Music performance anxiety and psychological flourishing in Chinese music students: Mediating and moderating roles of self-efficacy and teacher–student relationships

This study focuses on the mediating role of self-efficacy and the moderating effect of teacher–student relationships in the relationship between music performance anxiety (MPA) and psychological flourishing among Chinese college music students. A total of 685 Chinese undergraduate music majors with a mean age of 19.95 years completed self-report questionnaires regarding psychological flourishing, the teacher–student relationship, self-efficacy, and MPA. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to ascertain the relationship between MPA and psychological flourishing, as well as to establish a moderated mediation model. The findings indicate that self-efficacy serves as a partial mediator in the relationship between MPA and psychological flourishing. In addition, the teacher–student relationship moderates the effects between MPA and self-efficacy, and between MPA and psychological flourishing. Specifically, stronger teacher–student relationships buffer the negative impact of MPA on self-efficacy and reduce its adverse effects on psychological well-being. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing students’ self-efficacy and fostering strong teacher–student relationships to mitigate the negative effects of MPA on students’ well-being. Future research and educational practices should focus on effectively enhancing self-efficacy and strengthening teacher–student relationships in music education contexts.