Mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions for music performance anxiety: a three-level meta-analysis of therapeutic effects, mechanisms, and boundary conditions.
Frontiers in Psychology January 1, 2026 Chengyu Zhang, Xin Shan, Huasen Zhang et al.
A dual-track synthesis combining meta-analysis and qualitative synthesis of 32 studies (1,983 participants) found that mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions are associated with a moderate-to-large reduction in music performance anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.732) and a small-to-moderate improvement in positive psychological functioning (g = 0.350). Stronger effects were observed for music performance-specific anxiety than for broader anxiety or stress responses. Intervention type and dose did not significantly moderate the main effects. The qualitative synthesis identified four recurring therapeutic components: cognitive defusion, somatic anchoring, acceptance/values clarification, and self-compassion. Mechanism-related interpretations remain inferential, as they are based on theoretical integration and qualitative evidence rather than direct mediation testing.