Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Freelance Professional Musicians

Abstract

With the onset of public life restrictions in the COVID 19 pandemic in March 2020, freelance professional musicians were exposed to significant pandemic-related restrictions in exercising their profession. Due to the particular working conditions, this professional group was already considered high at risk in terms of mental health before the pandemic. The present study investigates the level of mental distress among professional musicians during the pandemic in relation to basic mental health needs and help-seeking behaviour. In July and August 2021, psychological distress was measured in a nationwide sample of N=209 professional musicians using the ICD-10 Symptom Checklist (ISR). In addition, the extent to which the musicians' basic psychological needs are met and whether they would seek professional psychological help was determined. Compared to various control groups before and during the pandemic, professional musicians showed significantly higher levels of psychological symptoms than the general population before and during the pandemic. Regression analyses support the assumption that pandemic-related changes in the basic psychological needs of pleasure or displeasure avoidance, self-esteem enhancement or self-esteem protection and attachment have a significant influence on the expression of depression symptoms. The musicians' help-seeking behaviour, on the other hand, decreases with an increase in depression symptoms. Due to the high overall psychological stress among freelance musicians, there is a need for action, especially in the provision of specially adapted psychosocial support services.