Background: Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a common and impairing disorder among musicians, with repercussions on both personal well-being and professional careers.
Objective: The present study examined the mental health of professional musicians in Belgium through a cross-sectional survey.
Method: Ninety-five professional musicians (N = 95) completed a questionnaire consisting of seven standardized tests designed to assess job satisfaction, mental health, musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), music performance anxiety (MPA), and attachment styles.
Results: Findings indicated that professional musicians reported greater psychological vulnerability than normative populations. MPA was positively associated with mental health difficulties, MSD, and insecure attachment (avoidant and anxious). Job satisfaction was negatively associated with MPA, mental health difficulties, and anxious attachment. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that psychological distress significantly predicted MPA.
Conclusions: MPA is not an isolated phenomenon but reflects broader psychological functioning among musicians. These results highlight the importance of adopting an integrated approach to musicians' health, encompassing both physical and psychological dimensions, beginning at the earliest stages of musical training.