The impact of teaching strategies on music performance anxiety among piano students in China

While previous studies have primarily focused on psychological and therapeutic interventions, limited empirical research has examined how instructional strategies might alleviate MPA. This study addresses that gap by investigating the impact of diversified pedagogical approaches on piano students’ anxiety, confidence, and learning engagement within the context of Chinese higher music education.<br><br>Adopting a mixed-methods design, the research combined quantitative data from a 62-item questionnaire (n = 52) with qualitative insights drawn from classroom observations and semi-structured interviews.

Correlation and regression analyses revealed significant negative relationships between MPA and diverse teaching methods, effective expectation management, and alignment with Chinese traditional values. Students who experienced interactive, experiential, and cooperative learning environments reported lower anxiety and greater self-efficacy. Conversely, perfectionistic tendencies were associated with increased stress and performance-related difficulties.<br><br>The qualitative findings further demonstrated that emotional support, dialogic interaction, body movement, and group participation fostered resilience and reduced fear of failure.