Music performance anxiety among full-time music students

Introduction Music performance anxiety (MPA, often referred to as "stage fright") is one of the leading severe medical problems among musicians. For about 15-25% of musicians MPA is a serious problem. Particularly high levels of MPA are observed among music students. Musical performance can induce negative emotions, including anxiety, which in some individuals can approach extreme levels of terror and take the form of panic attack, impair the quality of the performance, lead to avoidance of performance situations, and consequently have debilitating effects on the career. Coping efforts used by musicians in their attempts to manage MPA, such as sedatives, alcohol, and β-blockers can have deleterious health side-effects. Music ranks high in the cultural and economic life of Switzerland. In ten university music schools, students from all around the world are educated to become professional musicians. Despite the importance of musical education in Switzerland, data concerning the phenomenon of MPA are largely lacking. Goal and Methods The main goal of this research was to survey the occurrence, experience, and management of MPA among full-time music students in French Swiss conservatories. A questionnaire was developed based on the literature and interviews with music students and teachers and distributed to all the students of the conservatories of Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, and Neuchâtel in the spring 2007. 194 students (61% women) returned the questionnaire. Results The size of the problem: MPA is a major problem for 1/3 of the students (ranks 3 and 4). The consequences of MPA: 22% and 35% of the students think that they have failed exams and auditions, respectively, because of MPA. Further, 25% of the students have already avoided performing and 11% have interrupted public performances because of MPA. Coping with MPA: 90% of the students have never used alcohol prior to performing, whereas 97% and 81%, respectively, have never used recreation drugs and medication. The majority of students use relaxation exercises, respiratory exercises, and meditation techniques to prepare themselves. About ¾ of the students think that the use of alcohol and recreational drugs to manage MPA is never justified. 53% of the students think that the use of medication is justified on some occasions. Need for information and support: 66% of the students would like to receive more support and help to cope with music performance situations. This support should mainly come from their teachers and specialists. 53% of the students know nothing or little about possible means for the management of MPA. About 50% consider themselves not at all or little informed about the possible risks associated with the consumption of alcohol, recreational drugs, and medication for the management of performance situations. 89% would like to know more about MPA and 94% think that this topic should be discussed much more in their musical education at the conservatory. Conclusions The results of this survey indicate that MPA is a major problem for 1/3 of the students with serious consequences on their career. There is a huge need for more information and support on how to manage the stress due to performance situations. The use of alcohol, recreational drugs, and medication is modest but the students are poorly informed about possible side-effects of these coping strategies. It seems clear that more should be done in the French Swiss conservatories about music performance anxiety to inform, educate, and prepare the students for their future professional career.

Stage fright: its experience as a problem and coping with it.

PURPOSE AND METHOD: This questionnaire survey of 190 university music students assessed negative feelings of music performance anxiety (MPA) before performing, the experience of stage fright as a problem, and how closely they are associated with each other. The study further investigated whether the experience of stage fright as a problem and negative feelings of MPA predict the coping behavior of the music students. Rarely addressed coping issues were assessed, i.e., self-perceived effectiveness of different coping strategies, knowledge of possible risks and acceptance of substance-based coping strategies, and need for more support.RESULTS: The results show that one-third of the students experienced stage fright as a problem and that this was only moderately correlated with negative feelings of MPA. The experience of stage fright as a problem significantly predicted the frequency of use and the acceptance of medication as a coping strategy. Breathing exercises and self-control techniques were rated as effective as medication. Finally, students expressed a strong need to receive more support (65%) and more information (84%) concerning stage fright.CONCLUSION: Stage fright was experienced as a problem and perceived as having negative career consequences by a considerable percentage of the surveyed students. In addition to a desire for more help and support, the students expressed an openness and willingness to seriously discuss and address the topic of stage fright. This provides a necessary and promising basis for optimal career preparation and, hence, an opportunity to prevent occupational problems in professional musicians. [Authors]

Cardio respiratory activity in high-anxious vs. low-anxious professional music students before and during performance

Questionnaire studies indicate that high-anxious musicians may suffer from hyperventilation symptoms before and/or during performance. Reported symptoms include amongst others shortness of breath, fast or deep breathing, dizziness and thumping heart. However, no study has yet tested if these self-reported symptoms reflect actual cardio respiratory changes. Disturbances in breathing patterns and hyperventilation may contribute to the often observed poorer performance of anxious musicians under stressful performance situations. The main goal of this study is to determine if music performance anxiety is manifest physiologically in specific correlates of cardio respiratory activity. We studied 74 professional music students divided into two groups (i.e. high-anxious and lowanxious) based on their self-reported performance anxiety in three distinct situations: baseline, private performance (without audience), public performance (with audience). We measured a) breathing patterns, end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2, a good non-invasive estimator for hyperventilation), ECG and b) self-perceived emotions and self-perceived physiological activation. The poster will concentrate on the preliminary results of this study. The focus will be a) on differences between high-anxious and low-anxious musicians regarding breaths per minute and heart rate and b) on the response coherence between self-perceived palpitations and actual heart rate.

Performance anxiety : cardiorespiratory activity in high- and low-anxious professional music students in a performance situation

Questionnaire studies indicate that high-anxious musicians may suffer from hyperventilation symptoms before and/or during performance. Reported symptoms include amongst others shortness of breath, fast or deep breathing, dizziness and thumping heart. A self-report study by Widmer, Conway, Cohen and Davies (1997) shows that up to seventy percent of the tested highly anxious musicians are hyperventilators during performance. However, no study has yet tested if these self-reported symptoms reflect actual cardiorespiratory changes just before and during performance. Disturbances in breathing patterns and hyperventilation may negatively affect the performance quality in stressful performance situations. The main goal of this study is to determine if music performance anxiety is manifest physiologically in specific correlates of cardiorespiratory activity. We studied 74 professional music students of Swiss Music Universities divided into two groups (high- and lowanxious) based on their self-reported performance anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory by Spielberger). The students were tested in three distinct situations: baseline, performance without audience, performance with audience. We measured a) breathing patterns, end-tidal carbon dioxide, which is a good non-invasive estimator for hyperventilation, and cardiac activation and b) self-perceived emotions and self-perceived physiological activation. Analyses of heart rate, respiratory rate, self-perceived palpitations, self-perceived shortness of breath and self-perceived anxiety for the 15 most and the 15 least anxious musicians show that high-anxious and low-anxious music students have a comparable physiological activation during the different measurement periods. However, highanxious music students feel significantly more anxious and perceive significantly stronger palpitations and significantly stronger shortness of breath just before and during a public performance. The results indicate that low- and high-anxious music students a) do not differ in the considered physiological responses and b) differ in the considered self-perceived physiological symptoms and the selfreported anxiety before and/or during a public performance.

Aufftrittsangst : kardiorespiratorische Aktivität bei ängstlichen und nichtängstlichen Musikstudenten in einer Auftrittssituation = Performance anxiety : cardiorespiratory activity in high- and low-anxious professional music students in a performance situation

Fragebogenstudien haben gezeigt, dass ängstliche Musiker vor und/oder während eines Auftritts möglicherweise unter Hyperventilationssymptomen leiden. Berichtete Symptome beinhalten Kurzatmigkeit, schnelles oder tiefes Einatmen, Schwindelgefühl und Herzklopfen. Bisher hat jedoch noch keine Studie getestet, ob diese selbstberichteten Symptome tatsächlich kardiorespiratorische Veränderungen widerspiegeln. Das Hauptziel dieser Studie ist es, zu bestimmen, ob sich Auftrittsangst bei Musikern physiologisch über kardiorespiratorische Muster äußert. Wir haben insgesamt 74 Musikstudenten von Schweizer Musikhochschulen getestet. Diese Studenten wurden aufgrund ihrer selbstberichteten Auftrittsangst (STAI-S) in zwei Gruppen unterteilt: ängstliche Musiker und nichtängstliche Musiker. Die Studenten wurden in drei unterschiedlichen Situationen getestet: Ausgangszustand, Auftritt ohne Publikum, Auftritt mit Publikum. Wir haben folgende Parameter gemessen: a) kardiorespiratorische Muster und endexpiratorisches CO2, welches eine gute nichtinvasive Schätzung des Hyperventilationsgrades liefert und b) subjektiv wahrgenommene Emotionen und subjektiv wahrgenommene physiologische Aktivität. Das Poster zeigt die ersten Resultate der 15 ängstlichsten und der 15 am wenigsten ängstlichen Musiker. Das Hauptinteresse gilt den folgenden Punkten: Herz- und Atemfrequenz, subjektiv wahrgenommenes Herzklopfen, subjektiv wahrgenommene Kurzatmigkeit und subjektiv wahrgenommenes Angstgefühl. Die Resultate dieser Studie zeigen erstens, dass ängstliche und nichtängstliche Musikstudenten zu den verschiedenen Messzeitpunkten eine vergleichbare physiologische Aktivität aufweisen und zweitens, dass ängstliche Musikstudenten ein signifikant höheres Angstgefühl haben und signifikant mehr Herzklopfen und Kurzatmigkeit wahrnehmen vor und/oder während eines Auftritts mit Publikum. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass sich ängstliche und nichtängstliche Musikstudenten a) bezüglich der subjektiv wahrgenommenen physiologischen Symptome und des selbst berichteten Angstgefühls vor und/oder während eines öffentlichen Auftritts unterscheiden und sich b) bezüglich der untersuchten physiologischen Reaktionen nicht unterscheiden.

Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) : cardiorespiratory activity in high- and low-anxious professional music students before a performance situation

Descriptors: music performance anxiety, respiration, hyperventilation Surveys indicate that high-anxious musicians may suffer from hyperventilation (HV) before or during performance. Reported symptoms include shortness of breath, fast/ deep breathing and thumping heart. However, no study has yet tested if these selfreported symptoms reflect actual cardiorespiratory activity. Themain goal of this study was to determine if MPA is manifested physiologically in specific correlates of cardiorespiratory activity associated with HV.We studied 74 professional music students from Swiss Music Academies. In this study, we compared the most anxious students (highanxious; n 5 20) with the least anxious students (low-anxious; n 5 23) based on their self-reported performance anxiety. We measured cardiorespiratory patterns with the Lifeshirt system, end-tidal CO2 with a capnograph (EtCO2, a good non-invasive estimator of HV), self-perceived physiological activation and affective experience in three situations on different days: baseline, performance without audience, and performance with audience. Comparing measures for the private vs. the public concert, high- compared to low-anxious students showed a significant drop in EtCO2 before the public concert and reported larger increases in anxiety, tension, palpitations and breathing difficulties. In contrast, heart rate, respiratory rate and volume did not differ significantly between groups. The results of this study support the hypothesis thatMPA may be associated with a tendency to hyperventilate and, thus, point to a potential hyperventilation problem in high-anxious music students.

Challenge of transition in the socio-professional insertion of youngsters with neurodisabilities

Patients with neurodisabilities require early management, continuing into adulthood. Thus, transition services were implemented in hospitals. To have a better support when they enter into adult life, it is useful to know the problems that they could face. The aim of this study is to evaluate their activities and to assess their insertion problems in the professional world. It is based on medical records of patients, aged 16 to 25 years, followed in the transition clinic of young adults in the Neurorehabilitation services of a tertiary centre. From 387 patients of the paediatric consultation, there are 267 patients (69%), included 224 with neurodevelopmental diseases and 43 with neuromuscular diseases. Nearly half of them (46.8%) were in a protected environment, 37.08% studied and 3.4% worked. Paradoxically, only 29.2% reported work problems. These results highlight the need to increase the integration of young adults with neuromotor disorders in the labor market.

Detection of testosterone administration based on the carbon isotope ratio profiling of endogenous steroids: international reference populations of professional soccer players.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The determination of the carbon isotope ratio in androgen metabolites has been previously shown to be a reliable, direct method to detect testosterone misuse in the context of antidoping testing. Here, the variability in the 13C/12C ratios in urinary steroids in a widely heterogeneous cohort of professional soccer players residing in different countries (Argentina, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and Uganda) is examined. METHODS: Carbon isotope ratios of selected androgens in urine specimens were determined using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). RESULTS: Urinary steroids in Italian and Swiss populations were found to be enriched in 13C relative to other groups, reflecting higher consumption of C3 plants in these two countries. Importantly, detection criteria based on the difference in the carbon isotope ratio of androsterone and pregnanediol for each population were found to be well below the established threshold value for positive cases. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained with the tested diet groups highlight the importance of adapting the criteria if one wishes to increase the sensitivity of exogenous testosterone detection. In addition, confirmatory tests might be rendered more efficient by combining isotope ratio mass spectrometry with refined interpretation criteria for positivity and subject-based profiling of steroids.

The role of career adaptability and work conditions on general and professional well-being.

This study, conducted with a representative sample of employed and unemployed adults living in Switzerland (N = 2002), focuses on work conditions (in terms of professional insecurity and job demands), career adaptability, and professional and general well-being. Analyses of covariance highlighted that both unemployed and employed participants with low job insecurity reported higher scores on career adaptability and several dimensions (notably on control) than employed participants with high job insecurity. Moreover, structural equation modeling for employed participants showed that, independent of work conditions, adaptability resources were positively associated both with general and professional well-being. As expected professional outcomes were strongly related to job strain and professional insecurity, emphasizing the central role of the work environment. Finally, career adaptability partially mediated the relationship between job strain and professional insecurity, and the outcome well-being.

Le soignant face au patient lombalgique chronique: l'expérience clinique de l'Unité Rachis à l'Hôpital orthopédique [The health professional's approach to chronic lumbago: clinical experience at the Spinal Cord Unit at the orthopedic hospital]

The treatment of back pain patients refers to the biopsychosocial model of care. This model includes illness in patient's personal and relational life. In this context, it is not only the physical symptom of the patient which is focused but also his psychological distress often hidden by algic complain. Clinical interviews conducted with back pain patients have highlighted psychosocial aspects able to influence the relationship between health care user and provider. Taking account of psychosocial aspects implies an interdisciplinary approach that identify and assesses patients' needs through adequate tools. As a result, the different health care providers implied with back pain patients have to collaborate in a structured network.

Detection of nandrolone metabolites in urine after a football game in professional and amateur players: a Bayesian comparison.

Nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) is a widely used anabolic steroid in sports where strength plays an essential role. Once nandrolone has been metabolised, two major metabolites are excreted in urine, 19-norandrosterone (NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone (NE). In 1997, in France, quite a few sportsmen had concentrations of 19-norandrosterone very close to the IOC cut off limit (2ng/ml). At that time, a debate took place about the capability of the human male body to produce by itself these metabolites without any intake of nandrolone or related compounds. The International Football Federation (FIFA) was very concerned with this problematic, especially because the World Cup was about to start in France. In this respect, a statistical study was held with all football players from the first and second divisions of the Swiss Football National League. All players gave a urine sample after effort and around 6% of them showed traces of 19-norandrosterone. These results were compared with amateur football players (control group) and around 6% of them had very small amounts of 19-norandrosterone and/or 19-noretiocholanolone in urine after effort, whereas none of them had detectable traces of one or the other metabolite before effort. The origin of these compounds in urine after a strenuous physical activity is still unknown, but three hypotheses can be put forward. First, an endogenous production of nandrolone metabolites takes place. Second, nandrolone metabolites are released from the fatty tissues after an intake of nandrolone, some related compounds or some contaminated nutritive supplements. Finally, the sportsmen may have taken something during or just before the football game.

Activité professionnelle des utilisateurs d'implant cochléaire [Professional occupation after cochlear implantation]

This study verifies whether cochlear implants helps deaf adults to maintain or develop their professional occupations. Sixty-seven patients received a questionnaire concerning their professional activities before and after implantation. At the time of implantation 34 were professionally active. After the implantation 29 remained active, 4 of them reporting positive developments in their careers. Five patients became inactive. The previously inactive patients remained inactive. There was no difference in auditory performances between professionally active or inactive patients. Cochlear implants enable most implanted adults to maintain and even progress in their professions. However, deafness still represents an obstacle to social integration as inactive patients who searched for a job were rejected after the job interviews.