Hard Work and Hopefulness: A Mixed Methods Study of Music Students’ Status and Beliefs in Relation to Health, Wellbeing, and Success as They Enter Specialized Higher Education

Abstract

Using mixed methods, we explored new music students’ concepts of wellbeing and success and their current state of wellbeing at a university music department in Switzerland. Music performance is a competitive and achievement-oriented career. Research suggests musicians face vocation-specific challenges to physical health and mental wellbeing but has yet to investigate music students’ beliefs about wellbeing and success. With a self-report questionnaire (n = 99, Bachelor/Master students) we investigated new music students’ quality of life (WHO-5; WHOQoL-BREF) and self-efficacy (ASKU). Through qualitative workshops (17 groups, n = 5–8) we explored students’ understanding of the term “wellbeing,” and how this relates to “success.” Over half new music students (55%) believed the institution has 40–60% responsibility for their wellbeing. A simple linear regression showed that self-efficacy could predict better wellbeing, explaining 12% of the variance. Self-efficacy predicts wellbeing for new music students (β1 = 8.81, p = 0.001). The 17 flipcharts generated 121 inputs clustered into themes. Four themes solely described “wellbeing” (Health, Safety, Vitality, and Attitude) and four separately depict “success” (Achieving Objectives, Recognition, Career, and Financial Goods). Some themes intersected as elements of both constructs (Intersection: Relationships & Environment, Development, Happiness, Meaningfulness, Balance and Authenticity). Four further themes illustrated the relationship between the two (Reciprocity, Conditionality, Stability and Perspectivity). Music students believe responsibility for wellbeing is shared between themselves and their institution. As they scored low on both self-efficacy and wellbeing, these findings are an urgent call for action for school management and stakeholders of the music student population.

Validation of the Musical Identity Measure: Exploring musical identity as a variable across multiple types of musicians

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The Impact of Three Key Paradigm Shifts on Disability, Inclusion, and Autism in Higher Education in England: An Integrative Review

“…These include the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Resound [157], the National Youth Orchestra [158], the Paraorchestra [159], and Drake Music [160]. Additionally, music students are reported to believe that there is a shared responsibility for well-being between themselves and their HE institution [161]. However, there is a reported lack of representation and a lack of historical figures that might encourage disabled musicians in HE [162].…”

Significant Health Literacy as Zest for Living in the Aging Society

“…Consequently, the higher each self-efficacy is observed, the higher degrees of psychological and physical health J Health Care and Research will be expected. As a recent report, concepts of success and happiness were investigated for the subjects who are involved in music [21]. It included self-efficacy, which is closely related to four components.…”

“…Furthermore, other perspectives were reported for the related factors leading to the successful lives of the elderly. They included happiness, development, meaningfulness, authenticity, balance, environment and various relationships [21]).…”