Investigation of factors associated with pain experience in conservatory students

The aim of the study is to examine the pain experience related to instrument performance of children receiving professional music education from the perspective of the person-environment-occupation model and the personal, environmental and occupation-related factors that may create risk factors for this situation. 32 children between the ages of 10-17, who received professional music education, participated in the study. Youth Activity Questionnaire – Music was used to evaluate factors such as demographic information and pain experience, which are among personal factors, and Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Youth was used to evaluate music performance anxiety. Parental attitude, which we examined as an environmental factor, was evaluated with the Parenting Styles Questionnaire. The study program, which we examined among the factors related to the occupation and the Young People's Activity Questionnaire - Music was used to examine the instrument playing habits. 68% of the children evaluated stated that they experienced pain related to playing the instrument. Only 1 of the children who experienced pain stated that they received professional support, while 45% stated that they used pain medication. All of the participants stated that they play an instrument every day. However, both the daily musical practice dose time (p=0.001) and the weekly total instrument performance time were higher in children who experienced pain associated with instrument performance (p=0.004). When the instrument performance habits of the young musicians were examined, it was found that they did not do warm-up and cool-down exercises except for 1 of the participants. When their daily activities other than music were examined, children with pain related to playing instruments used mobile phones more than those without pain (p=0.019). When musical performance anxiety among personal factors was examined, children who experienced pain due to instrument performance had more anxiety (p=0.022) and as the father's authoritarian attitude, which was the sub-parameter of parental attitudes we examined as an environmental factor, increased musical performance anxiety (p=0.001; r=0.697). As a result of our evaluations, it has been determined that conservatory students commonly experience pain related to instrument performance. Referring children with problems to a specialist as soon as possible will prevent the problem from continuing into adulthood. Regarding the personal factors such as performance anxiety of young conservatory students, the daily practice dose, the planning of the study program or the activity-related factors such as mobile phone activities other than music; We recommend that parents be made aware of their attitudes.