Psychological skills and mindfulness training effects on the psychological wellbeing of undergraduate music students: An exploratory study

This study explored the efficacy of psychological skills and mindfulness training intervention on the psychological wellbeing of undergraduate music students. Participants were undergraduate music students (n = 36) from the Department of Music at a South African university, 21 of whom were elected to take the psychological skills and mindfulness training intervention. Data on their self-reported psychological wellbeing, psychological skills, mindfulness and performance anxiety levels were collected pre-and post-intervention. The analysis applied non-parametric procedures to determine changes in students’ psychological wellbeing after the seven-week intervention programme. Findings suggest improvements in psychological wellbeing, psychological skills, mindfulness and performance anxiety with training. Psychological skills and mindfulness training may have benefits to the psychological wellbeing of music students.     

Modification of observing behavior

The effects on monitoring performance of a limited hold (LH) terminated by a bell or by electric shock and of periodic rest periods were investigated. The sensitivity of basal skin conductance to different monitoring conditions was also studied. Humans monitored a visual display in several 2-hr sessions under the Holland procedure. In each session, signals were programmed by one of the following three multiple schedules: a variable interval of 6 min (VI 6) and a VI 6 with a limited hold (LH) terminated by a bell; a VI 6 and a VI 6 LH terminated by electric shock; a VI 6 LH terminated by shock and a time-out (TO). The two components of each schedule alternated at 15-min intervals. The average observing response rate of eight subjects was lowest during the VI 6 periods, higher in periods when the LH was terminated by a bell, and highest when the LH was terminated by shock. Periodic TO periods did not appreciably increase the response rate under the VI 6 LH shock component. A differential level of palmar skin conductance under the two components of a schedule was present only under the mult VI 6 LH shock-TO.