Music performance anxiety may negatively affect music students’ progress in music. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of maladaptive perfectionism in predicting music performance anxiety among music students, focusing on the mediating role of impostor syndrome. A total of 275 music students studying at music academies in Slovenia and Austria completed an online survey comprising the maladaptive perfectionism subscales Doubts About Actions, Concern Over Mistakes, Parental Criticism, and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism, the short version of the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale, and a music performance anxiety scale. Given the ethnic diversity of the population, the survey was administered in English. The results of the path analysis showed that the maladaptive perfectionism dimension doubts about actions, characterised by self-doubt and performance uncertainty, positively predicts music performance anxiety both directly and indirectly through higher impostor syndrome – the doubts intensify impostor feelings of inadequacy, and those contribute to music performance anxiety. The maladaptive perfectionism dimension concern over mistakes predicts music performance anxiety only indirectly through higher impostor syndrome – excessive worry about making mistakes and extremely high personal standards intensify impostor feelings, and those in turn contribute to increased music performance anxiety. The maladaptive perfectionism subscales parental criticism and socially prescribed perfectionism did not significantly contribute to the model. Impostor syndrome demonstrated both partial and full mediation effects, thus serving as a significant mediator in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and music performance anxiety – impostor feelings significantly explain the effects of maladaptive perfectionism dimensions doubts about actions and concern over mistakes on music performance anxiety. These results can serve as guidelines for experts, music teachers, and music students, who develop or apply strategies for alleviating music performance anxiety, as they emphasize the importance of addressing doubts about actions, concern over mistakes, and impostor syndrome as part of reducing music performance anxiety.
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