Theatre Performance Anxiety: Its Associations with Trait Anxiety, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Flow, and Acceptance

Abstract

This survey research study was conducted to investigate how trait anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, flow and acceptance relate and predict theatre performance anxiety. Participants were 205 theatre actors, aged between 18-62, who had a role in an official full production of a straight or musical play. Scene works and excerpts were not included. A link to the questionnaires was posted on Facebook pages of actor and theatre student groups, who were also asked to pass along the link to those potentially eligible for the study. Five measurements were administered. These were the measures of trait anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, flow, acceptance, and theatre performance anxiety. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s Correlational and Multiple Regression Analyses. Results indicated that trait anxiety and fear of negative evaluation were significantly and positively correlated with theatre performance anxiety at .001 level of significance (r = .52, .66, respectively). In contrast, flow and acceptance were significantly and negatively correlated with theatre performance anxiety at .001 level of significance (r = -.44, -.41, respectively) When examined together, trait anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, flow, and acceptance significantly predicted theatre performance anxiety and account for 50% of its variance at .001 level of significance (R 2= .50). When considered separately, fear of negative evaluation and flow significantly predicted theatre performance anxiety at .001 level of significance (β = 0.43, -0.26, respectively). Acceptance significantly predicted at .05 level of significance (β = -0.16). Trait anxiety, however, was not significant in predicting the anxiety (β = 0.11).