Music Performance Anxiety: Developmental, Psychodynamic and Lifespan Perspectives

MPA occurs in very young children and is prevalent throughout the lifespan of musicians. Childhood presentations are phenotypically similar to adult musicians which raises the question as to whether MPA is innate or acquired and if identified in childhood, the most appropriate way to manage it to forestall MPA as a lifelong problem. An understanding of developmental and psychodynamic psychology and the multifactorial causation of MPA is necessary to develop effective interventions.