An Exploration of Perceived Stress Among Music Therapy Interns
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine the prevalence, possible sources, and effects of perceived stress on music therapy interns. An online survey was conducted with a sample of music therapy interns from all seven regions of the U.S. Of the 71 participants who replied to the survey, 61 participants (2 males and 59 females) completed the entire survey and were included in the data analysis. Results showed this sample had moderately low prevalence of perceived stress (M = 15.54, SD = 6.38). The five sources of stress with the highest frequency were “Other sources of stress NOT related to internship or academics,” “Competency with extensive and varied repertoire,” “Competency on various musical instruments,” “Responding effectively to unexpected situations involving your clients,” and “Utilizing advanced verbal techniques with your clients.” When asked to rank their top three sources of stress, participants ranked “Other sources of stress NOT related to internship or academics” highest, followed by “Competency on various musical instruments,” “Utilizing advanced verbal techniques with your clients,” “Practicing strategies for self care,” “Competency with extensive and varied repertoire,” and “Supervision.” The highest scoring effects of stress were “Emotional effects” and “Personal life,” but stress was also reported in other domains, such as “Academic,” “Clinical,” “Physical,” and “Behavioral.” Implications for music therapy and future research are discussed.
