Comparison of self-esteem and happiness levels of music education students with other departments

Abstract

This study aims to determine preservice music teachers' self-esteem and happiness levels and compare them with other departments. The study group comprised 242 students from Gazi University Gazi Faculty of Education. The Two-Dimensional Self-Esteem Scale and The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short Form were used as data collection tools. The method of the study conducted with a quantitative approach was a survey. According to the research data, music education students' happiness and self-competence levels are good, while self-liking levels are moderate. Self-esteem scores do not differ according to grade and gender variables. The contentment levels of music education students showed a substantial difference, favoring females. Looking at the faculty of education in general, all departments are at a moderate level in the self-liking aspect, and all are at a good level in the self-competence aspect. In happiness scores, it was determined that Music and Turkish-Social Sciences students had good scores, while Mathematics-Science group students had average scores at medium level. It was determined that music education pupils had higher averages in all aspects. As the outcome of the comparison analysis, it was determined that the happiness levels of Music Education students were significantly higher than Mathematics-Science Education students.