MusicCohort: Pilot Feasibility of a Protocol to Assess Students' Physical and Mental Health in a Canadian Post-secondary School of Music

Overview

Journal BMC Res Notes

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Biology
General Medicine

Date 2021 Dec 5

PMID 34863309

Citations 1

Authors

Julius Bruder

Nikolaus Ballenberger

Bethany Villas

Charlotte Haugan

Kimiko McKenzie

Zalak Patel

Christoff Zalpour

Amynah Mevawala

Melisa Handl

Christine Guptill

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Music-related physical and mental health conditions are common among post-secondary music students, with many studies reporting a prevalence greater than 70%. However, there is currently no consensus on appropriate, validated assessments for this population. The aim of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of an assessment protocol developed for a German longitudinal study with Canadian post-secondary music students, and to compare the health of music students to non-music students. Using a cross-sectional design, first-semester music and non-music control students were recruited at two campuses at the same university. Both groups completed questionnaires and physical testing, including range of motion, core strength, and pressure pain threshold. Nineteen music students and 50 non-music student controls participated in this study.

Results: The German protocol is feasible in a Canadian post-secondary setting. Canadian music students demonstrated similar health outcomes to those in the parent study. All participants demonstrated poorer mental and physical quality of life than the Canadian norms, though this was not statistically significant. The results of this study should be confirmed in a larger study. Future studies with larger sample sizes can provide further insight into the health of Canadian music students, providing a basis for prevention and intervention.

Citing Articles

Musculoskeletal Health Complaints and Associated Risk Factors in Freshmen Music Students.

Ballenberger N, Avermann F, Zalpour C Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(4).

PMID: 36833864 PMC: 9964731. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043169.

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