The figure-eight movement of experiences and subsequent self- perceptions goes round and round. After completing a musical performance, a child’s inner dialogue, based on the response of the audience, may suggest that he is a good singer with positive performance skills. These thoughts curve around to firm up a perception for the child that he has positive worth as a singer and performer. On another occasion, a teachers’ direction of a grade-school performance is extremely well received by parents, staff, and students. This experience wraps around to create positive self-perceptions of her worth as a music teacher. According to Lillian Katz (1995, p. 23), “The relationship between self-evaluation, effort, and reevaluation of the self suggests a cyclic aspect of the dynamics of self-esteem.”All throughout our lives, our experiences create perceptions of our own worth and the arts act as a primary source for these experiences and subsequent reevaluations. As New York Artist Geoffrey Gneuhs aptly states, “In the experience of art, one encounters a sense of personhood and respect for self and others. One can lay claim to who they are in a small but deep and personal way.” (Mehuron, 1990). This connection between positive self-concept and the arts points to the significance of existing research on music education and/or involvement in music for people of all ages as part of their personal valuation of self-worth.

What is Self-esteem?

A positive self-image has been found to influence the success of an individual in all aspects of their life: physical, intellectual, emotional, and social (Hammer, 1974). The term “self-esteem” has many synonyms: self-image, emotional autonomy, competence, ego-identity, personal worth, self-concept, to name just a few (VanderArk, 1989, p. 105). All of these terms reference “a personal judgement of worthiness that is expressed in the attitudes the individual holds towards himself” (Coopersmith, in VanderArk, 1990). Self-esteem may also be defined as “one’s feeling of being lovable and capable. It is the respect that one has for who she is and what she can do” (Redman et al Sword, 1986). In a chapter titled “The Distinction Between Self-esteem and Narcissism”, Lillian Katz quotes researchers to give a more descriptive definition of self-esteem:Bednar, Wells, and Peterson (1989) define self-esteem “as a subjective and realistic self-approval” (p. 4). They point out that “self-esteem reflects how the individual views and values the self at the most fundamental levels of psychological experiencing” (p. 4) ….self-esteem is an enduring and affective sense of personal value based on accurate self-perceptions.” (Katz, 1995, p. 20, 21).

Music and Self-Esteem

Beyond definition, what is the part that music may play in developing self-esteem? Creative thinking, a skill vital in the musical experience, has been linked to self-esteem in studies which include increasingly reliable and valid data (Webster, 1988). Just like the figure-eight, the creative thinking process helps children and adults develop problem-solving techniques which wrap around to increase the “I can do it” positive self-concept (Jones, 1988). Furthermore, the building blocks of self-esteem are skills (Akin, 1990) and creative thinking is a skill that is readily observable in the musical experience. These musical experiences are believed to affect one’s feelings of self, including self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem. Expanding upon this, David Elliot specifically outlines music education and its effects upon self-esteem:The aims of music education, and the primary goals of every music teaching-learning situation, are to enable students to achieve self-growth, self-knowledge, and musical enjoyment by educating their musicianship in balanced relation to musical challenges within selected musical practices. It follows from this that musicianship is also a unique and major source of self-esteem (1995, p. 129). Many writers have referenced the unique quality of music as a builder of self-esteem, which is based on the idea that music is the only non-verbal, aural form of communication of the human organism (VanderArk, 1989). The results of studies discussed at the 1989 Suncoast Music Education Forum on Creativity show that music can be a positive influence on students’ self-esteem. Specific findings reported at the forum are summarized:Attitudes toward music instruction can be a significant predictor of self-esteem, and music reading activities produce the most negative attitudes—hence, may be the least beneficial in developing positive self-esteem in general music classes. Special types of music activities such as solo singing, contest participation, listening to music, and performing music appear to produce positive attitudes and self-esteem (VanderArk, p. 112).Whereas these findings benefit the music educator’s position that music involvement enhances self-esteem, difficulties with the research process exist, making clear conclusions and recommendations somewhat vague. One of the greatest difficulties in drawing conclusions regarding self-concept as it relates to any variable, including music, has been the variety of tests used in the various studies. According to VanderArk, “self-concept research has no clear or universally accepted definition of self-concept” (p. 108). The element of self-belief also complicates the discussion. Since self-esteem is a reflection of the individual back onto himself, many factors can influence that reflection, including “brain chemicals” that influence the ability to take criticism, the measuring instrument and the bias of the investigator, or spiritual and psychological factors” (p. 113). To help defray some of these complications, VanderArk makes logical and important recommendations for further studies (p. 116):

Develop definitions and models which include creativity and self-esteem in music education. Creativity seems to have to do with self-esteem in that self-esteem and creativity seem to interact, foster, and/or enhance one another. Clarify dependent/independent variables and causal factors relating to and affecting self-esteem, creativity, and motivation in music education. Case studies are needed, in addition to small and large N studies, involving the identified dependent and independent variables.

Case Studies Highlighting the Arts and/or Music and Self-Esteem

Whereas many projects may be available for discussion, the selections forthcoming were chosen for their demonstration of the ageless self-concept benefits of musical and/or arts experiences. Touching briefly upon self-esteem in early childhood, the discussion then involves two primary school projects, two secondary school projects, and finally a reference to adult self-esteem and the arts, which includes a review of a recent study involving music making and Alzheimer’s patients.

Early Childhood Reflections On Self-Esteem and Musical Exploration

Perhaps the most endearing quality of the young child is that they have complete innocence regarding a need for self-reflection. Since children are not born with high self-esteem and the origins of self-esteem begin early in life (Williams and Fromberg, 1992), this innocence points to the responsibility of parents and caretakers to provide self-esteem-building experiences. They learn from important people early in their lives that they are to be or not to be “esteemed” (Redman, in Sword, 1986). These very young children learn a great deal about their abilities and self-worth through exploration. Music is the perfect means of exploration: Everything the young child does musically is creative in that it is unique, exploratory in nature, and a means of discovering what they can do musically (Scott-Kassner, in Colwell, 1992). As John Feierabend states, “Nurturing music skills should be considered essential in early childhood simply because of the richness it brings to one’s life (Feierabend, 1990, p. 16). Musical exploration for the young child is essential to developing a rich self-concept as well.

Primary School Arts Programs and Self-Esteem Building

Both “Tribal Rhythms” and “Creating Success!” are apparently successful programs for the elementary school which utilize the arts to help schools to deal with urgent social and academic problems including low self-esteem (Beckwith et. al. , 1991; Akin, 1990). For each of these programs, many learning styles are targeted, with music, art, and drama utilized as instructional strategies. The goal of “Tribal Rhythms” is:…to help educators create socially inclusive learning environments in which each person is respected; in which leadership, initiative, and innovation are encouraged….Most importantly, this environment brings out the playful, creative person in both teacher and students, and gives them effective problem-solving skills (p. 252).The designers of the “Tribal Rhythms” curriculum continue by stating their beliefs:We believe that everyone has inherent creative abilities. Bringing out the artistic self helps the person meet a basic human need for self-expression. The process of creating art can change people’s behavior and transform their lives. The arts can be a “tool” for shaping a new reality, and can transform social groups, heal tensions, and build a sense of community (p. 253).“Creating Success!” is a program designed specifically for behaviorally and academically at-risk children and follows a similar interdisciplinary approach to building self-esteem. Each of these programs report on the success of their programs for building self-esteem in the elementary school environment, drawing attention to the positive affects of utilizing the arts for large populations of primary students and the development of self-esteem (Beckwith and others, 1991, and Akin, 1990).

Secondary School Arts Programs and Self-Esteem Building

Mehuron (1990), describes several secondary schools which utilize the arts to build self-esteem in impoverished areas. She profiles Sherry Jason, who launched a dance school called City Hearts in L.A. which demonstrates Jason’s belief in the power of the arts to build self-confidence. Mehuron quotes Jason: “For some, the arts will touch their lives in a passionate way. There are plenty of agencies to deal with food and clothing needs, but very little to feed their hearts and souls” (p. 24). Tom Pilecki, Principal of St. Augustine School of the Arts, explains his philosophy to Mehuron: “…all kids deserve to have a liberal arts education. They deserve beauty in their lives. Kids can experience art in their lives to help them become better learners and happier people, which will be reflected in their academic work" (p. 27). Both of these school projects direct attention to the power of the arts to positively affect self-esteem in secondary students.

Self-Esteem and the Arts for Adults

Self-reflection after experiences is an ageless activity. Perhaps as we age and our experiences change nature, experiences to enhance self-esteem are even more crucial. Interesting in the “Tribal Rhythm” elementary school project was the focus on raising the “creative person in both teacher and students” so that the teacher could model effective problem solving skills and high self-esteem. This program offered teachers opportunities for creative expression so that they could build their own self-confidence (Beckwith et. al., p. 258).Further questions regarding music and self-concept in the adult are directed at the elderly. The following study is only one of five on music and aging being funded by the Federal Administration on Aging. Directed by Frederick Tims (chair of the music-therapy department at Michigan State University), this study indicates that making music—from drumming to singing to improvisation—positively affects people with Alzheimer’s disease. These effects included increased ability to recognize others and greater socialization. As a whole the participants were reported to seem less anxious and more comfortable as a result of the musical involvements. Tims reports: “Sometimes we think people in the late stages of dementia cannot learn new skills. But these guys were learning new songs” (King, p. A-16). Tims also believes that the music-making stimulated the patients’ spiritual selves by engaging them with other life, including people, feelings, and memories. Although it is difficult to estimate the degree to which the patients experienced increased self-esteem throughout the study, the results show that music positively affected self-worth, demonstrated in increased socialization; and competence, demonstrated in the acquisition of new skills.

Conclusion

From the first musical moments to the last, the pathway between our rich musical experiences and positive self-reflection is worn deeper and deeper. Some of the experiences inspire a broader sense of self-awareness and others are hardly felt. Yet, the significance of each musical moment is critical to a life as a fully creative human being. As more research results become available regarding musical experiences and their affects on self-esteem, many more people will undoubtedly embrace music’s power to self-empower. From child to the aged, music as a self-esteem builder is solidly placed on the human pathway to lifelong fulfillment.

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