014). International students should gather information about a new culture and interact with its representatives as much as possible to develop an understanding of the new environment and improve language proficiency (Wang, Ahn, Kim, & Lin-Siegler, 2017). In this way, students may use various coping strategies to streamline adaptation and overcome anxiety.
Thus, this essay has explained that both local and international students suffer from test anxiety, but foreigners are also affected by the new environment and culture. Students face test anxiety due to the necessity to perform better than others to meet their families’ and educators’ demands. In addition to that, international students suffer from anxiety that is caused by the necessity to live in a new environment and culture. Nevertheless, different types of anxiety can be overcome if students identify their major issues and use coping strategies to adapt to changes. Schools should be mindful of these factors and create a less performance-driven environment focusing more on the mental health of the students. Government should create more inclusive opportunities for foreign students that will help them better adapt to the education process and feel less anxious. Parents in their turn need to support their children in every way without applying mental pressure.
References
Azadeh, N. (2013). The effect of pranayama on test anxiety and test performance. International Journal of Yoga, 6(1), 55-60.
Blackhart, G., Williamson, J., & Nelson, L. (2015). Social anxiety in relation to self-control depletion following social interactions. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 34(9), 747-773.
Brodersen, L. (2017). Interventions for test anxiety in undergraduate nursing students: An integrative review. Nursing Education Perspectives, 38(3), 131-137.
Cho, H., Ryu, S., Noh, J., & Lee, J. (2016). The effectiveness of daily mindful breathing practices on test anxiety of students. PLoS One, 11(10), e0164822.
Dabney, K. P., Chakraverty, D., & Tai, R. H. (2013). The association of family influence and initial interest in science. Science Education, 97(3), 395-409.
Ghasemi, M., Lotfollahzadeh, H., Kermani-Ranjbar, T., & Kharazifard, M. (2017). Effect of music practice on anxiety and depression of Iranian dental students. Journal of Dentistry, 14(3), 138-143.
Hechanova-Alampay, R., Beehr, T., Christiansen, N., & Van Horn, R. (2002). Adjustment and strain among domestic and international student sojourners. School Psychology International, 23(4), 458-474.
Jayakody, K., Gunadasa, S., & Hosker, C. (2014). Exercise for anxiety disorders: Systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(3), 187.
Jibeen, T. (2016). Perceived social support and mental health problems among Pakistani university students. Community Mental Health Journal, 52(8), 1004-1008.
Johansen, J. (2013). Anxiety is the sum of its parts. Nature, 496(7444), 174-175.
Khawaja, N., Chan, S., & Stein, G. (2017). The relationship between second language anxiety and international nursing students stress. Journal of International Students, 7(3), 601-620.
Loh, D., Moy, F., Nur, L., & Zaharan, M. (2013). Adolescents in a middle-income country as measured by the self-reported children’s eating behaviour questionnaire. PLoS One, 8(12), e82885.
Osnat, B., & Tulchinsky, H. (2017). Establishing undergraduate public health education: Process, challenges, and achievements in a case study in Israel. Public Health Reviews, 38(11), 1-11.
Rachman, S. (2013). Anxiety. New York, NY: Psychology Press.
Ratanasiripong, P., Park, J., Ratanasiripong, N., & Kathalae, D. (2015). Stress and anxiety management in nursing students: Biofeedback and mindfulness meditation. Journal of Nursing Education, 54(9), 520-524.
Ritchwood, T., Carthron, D., & Decoster, J. (2015). The impact of perceived teacher and parental pressure on adolescents’ study skills and reports of test anxiety. Journal of Best Practices in Health Professions Diversity, 8(1), 1006-1019.
Rogaten, J., Moneta, G., & Spada, M. (2013). Academic performance as a function of approaches to studying and affect in studying. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(6), 1751-1763.
Rogers, P., Heatherley, S., Mullings, E., & Smith, J. (2013). Faster but not smarter: Effects of caffeine and caffeine withdrawal on alertness and performance. Psychopharmacology, 226(2), 229-40.
Saneei, P., Esmaillzadeh, A., Ammar H., Keshteli, R., Hamid R., & Afshar, H. (2016). Combined healthy lifestyle is inversely associated with psychological disorders among adults. PLoS One, 11(1), e0146888.
Schuler, P. (2013). Gifted students and Lyme disease: What educators, counselors, and parents need to know? Gifted Child Today, 36(1), 34-46.
Szabo, A., Ward, C., & Jose, P. (2016). Uprooting stress, coping, and anxiety: A longitudinal study of international students. International Journal of Stress Management, 23(2), 190-208.
Wang, I., Ahn, J., Kim, H., & Lin-Siegler, X. (2017). Why do international students avoid communicating with Americans? Journal of International Students, 7(3), 555-580.
Zender, M., & Cassedy, A. (2014). (Mis)understanding: Icon comprehension in different cultural contexts. Visible Language, 48(1), 69-95.
College students experience a lot of changes in their lives during the first months of their studies. They move out of their homes, lose their schedule, and have no access to the support system of family and friends, which causes them to feel anxiety. Anxiety is an emotional state of an individual when they experience worry or fear (Drissi et al., 2020). This condition can have a depreciating effect on the wellbeing of a person. College students can manage anxiety by recognizing that they experience it, using self-management, and limiting the use of smartphones.
Background
Most students feel anxiety during their years at school or college. Drissi et al. (2020) define college anxiety as a “common emotion that people often feel in certain situations,” which prompts people to feel fear or be worried (p. 104243). Statistically, the University of Ottawa states that 60.6% of students rate their level of stress as above average (“Awareness: Did you know? ” n.d.). Moreover, 64.5% admit to feeling overwhelming anxiety within the last twelve months (“Awareness: Did you know? ” n.d.). Overwhelming anxiety may cause a feeling of hopelessness, inability to complete everyday activities, or even cause depression. Considering the large proportion of Canadian students who experience anxiety during their studies, universities should offer support and help their students manage anxiety.
First and foremost, managing anxiety begins with recognizing this problem, its symptoms, and the situations that trigger it. Stack (2018) argues that one issue with school anxiety is that it can resemble other issues, including ADHD or shyness. Due to this, educators and students may ignore the symptoms, making anxiety an underrecognized problem in Canada. Moreover, 46% of Canadiens perceive “mental health problems” as an excuse for bad behavior or laziness (“Awareness: Did you know? ” n.d.). As a result, students do not recognize that their mental health state is a result of the anxiety they feel because of the drastic changes that happened in their life and their stress continues to progress.
Effective Strategies for Anxiety Management
The first and most crucial step that college students can take to deal with anxiety is to acknowledge how they feel. LeBlank and Marques (2019) argue that avoidant behavior is often the cause of anxiety that is not recognized and addressed. For example, a student may skip classes, fail to study, or submit assignments as a result of avoidance caused by anxiety. However, this behavior will worsen the long-term symptoms since this individual will have more obligations to complete (LeBlank & Marques, 2019). Hence, to overcome anxiety, a student should recognize how they feel and what causes this state.
One way to manage anxiety is to have a healing environment and learn to self-manage the symptoms. Pelletier et al. (2017) argue that self-management is among the most effective ways of dealing with stress. This can include setting a schedule, exercising, getting enough sleep, as some examples of self-management. Kid et al. (2017) also report that self-management is effective when dealing with anxiety or even depression. Thus, college students should use self-management practices, such as techniques to calm themselves or do things that are generally known as relaxing. Apart from strategies tailored explicitly towards college students, some commonly used approaches to managing anxiety should be used. For example, it is common knowledge that long walks can help reduce stress. A similar effect on relieving stress can be achieved when creating a pleasant study environment. All of these factors are small steps that college students can incorporate into their routines to help them deal with the anxiety they experience upon transitioning to college.
College anxiety is linked to the rapid transition from living at home and having a support system of family and friends to living in dormitories and dealing with issues without support. LeBlank and Marques (2019) state that increases in anxiety levels is associated with the initial transition from home to college life. Hence, by helping students adjust and making this transition less stressful, colleges can relieve some of this anxiety from their students. Students can try to maintain their connection with friends and family to retain the support systems they had before college.
Modern-day students have higher levels of anxiety, and the prevalence rates are also more common when compared to previous generations. According to Cooper et al. (2018), “the prevalence of anxiety has increased among college-aged students,” while LeBanc and Marques (2019) argue that this may be linked with the communication technologies, such as smartphones (p. 23). One possible reason is that students are absorbed in their smartphones and the use of social media, which does not allow them to spend time coping with their new environment. Hence, one piece of advice is to limit the time students spend with their smartphones and instead try to adjust to the new schedule and find a sound support system.
Universities and colleges should encourage students to recognize their anxiety symptoms and teach simple self-management strategies. As was mentioned, anxiety is an under-recognized problem, and there is still a social stigma surrounding this problem (Stack, 2018). Consequently, although the proposed self-management strategies are easy to implement, students may not be aware of the problem and therefore not recognize the need to do something that would relieve their anxiety. Thus, colleges should encourage students to pay more attention to their mental health, especially during the first year when the anxiety levels are exceptionally high.
To counter the idea that students suffer from anxiety and should take measures to relieve it, one may claim that these feelings are a part of the college experience. It is necessary to go through the college years feeling anxious due to deadlines or assignments to be prepared for the real-world tasks one will face at work. However, anxiety is a serious problem that results in constant stress. The latter affects a person’s mental and physical health and can result in symptoms.
Another counterargument is that the mental health of an individual should be their responsibility, and if a student feels overwhelming anxiety, that should reach out to a professional or their supervisor. However, as was discussed, college students and Canadians, in general, do not perceive mental health problems as serious and worthy of attention (“Awareness: Did you know? ” n.d.). Hence, it is essential to raise awareness about college anxiety to help them overcome it instead of assuming that these students can manage it by themselves.
Conclusion
Overall, college students feel a lot of pressure during their studies, which results in anxiety. Mental health struggles of students are underrecognized, despite the fact that 60% of this population reports feeling severe anxiety within the last 12 months, approximately half of the Canadian population views mental health struggles as an excuse (“Awareness: Did you know? ” n.d.). Hence, college anxiety affects the majority of students, making it an issue that requires more attention. LeBalnk and Marques (2019) recommend limiting time spend on smartphones, while Pelletier et al. (2017) suggest learning self-management techniques. Through exercise, limited use of technology, and schedule, college students can overcome the feeling of anxiety.
References
Awareness: Did you know? (n.d). 2021, Web.
Cooper, K.M., Downing, V.R. & Brownell, S.E. (2018). The influence of active learning practices on student anxiety in large-enrollment college science classrooms. IJ STEM Education, 5, 23. Web.
Drissi, N., Ouhbi, S., Janati Idrissi, M., & Ghogho, M. (2020). An analysis on self-management and treatment-related functionality and characteristics of highly rated anxiety apps. International Journal Of Medical Informatics, 141, 104243. Web.
Kidd, T., Carey, N., Mold, F., Westwood, S., Miklaucich, M., Konstantara, E., Sterr, A., & Cooke, D. (2017). A systematic review of the effectiveness of self-management interventions in people with multiple sclerosis at improving depression, anxiety and quality of life. PLOS ONE, 12(10), e0185931. Web.
LeBlanc, M. & Marques, L. (2019). Anxiety in college: What we know and how to cope. Harvard Health Blog. Web.
Pelletier, L., Shamila, S., Scott B., P., & Demers, A. (2017). Self-management of mood and/or anxiety disorders through physical activity/exercise. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada: Research, Policy and Practice, 37(5), 27–32.
Stack, D. E. (2018). Managing anxiety in the classroom. Mental Health America. Web.
Many individuals have experienced stage fright, known as performance anxiety, at some time in their lives. During a public speech, an exam, or a competitive sports event, performance anxiety may make it challenging to complete the work if you do not have suitable coping mechanisms. Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) may be a lifetime obstacle for musicians pursuing a profession in performance and those who currently have a great career. Despite years of innumerable concerts, practices, recitals, and auditions, addressing MPA may be difficult.
Acute MPA has hampered some artists’ careers, while others have given up performing despite being talented performers. As a violinist aspiring to a good performance, I am doing this thesis project primarily for my benefit. It allows me to identify the best method to overcome my own MPA. The emphasis will be on the overall effect of various MPA treatments on individual performance. Although my thesis will include comparing and evaluating multiple therapies, I am not seeking broad conclusions on the effectiveness of particular MPA treatments. Although this project is geared to my specific position as a violinist who has studied the violin for over ten years, I hope that other musicians will be able to benefit from the therapy approaches I evaluate and recreate the process for them.
Background
Notable musicians have been known to experience MPA, including Arthur Rubinstein, Fredric Chopin, Vladimir Horowitz, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.MPA has been identified in music institutes and professional orchestra studies. According to research, 56% of orchestras and 70% of musicians said MPA levels were severe enough to limit their performance ability (Barros et al., 2022). Concerning a study on two thousand and twelve classical musicians, 40% of them had MPA, which they believe has affected their performance (Cohen & Bodner, 2018). Despite the results, MPA research is still young and not often conducted.
Compared to previous studies on anxiety disorder and instances of performance in other careers such as an exam, sports, and public speaking, MPA research is still in its early stages. It is practically due to the lack of a particular definition of MPA and probably the absence of a standard to assure randomized, well-conduct, controlled study trials. Moreover, there is controversy about whether MPA should be classified as part of other anxiety disorders such as particular conditions or social phobia.
Workshop Preparation
The training will begin in April 2022, with attendees being peer members. This study aims to develop strategies for lowering MPA levels in people using violins. The proposed workshop will take place at the facility for a week. The program will include official presentations, concert attendance, and comprehensive discussions. Notably, the workshop will be a forum for informal interactions among workshop participants. Twenty pupils from various grades will participate in the program. The activities of the workshop are described in the following section. The workshop’s objective and goal are initially defined, followed by the session schedule. The structure of the workshop presentation and the collaborative data-gathering project are then discussed, followed by views on the workshop’s success and actual results.
Workshop Purpose and Goals
This article aims to provide an overview of how people might cope with nervousness when playing the violin. Musical performance anxiety is a sort of anxiety that some individuals who suffer from social anxiety disorder feel (SAD). Before, during, and after performances, musicians who suffer from anxiety are self-evaluative and critical. The negative self-evaluation generates many bodily symptoms and disrupts focus, resulting in a performance short of musicians’ capability. As a result, the workshop’s primary goal is to discuss different methodologies or treatments that people who suffer from anxiety may utilize. The workshop curriculum included concert visits, formal lectures, and informal conversations regarding anxiety reduction techniques. Individuals who suffer from anxiety are expected to learn how to manage their symptoms after the course. This workshop intends to collect quantifiable data due to the wide range of ways anxiety may manifest. However, several approaches for identifying Music Performance Anxiety MPA may have limitations.
Analysis of MPA
Diana Kenny, a professor of music and psychology at the institution of Sydney, has identified herself as one of the foremost MPA therapists. Kenny claims that MPA has distinguishing characteristics that differentiate it from other anxiety disorders and social phobia; however, she claims that MPA may coexist with social phobia. She defines MPA as a permanent apprehension or tension connected to music performance, with the degree of anxiety being somewhat independent of the musical level of training, preparation, and competence. Since such conditions are nervousness, partially independent caused by deficiency of proficiency and practice on the instrument, it should be highlighted that it does not qualify as MPA. However, MPA does not benefit everyone as much as it has been innovated.
The intensity of MPA is influenced by the performance setting as well. It is severe when there is a significant ego investment—a genuine risk of failure and evaluative danger. However, a casual performance in front of friends would most likely lower the MPA level than an audition in the symphony orchestra, which may evoke significant levels of MPA. A study revealed that solo performance generally results in a high level of anxiety than ensemble performances (Cohen & Bodner, 2018). Although musicians perform in groups, they might experience MPA, especially if their role has additional obligations.
There are two sections to each type of anxiety: state and trait; people with attribute anxiety have psychological qualities that influence their vulnerability to stress, which may be natural shyness or acquired through prior experiences. State anxiety affects people solely in specific settings, such as a competition or an audition. Reckoning on whether a person is more prone to state anxiety or trait, one’s MPA experience may vary. MPA may influence all sorts of musicians, amateur and professional, regardless of category, and can transpire throughout their lives. It is worth noting that MPA affects musicians of all ages and skill levels. Having MPA does not automatically imply that it will negatively influence performance quality; studies have shown that mild anxiety is good for achieving peak performance.
Many artists, however, believe that worry has a detrimental impact on their ability to perform. Furthermore, studies have indicated that MPA may be classified as an occupational stressor, increasing the risk of developing other general health issues. Because of these two factors, there is a growing interest in research into effective treatment options. MPA manifests itself in various ways for each person. The topic of how cognitive, behavioral, and somatic symptoms combine to elicit MPA remains unanswered. It is not yet verified that if one gets butterflies during the performance, the person is scared or worried. Questions linger if the awareness of the upcoming performance makes performers apprehensive or is it the other way around.
These examples may be applied to investigate how MPA can be activated. In the first case, the performer sees the crowd and perceives it as a danger, causing uneasiness. Cognitive awareness is the cause of bodily symptoms and behavior. Unfortunately, it is not always straightforward, as artists might get frightened hours before a presentation and even before they arrive at the stage, where they have yet to hear or see the crowd threat. The second situation is where the behavioral and physical symptoms appear first, leading to emotions of anxiety, which lead to the performer seeing the audience as a danger while on stage, hence propagating additional MPA symptoms. It is crucial to figure out where MPA emerges from when thinking about therapeutic options. However, this has yet to be established conclusively based on current studies. These three processes constitute a vicious cycle, and any therapy that might reduce MPA’s effects could be regarded as a success.
MPA Treatment Options
Treatments are classified into three groups to target one of the three primary aspects of MPA: behavioral, cognitive, and physical. Although delivered differently, mental and behavioral disorders medicines are generally founded on similar ideas. Somatic therapies aim to alleviate somatic symptoms such as racing heart, sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath. Beta Blockers, which lower the heart rate and diminish the effects of adrenaline, are a typical therapy. According to studies, some musicians abuse self-prescribed medicines like cannabis and valium or alcohol (Cohen & Bodner, 2018). Adverse side effects such as reduced cognitive function or tiredness are some of the disadvantages of employing these methodologies. Alcohol, beta-blockers, or other drugs may be ineffective if behavioral or cognitive symptoms primarily cause anxiety.
Systematic desensitization is standard behavioral therapy, and it includes muscular relaxation training and picturing progressively stressful performance scenarios. Progressive muscular relaxation, breathing exercises, and behavioral repetition are used in other behavioral therapies. Behavioral therapy aims to modify the dysfunctional behaviors that occur when we are anxious (Barros et al., 2022). Treatments for the Mind Treatments for cognitive disorders try to correct erroneous thinking processes that may lead to dysfunctional behavior. It is performed via cognitive restructuring, which aims to achieve a reasonable and more objective approach to problem remedial by replacing negative, unproductive, and apocalyptic beliefs with self-affirming ones.
One sort of cognitive therapy is stress inoculation. It requires establishing reasonable expectations for what will happen throughout the performance and accepting them as usual. Mental rehearsal and positive self-talk are two remedies to this form of anxiety. Some alternative therapies for MPA are the Alexander method, Biofeedback, Hypnotherapy, and Erickson Ian resource retrievals. Each strategy was utilized in two or more experiments, but the findings are unclear. It is still vague if one treatment approach or combination of treatment strategies is better than another as there is increasing research on MPA. However, all studies concluded that any therapy is preferable to no treatment. It is worth mentioning that, since everyone’s MPA is different and they function in various contexts, there may never be a single therapy that works for everyone. Given this, the optimal conclusion for each artist would be to discover the therapy technique that best suits their needs.
Methodologies Applied
Centering is a kind of cognitive activity that is comparable to meditation. The purpose of centering is to offer individuals greater control over how much energy they have and the much they can concentrate on a job. It is possible to center up; it relieves the amount of nervous energy felt during practice or rehearsal sessions. One center down reduces the anxious energy before or during auditions (Cohen & Bodner, 2018). The aim is to reach a level of energy that allows a person to perform at their best.
Concentration and focus are a kind of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in which the aim is to acquire heightened concentration and awareness of the current moment. It is more complicated than speculated to focus on the present moment entirely. It is simple to practice on autopilot while a person is practicing. It occurs when an individual goes through the motions of playing without thinking about what they are doing or how they are performing. When performing, it is essential to maintain a high concentration level. The significance of focus is that an individual is aware of what is going on in the present, and it allows them to have more time to adapt and make rapid judgments.
Self-talk and self-confidence are other forms or methodologies an individual can employ to reduce MPA. Negative self-talk and excessive self-criticism may significantly affect a person’s performance. According to research, catastrophic thinking during and before performance is associated with significant anxiety levels. This type of thinking may at times be self-fulfilling, leading to poor performance. To break the habit of negative self-talk, individuals should first become conscious of their ideas and thoughts(MacAfee & Comeau, 2020). An individual should consider phrases such as being mindful of their intonations rather than feeling their intonations are dreadful.
Another significant methodology of alleviating MPA is through mental and visualization. Visualization is a cognitive–behavioral therapy in which people imagine themselves accomplishing a specific task. The assignment may be simple as playing a few music notes or as complex as mentally rehearsing a complete show. The practice challenges a person to mentally go through each phase necessary to complete a task, such as coping on the stage and playing music on the stand. Performance visualization presents a new user interface for music systems, a non-subjective description and assessment for musical creativity, and a visual help for understanding, analyzing, and comparing performances and melodic structures.
Discussions
It was deemed substantial when centering was used to relieve anxiety since it required a person to spend a moment of self-reflection and work on oneself. Moreover, Individuals who practice centering become more in touch and aware of their feelings and general mind-body well-being (Martin-Gagnon & Creech, 2019). People may develop more profound and lasting interactions with people if they practice centering daily. When a person is confident, while they perform, the individual gives they all during their presentation as they are not tensed. Self-confidence instills in musicians the idea that they can conquer any challenge.
Fear and anxiety are reduced because the individual can accept, learn, gain and adapt to any event in life when their confidence is vital. Focus is critical in performance as, when used correctly, it may guarantee that your mind receives all of the necessary real-time information it needs for peak performance. It might assist you in avoiding ideas that would jeopardize your performance. On the other side, an individual may pay attention to how her fingers move and how much pressure they apply. Hence, the person can hear the sound they produce and reform to different intonations.
Reflections on the Workshop’s Success and Key Outcomes
Each therapy had a beneficial effect on performance ability. Different components of performance anxiety might be addressed by having a range of therapies. Because of the nature of MPA, it will remain a lifelong challenge for individuals to find the best treatment method (Tahirbegi, 2021). What works for one musician may not work for another in a different setting. Finding a solution to battle MPA now is still critical, and going through this process will confidently be beneficial later on in life. The workshop is anticipated to be a success because participants will be able to develop and implement different methodologies for reducing anxiety, such as centering, focus, concentration, self-talk and self-confidence, visualization, and mental rehearsal. The participants are expected to discuss the limitations of the methods applied. The presentations will be of high quality, and practically all of them will be laser-focused on the prescribed subject.
The session is predicted to be a resounding success in general. Much progress has been made in the detailed planning required for the anxiety implementation methods to succeed. The workshop will give participants a shared vision of singers performing on stage without anxiety and a better understanding of anxiety (Wiedemann et al., 2021). I hope that the workshop will encourage others to start thinking about how they might go about finding and implementing different treatment options. Optimistically, they will determine which therapies are the most beneficial for them after going through this procedure.
Annotated Bibliography
Barros, S., Marinho, H., Borges, N., & Pereira, A. (2022). Characteristics of music performance anxiety among undergraduate music students: A systematic review. Psychology of Music, 34-65. Web.
This article presents a summary of research publication that addresses the characteristics of MPA as experienced by undergraduate music students. It demonstrates the breadth of the topics and context addressed by the study relating to issues of prevalence, predictors of anxiety factors, and coping with MPA from behavioral, psychological, and cognitive perspectives. The research identifies longitudinal and qualitative studies on the institutional environment that contribute to a better comprehension of the etiology of MPA among college students. The article is a valuable source for getting an overview of the characteristics of MPA on students.
Cohen, S., & Bodner, E. (2018). Music performance skills: A two-pronged approach – facilitating optimal music performance and reducing music performance anxiety. Psychology of Music, 47(4), 521-538. Web.
The authors present an investigation on the positive psychology concept that the absence of pathology cannot obtain optimal functioning. Affection, cognition and its processing, attention, and personality traits are variables that shape psychological vulnerability. All of these elements are handled in together. When attention is diverted away from the performance priority objects, it can destroy efficiency. The performer’s hyper-focus on a certain part of the performance can also cause them to miss a systemic vision of what is being delivered. In the study, twenty-four participated in semester music performing skills where the course involved improving musical communication, simulated performance, and physiological awareness. The group assessed outlined a decrease in MPA and significant improvements in performance quality. In the research, there were no adequate measures of flow that were speculated. The source is helpful as it explores methodologies of reducing MPA through psychology.
Huang, W., & Yu, H. (2022). Social support in university music students’ coping with performance anxiety: people, strategies and performance situations. Music Education Research, 24(1), 124-135. Web.
In subsisting musical performance anxiety (MPA) research, this article goes beyond a therapeutic perspective and takes a rational social support method. It investigates the synergetic character of MPA coping among music undergraduates during performance preparation and instrumental learning. Semi-structured thematic examination and interviews were conducted with fifty-three students from a music jurisdiction at a university in Taiwan. This study identified that tutors deliver multifunctional methodologies in teaching practices. At the same time, peers offer emotional support and act as critical friends; most participants prevalent a refinement in their full performance proficiency, including MPA coping skills, with social support. Some of the coping strategies of MPA identified were visual rehearsals, acceptance of mistakes, and relaxation skills. The article is significant in this research as it outlines the importance of social support in reducing MPA.
MacAfee, E., & Comeau, G. (2020). Exploring music performance anxiety, self-efficacy, performance quality, and behavioral anxiety within a self-modeling intervention for young musicians. Music Education Research, 22(4), 457-477. Web.
The article investigates the relation of musical anxiety (MPA)with self-efficacy, behavior, and performance quality in five undergraduates in the piano over a six-week arbitration. Moreover, the research also explores the impact of favorable self-review and modeling intervention on teenage musicians. Performance evaluations, behavioral anxiety rates, and self-report measures were some of the mechanisms used to collect data. The results outlined that the link between performance quality, MPA, and self-efficiency is critical. The findings outlined no connection between performance, self-efficiency, and MPA, implying that MPA can have beneficial and debilitating impacts on these variables. Moreover, the results showed thre was no connection between behavioral anxiety and MPA, signifying that students may look less concerned than they are. The article is substantial as it demonstrates that self-modeling has an individual effect on musicians; thus, it can give tutors a method for reducing MPA.
Martin-Gagnon, G., & Creech, A. (2019). Cool jazz: Music performance anxiety in jazz performance students. Music Education Research, 21(4), 414-425. Web.
This article investigates postsecondary jazz music students’ music performance anxiety (MPA) and trait anxiety. The participants in the study were seventy-three jazz music undergraduates who were to complete online quizzes that addressed trait apprehension and MPA. The research findings indicated that jazz music scholars had a considerable MPA, dynamically associated with attribute anxiety. Perceptions about stressful situations and performance conditions did not significantly affect the MPA level experienced. The findings from the research suggest that MPA within the jazz performance is an aspect to be investigated to comprehend how MPA may affect jazz learning and how university programs in jazz can help reinforce students with MPA. The article is significant in the study in that it outlines the relationship between trait anxiety and MPA.
Spahn, C., Krampe, F., & Nusseck, M. (2021). Live music performance: The relationship between flow and music performance anxiety. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. Web.
The article investigates the correlation between flow and music performance anxiety. It carries out a study on three hundred and sixty-three orchestral musicians. The findings revealed that symphony musicians were more likely to experience flow than an extensive demographic sample. There were, however, distinctions between non-professional and competent musicians. A regression study on the flow score revealed that the Perceptual Quality Measure ( PQM) scale indicators of MPA were directly related to the motion encounter in the time preceding the performance. The PQM scale functional coping was positively connected to flow amidst performance. High self-worth was strongly connected to a more incredible flow feeling. Furthermore, the flow positively affects the performance of the subsisting with MPA and self-awareness. The article is significant as it corroborates the negative association between flow and MPA symptoms and gives new techniques for analyzing the relationship, particularly for live music performers.
Tahirbegi, D. (2021). Higher music education students’ experiences and management of performance anxiety: A qualitative study. Psychology of Music, 56-80. Web.
The author explores three research issues interconnected with music performance apprehension in the article. The first goal was to collect expressive testimonies about MPA’s daily experiences in school settings. The second goal was to look into students’ adaptive coping methods to govern their MPA, as derived from the details and in light of the self-adjusting learning paradigm. Finally, perceptions of institutional reinforcement for MPA were studied. The results outlined that to some level, all students interviewed considered themselves to be experiencing MPA, although the depth of these episodes differed. The most frequently reported MPA subsisting measures were increased mental skills and practice time activities. The scholars emphasized the significance of preparation, connected with self-confidence and increased self-awareness, which had a favorable effect on their MPA control. The article is substantial in the research as it highlights some of the factors that contribute to MPA.
Wiedemann, A., Vogel, D., Voss, C., & Hoyer, J. (2021). How does music performance anxiety relate to other anxiety disorders? Psychology of Music, 50(1), 204-217. Web.
The article systematically examines MPA interdependence with other apprehension disorders amid cluster examination and graphical modeling. The Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (MPAI) in German was utilized to assess MPA in this study. All partakers were assessed for agitation-associated symptoms using a disorder-specific apprehension mechanism from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). That included generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), specific phobia (SP), separation anxiety disorder (SEP), illness anxiety disorder (ILL), panic disorder (PD), and agoraphobia (AG). There is no verification that MPA was predominantly linked to SAD; instead, it was discovered that generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) worked as a full arbitrator between other types of anxiety and MPA. Participants suffering from pathological apprehension constantly had more critical MPA. In conclusion, GAD is the greatest covariate of MPA among the four DSM-5 apprehension categories. The article is substantial as it explores the relationship between MPA and other anxiety disorders.