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Thirty volunteer graduate music students, both piano majors and nonpiano majors, were previously screened for experienced solo piano performance anxiety. They were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: (a) systematic desensitization with “in vivo” counterconditioning, a method focusing on control of the physiological anxiety response, (b) music analysis with performance rehearsal, a method focusing on more complete intellectual mastery of the performance material, and (c) the control group. All eight training sessions in each procedure were aurally directed by the experimenter. Training activities were completed by all subjects. At pre- and posttest recitals pulse rates, performance errors, and questionnaire responses indicating experienced anxiety were measured as indicators of performance anxiety. Correlated sample t tests showed that all measures of anxiety were significantly reduced (p <.01) by the systematic desensitization group. Performance errors only were significantly reduced (p <.05) by the music analysis group. Analyses of covariance indicated that, compared with the control group who slightly increased anxiety responses, the systematic desensitization group showed the most effective reductions (p <.05, p <.01), followed by the music analysis group (p <.05). There were no differences caused by the major performing medium of the subject or by interaction. Correlation showed subjects performing more difficult compositions reported significantly less (p <.05) experienced anxiety.
S. S. Appel (Mon,) studied this question.