The Relationship Between Musical Self-Concept and Motivation in Music Education

An Empirical Cross-sectional Study of Students from Grades 7 to 11 at Secondary Education Schools in Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia

Abstract

Both the musical self-concept as well as motivation in Music education are considered to be important factors that can influence the musical development of students. However, the relationship between these two constructs have hardly been examined so far in music-educational research. The present study aims to investigate this relationship, both theoretically and empirically. Therefore, questionnaire data from 270 secondary school students on musical self-concept as well as motivation in Music education were analyzed with the help of correlation and path analyses. The results of the correlation analysis show how the musical self-concept is linked with motivation in Music education. Additionally, the path analysis reveals that the academic component of the musical self-concept influences motivation in Music education. Thus, the present study can make an essential contribution to the understanding of the relationships between these two constructs.