The Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory–Revised (K-MPAI-R): Validation of the French version

Abstract

This study aimed at validating the psychometric properties of the French version of the 40-item revised Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI-R). The certified French version was used and answered by 211 student musicians (aged 16–65 years, SD = 9.58) from different music schools and music colleges in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The K-MPAI-R is based on Barlow’s model of anxiety and was designed to measure performance anxiety in musicians. Through descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis, the correlation matrix and the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity were performed. The confirmatory factor analysis showed evidence of validity (Cronbach’s α, Factor G = .91) with internal reliabilities going from α = .78 to .86. Nine items present low factor loading (<.30). Given the adequate psychometric properties of the French K-MPAI-R, this instrument is valid and reliable for the measurement of performance anxiety among French-speaking musicians. When accompanying musicians in mental preparation (e.g., psychologists, mental trainer), the total score should be taken as a general information, but factors and their associated lowest items could be interesting to work on pertinent aspects with the musician.