Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI): Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Ukrainian version

Introduction: Music performance anxiety (MPA) is one of the most common psychological problems among musicians, regardless of their age, gender or level of stage experience. Since empirical studies of this subject are just emerging in Ukraine, there is a lack of psychometrically valid instruments for measuring it. Many specific instruments are available to evaluate MPA in English, but they have to be adapted for the Ukrainian population. One of such significant psychodiagnostic tools is the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI) used for different cultural contexts.


Purpose: The aim of this research is to study the factor structure of the Ukrainian version of K-MPAI.


Methodology: In order to assess the K-MPAI’s linguistic and conceptual equivalence, the questionnaire was translated using blind back-translation method. Thereafter, the sample of 252 professional musicians (aged 19–66, M = 38, SD = 11.24; 59% women and 41% men) completed the K-MPAI.


Results: An exploratory factor analysis with principal axis factoring and oblimin rotation method was performed based on the K-MPAI items. The optimal implementation of parallel analysis revealed three factors that explain 44.99 % of variance; they are named “proximal performance concerns”, “early relationship context”, and “psychological vulnerability”. The internal consistency of the Ukrainian version of K-МPAI presents excellent value with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.871 and high temporal stability (r = .84; p<0.001).


Discussion & Conclusions: These findings demonstrate evidence of construct validity and reliability of the Ukrainian version of K-MPAI and partially support the theoretical model that became the basis for the development of the original measure. This questionnaire can be used as a valid tool to assess MPA in Ukrainian scientific research