The 26-item version of the Kenny-Music Performance Anxiety Inventory: Italian validation and analysis of its psychometric properties

Music Performance Anxiety is a specific type of performance anxiety, impairing musical performers around the world. To explain this condition, a model composed of three different and integrated factors was proposed: a factor associated to concerns related to the performance setting, a factor associated to psychological vulnerability (i.e., depressive thinking style), and a factor associated to early parental relationships sustain the development of music performance anxiety. Based on this model, the 26-item version of the Kenny – Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI, Kenny et al., 2006) was developed. The aim of the present study was to assess the psychometric properties of an Italian version of this measure. A sample of 319 music performers was recruited and completed this measure, as well as measures related to depression, general anxiety, and social anxiety. After several adjustments, an Exploratory Factor Analysis and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis highlighted a three-factor structure as the best factorial solution for this questionnaire, matching the proposed model. Sex invariance was supported, internal consistency was good, and no strong correlations with age emerged. Moreover, convergent validity and temporal stability were achieved. Accordingly, validity and reliability of the 26-item Italian version of the K-MPAI were confirmed. This questionnaire emerged as a reliable tool to assess music performance anxiety among different Italian music performers. Finally, due to its briefness, it emerged as a viable measure to assess music performance anxiety in both research and clinical settings.