Debilitating performance anxiety in musicians and the performance specifier for social anxiety disorder: should we be playing the same tune?

Objective Research on the experience of performance anxiety (PA) in musicians is often explored through the use of the term music performance anxiety (MPA). Current diagnostic classifications include PA as a specifier for social anxiety disorder (SAD). This inclusion aims to acknowledge a distinct group of individuals who demonstrate the same cluster of symptoms as SAD but in a performance specific context. This present review aims to examine and sythesise these distinct literatures from a cognitive-behavioural perspective.Method Relevant literature from the cognitive-behavioural perspective of SAD and MPA were identified, compared, and critically reviewed.Results Despite a continued focus in the field of clinical psychology on developing diagnostic tools, disorder-specific models, and gold standard treatments for SAD, these advancements are not widely employed when understanding and managing debilitating PA in musicians. This review considers that research investigating debilitating PA in musicians could be examined as a context-specific form of SAD, informed by well-established cognitive-behavioural models and assessment tools, which can aid the development of standardised treatment protocols.Conclusions Cognitive-behavioural models of SAD could aid in our understanding of PA in musicians, especially when considering treatment targets. Limitations for the model’s application are also discussed, recognising the complex nature and research already conducted on MPA.