Work-related behavior and experience patterns of music educators - a basis for intervention

Area of Science:

• Occupational health psychology
• Music education research
• Workplace stress and well-being

Background:

• Music educators face significant physical and psychological workplace stressors.
• Work-related behavior and experience patterns (AVEM) can serve as personal resources to mitigate stress.
• Understanding these patterns across different age groups is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the work-related behavior and experience patterns (AVEM) in music educators.
• To analyze the characteristics of AVEM questionnaire dimensions across different age groups.
• To identify age-specific differences in stress-related patterns among music educators.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted with 205 music educators in Germany.
• Participants were categorized into three age groups: ≤35, 36-45, and ≥46 years.
• The standardized AVEM questionnaire was administered, and data were analyzed using correlation analysis.

Main Results:

• All AVEM dimensions were within the reference range across all age groups.
• The 'willingness to spend' dimension was the most pronounced (M±SD 5.2±2.15).
• Age showed a negative correlation with the experience of social support (ρ = -0.354).

Conclusions:

• Age-independent, high-risk AVEM patterns (A and B) necessitate workplace prevention and health promotion.
• Recommendations include implementing stress management and resilience-building programs during music education studies.
• Proactive health strategies are essential for supporting music educators' well-being.