Mental health in music education - a shared responsibility

There are few studies that are as closely linked to identity as music education. Music influences every aspect of a music student's life, from everyday study and friends to leisure and finances. Getting into higher music education requires hard and determined work over a long period of time, often from childhood onwards. When music becomes such a big part of your life, it's not surprising that it has a big impact on how you feel.

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on mental health in music education, which is both welcome and necessary. Studies show a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety among musicians compared to the general population, both in Norway [1] and internationally [2]. Furthermore, some studies show that the proportion of people with mental health problems is even higher among music students than among fully trained professional musicians [3]. A survey of Norwegian musicians highlights external pressure, an unpredictable future and difficulties with work-life balance as key factors [4]. In other words, we need a music education that takes musician health seriously and facilitates a musician's life that is sustainable and rewarding throughout their career.

Faced with these figures, it is a short step to determine what measures should be implemented for the individual. It is important that we have good measures and assistance for those who need it, but at the same time we must not forget the measures that are aimed at supporting the culture in music education and among musicians in general. In other words, it is important that in the face of these challenges we don't just look inwards, but recognize that looking outwards can be just as important. Social relationships, social support and a good social environment are some of the strongest predictors of perceived happiness [5], while also being protective factors against the development of mental ill health [6, 7]. It is therefore worrying when studies show that Norwegian musicians feel less social support than the general population [4, 8]. The fact that many music students have most of their social interaction within the music community and educational institution makes the social environment an especially important factor.

What is a good social environment? This is a big question, and too extensive to attempt to answer in this article. However, one factor that is of great importance for good social and mental functioning, is people's ability to mentalize. Mentalization is closely related to empathy, and can be described as seeing others from the inside and oneself from the outside [9]. In other words, trying to understand what others think and feel is a central part of mentalization. A healthy and sustainable music culture means that music students are trained in such skills, including through discussion arenas where they can practice reflecting on the role of the musician and key issues related to this. By practicing putting ourselves in the shoes of others, it is easier to understand and thus support others in their life situations and challenges. In this way, you help to create community and social support, but also make it safer for yourself to seek support from others in the community when you need it.

Humans are social animals, and we are strongly influenced by social norms about how we should behave. For example, it is said that curiosity is contagious. If you are curious about how those around you are feeling, it will often lead them to be more curious about others around them. In this way, our behavior has a ripple effect and we all have a responsibility for the culture that is created. Studies also show that prosocial actions, i.e. actions aimed at helping others, not only contribute to a supportive social environment, but often have a health-promoting effect in themselves [10]. Supporting others can thus contribute to one's own wellbeing, while at the same time having a significant impact on others. A social culture that is perceived as safe and supportive facilitates the growth of exploration, curiosity and creativity. In other words, social factors are not only important for good mental health, but also for students to develop key competencies and skills for musicians.

A lot of good things are happening in the focus on mental health in music education, but it is important that we do not forget that focusing on others also has an impact on how we feel mentally. An environment where music students experience good social support from fellow students and teachers promotes creativity, confidence and quality of life. The development of such a social environment is both a systemic and an individual responsibility. As individuals, a good start is to be curious about the people around us and actively contribute to the social environment. At the system level, discussion arenas should be facilitated with room to talk about the challenges of being a musician, where we can broaden our understanding and better put ourselves in the shoes of others. CEMPE has contributed to this in many ways, including through events such as MHPC22 and «the Musician and the Psyche», discussion forums in CEMPE/STUDENT talks and teaching about the impostor phenomenon in the start-up week for new students. Now that CEMPE is winding down, I hope that this focus and the opportunity for discussion will continue to be taken seriously and carried forward.