Mindfulness for Singers 2017 - Information Essentials
The effects of a targeted mindfulness course on student singers: A longitudinal study
Information Sheet
You are being invited to take part in a research project. Before you decide it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part.
Mindfulness – the background
“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 2004, p.4). Judgmentally, in this definition means without emotional self-criticism.
Mindfulness is currently available on the NHS for those with chronic depression. However, research has also indicated its usefulness in the areas of education, sport, business and, recently, music education.
Project Aim
The aim of this project is to investigate the usefulness of a course in Mindfulness for student singers. You have been chosen because you are a student studying advanced voice with a teacher at university and because you will be utilising your singing skills in performance.
Do I have to do it?
It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. You have anytime up to a week to decide. If you do take part you can still withdraw from the course at any time and have any data destroyed until the start of analysis (23.3.17). You do not have to give a reason.
What do I have to do?
1. Fill in registration form and consent administration.
2. Fill in a short questionnaire both before and after the course.
3. Attend a mindfulness course from January to February. The course offered is an adapted version of the MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) course developed for singers. It is of 8 weeks x 1 hours duration.
4. 15 minutes of home practice with a provided CD/MP3 tracks for 6/7 days per week for the duration of the course preferably just before singing lessons/practice or performance situations.
5. A recorded interview of 15-20 mins duration immediately after the course to find out your thoughts and another one 3 months later to find out any long term effects.
6. A course length anonymous ongoing diary to record your thoughts or insights gained from the course.
What are the possible benefits or disadvantages of taking part?
There are no anticipated disadvantages and research has indicated that a Mindfulness course should be beneficial in the following areas of a singer’s life:
Learning:
Learning singing technique and micro-muscular movement awareness.
Dealing with criticism and lesson stress and anxiety. Teacher/pupil relations.
Changing/enhancing practice behaviours.
Performance:
Dealing with nerves, stress, anxiety, fear and panic. Encourage ‘flow’ experience. Wide and narrow concentration and attention focus control. Orchestra/cast/audience awareness. Stage movement and acting. Moment by moment creativity. Memory.
Life skills:
Career stress, criticism and networking skills. Sleep and relaxation.
Health awareness. Worry and anxiety.
Not all of the above possible effects are being investigated but to avoid bias, the precise area of investigation will be revealed after the interviews.
What type of information will be sought from me?
Your name, age and gender, your singing teacher’s name and your email/phone contact details will be needed for demographic and contact purposes.
Will my taking part in this project be kept confidential and what will happen to the results of the research project?
All the information that we collect about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential. You will not be able to be identified in any reports of publications. In the event of this research being published, you will be notified when, where and how to obtain a copy. This research is for completion of the PhD in Applied Psychology at Leeds University. Data will be archived at the Research Data Leeds repository.
The anonymised audio recordings of your interviews made during this research will be used only for analysis and for illustration in conference presentations and lectures. No other use will be made of them without your written permission, and no one outside the project will be allowed access to the original recordings.
Who is organizing/funding the research?
Funding is provided by University of Leeds 110 Anniversary Scholarship. £20 is offered to each student at the final interview in thanks for their participation.
Contact: Anne-Marie Czajkowski: mc11amlc@leeds.ac.uk 0113 286 2513
Click here to register your interest.
Finally:
You will be given a copy of this information sheet and a consent form to keep identical to one you have signed to agree to participate in this research.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read through this information.
Ethics Approval Reference: PVAR 15-008