The Impact of Music Teaching and Classroom Management on the Academic Anxiety of Junior High School Students in Chengdu, China

Abstract

This study examined the impact of teaching, music classroom management, and classroom management on the academic anxiety of junior high school students in Chengdu, China. Based on the ideas of emotional regulation and self-determination theories, this study sought to determine whether music instruction and classroom management had direct effects on students’ academic anxiety levels and to examine the mediating effect of classroom management. A total of 400 valid samples were obtained from three junior secondary schools in Chengdu, China, using a quantitative cross-sectional survey. Three five-point Likert scales were used to collect data on music classroom teaching, classroom management, and academic anxiety. The reliability analysis indicated high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha ranging from 0.897 to 0.912. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively using Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses. The results revealed that academic anxiety was significantly decreased by music classroom teaching (β=−0.352, p < 0.001) and negatively predicted by classroom management (β=−0.389, p < 0.001). Classroom music teaching positively predicted classroom management (β=0.417, p < 0.001). In addition, classroom management moderated the relationship between music teaching and academic anxiety (β=−0.173, p < 0.001). The regression model accounted for 48.6% of the variance in academic anxiety. The study concludes that good teaching of music and appropriate classroom control are applicable, which can alleviate pupils’ academic anxiety and enhance their psychological well-being. Further studies could utilize a longitudinal or mixed-methods approach and explore other factors that affect students’ emotional growth.