1096115

BIMM LONDON

Student ID:
1096115

BA Music Business

Level 5
2019/2020

Research Methods – PM511

Assessment 1

Word Count:
1082

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Project Proposal:

Mental Health

in

Higher Music Education

Table of Contents:

Introduction p. 3

Literature review p. 3

Methodology p. 4

Project activity p. 5

Conclusion p. 6

References p. 8

Timetable p. 10

Research Diary p. 10

Ethical approval form p. 8

Appendices p. 8

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Introduction

Research conducted in 2016 by Gross and Dr Musgrave suggests that musicians

are three times more susceptible to mental health issues than other demographics.

What is more Moreover, the number(s) of UK-based students dealing with anxiety

has also increased (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011, p. 7). The relationship

between these statements is fundamental to the focus of this study, which is the

intersection of health and education.

This research project seeks to outline the scale of mental health problems in musical

education, particularly in London’s British & Irish Modern Music Institute. Therefore, it

is focused on answering three questions: 1) What is the scale of the problem within

the institution? 2) What are the experiences of students with anxiety? 3) What can be

done to ensure secure education?

Literature review

The focus of previous studies in similar fields has been mental health problems in

the music industry as a whole (Gross and Dr Musgrave, 2016, p. 6). In order to

increase the value of this work in terms of practical applications, the primary focus

has been narrowed to music students in higher education.

It has been acknowledged by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2011, p. 22), that

students, especially those between the ages of 17 and 25, are the most vulnerable

demographic in terms of mental illness. This is attributed to a sharp transition from

adolescence to adulthood. The literature also argues that international students

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should be put in a separate category as they need to adapt to a completely new

environment (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011, pp. 49 - 61).

The reality is that being a student with a goal of obtaining a successful career in

music doubles the risk of mental health issues as this industry is extremely

challenging. The growing body of literature promoting the importance of wellbeing in

the music industry has led to the positive outcome of mental health becoming a

priority topic at many music conferences (Valentish, 2018). Moreover, there are

several studies highlighting the fact that music affects behaviour and is directly

associated with our wellbeing (MacDonald, Kreutz and Mitchell, 2012, p. 7).

However, there is still a need to conduct further exploratory research into the mental

wellbeing, particularly of musical students to elucidate the full picture. This would

help to provide effective evidence to promote plans to improve treatment services

within higher music education institutions (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011, p. 8;

World Health Organization, 2004, p. 12).

Methodology

The initial primary data will be collected through several methods, including surveys

and interviews.

The offline survey will be focused on collecting qualitative data. It will have an open

question format, so respondents will have freedom to express their point of view. The

design of the survey will be discussed with the subject tutor and psychologist to

ensure that all participants are able to discuss problems with the maximum degree of

comfort (Bell and Waters, 2018, p. 67).

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After the pilot version, an online survey will be used to establish general quantitative

statistics about the mental wellbeing of the BIMM community. These questions will

engage students to vote for the most common reason causing anxiety and the best

proposition to fight it. It is noted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2011, p. 8)

that the volume of students willing to participate in internet-based surveys is high as

it does not require special academic skills. It is also an efficient method in terms of

collecting a large amount of quantitative data (Walliman, 2011, p. 98).

Finally, due to the time limitation, the interview method will be restricted to three one-

to-one interviews and a single focus group session. These will have a semi-

structured format and will engage with the topic of whether the findings are helpful

(Bell and Waters, 2018, p. 213).

Project activity

Before research can be conducted, there is a need to consult BIMM to get approval

for undertaking research. It should be taken into consideration that the university

may set restrictions on research methods (Bell and Waters, 2018, 49-71).

The chosen number of an offline survey participants will be dependent on the

workload and time limitations of this study. The emphasis will be gaining insight into

how the international students feel when adjusting to a new environment (Cohen, no

date). One challenge is that would be chasing responses to these research

questions, which can be time consuming (Walliman, 2011, pp. 97-98).

When introducing the online survey, students will be asked to share the link with their

classmates to boost engagement (Bell and Waters, 2018, p 170). A key concern is to
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keep the survey short and more sensitive questions should be preceded by ‘less

provocative’ ones, with the hope that the participants will be more likely to finish the

survey (Kuriakose, no date).

After obtaining a reasonable number of responses, initial results will be discussed in

separate interviews with a BIMM student support member and the Mental Health

Society leader. An additional interview with a professional in the field of mental

health will also be arranged. This will be highly beneficial in that it will provide

professional advice, but the busy schedule of the interviewee must also be taken into

consideration (Walliman, 2011, page 100).

After an overall analysis, a focus group will be arranged with four to six BIMM

students. They will be asked to review all findings and reflect on how they could

change their lives at BIMM. There are a few potential risks to this kind of discussion,

including digressing from the topic, which should be controlled. In order to avoid

missing any useful information, all interviewees will be asked to grant permission for

the interview to be recorded (Walliman, 2011, p. 100). Finally, the finished report will

be delivered to BIMM.

Conclusion

The purpose of this study is to review mental health issues related to higher music

education at BIMM London and deliver an action plan to reduce the anxiety level of

students. The project will be focussed on international students as, established in

previous research, they are at increased risk (Cohen, no date). When conducting the

primary research, it will be ensured that all ethical issues are discussed with the

Ethical Approval Committee and participants will be informed about the sensitive

issue of the discussion. In By addressing the main research questions, it is the

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researcher hopes to gain a that clearer identification of the barriers that lead to

anxiety among music students will be gained. The findings of this research will help

to improve the learning environment and promote the importance of mental wellbeing

within the BIMM community.

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References

Bell, J. and Waters, S. (2018) Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-time

Researchers. 7th edn. London: Open University Press.

Boyton, P. M. and Greenhalgh T. (2006) ‘Selecting, designing, and developing your

questionnaire’, BMJ, pp. 1312-1315.

Cohen, M. (no date) ‘Surviving Stress and Anxiety in College & Beyond’, Learn

Psychology, no date. Available at: https://www.learnpsychology.org/student-stress-

anxiety-guide/ (Accessed: 22 November 2019).

Cottrell, S. (2014) Dissertations and Project Reports: A Step by Step Guide.

Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Gross, S. A. and Dr Musgrave, G. (2016) Can Music Make You Sick? Music and

Depression. A Study into the Incidence of Musicians’ Mental Health Part 1: Pilot

Survey Report (United Kingdom, November 2016). Available at:

https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/publications/files/can_music_make_you_si

ck_part_1-_pilot_survey_report_2019.pdf (Accessed: 15 October 2019).

Kuriakose, N. (no date) ‘How to ask sensitive questions in surveys’, SurveyMonkey,

no date. Available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/ask-sensitive-

questions-surveys/ (Accessed: 17 November 2019).

MacDonald, R. A. R, Kreutz G. and Mitchell L. (2012) Music, Health and Wellbeing.

Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Royal College of Psychiatrists (2011) Mental health of students in higher education

(United Kingdom, September 2011). Available at:

https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/improving-care/better-mh-policy/

college-reports/college-report-cr166.pdf?sfvrsn=d5fa2c24_2 (Accessed: 18 October

2019).

Valentish, J. (2018) ‘Perfectionism and poverty: why musicians struggle with mental

health’, The Guardian, 20 June. Available at:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/20/perfectionism-and-poverty-why-

musicians-struggle-with-mental-health (Accessed at 22 October 2019).

Walliman, N. (2011) Research Methods: The Basics. London: Routledge.

World Health Organization (2004) Promoting Mental Health (France, 2004).

Available at: https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/en/promoting_mhh.pdf

(Accessed: 21 October 2019).

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Timetable

Research diary (Term 1)

Term 1
Week 1 Main challenge Understanding the module, its learning outcomes and the requirements
of assessments.
Why was it It will help to get most of the module, make a preparation plan for the A1
important? assessment and achieve high results in research.
How can I improve? Read the module guide and make notes about the assessment to be
sure all learning outcomes will be met;
Build a study schedule, discus plans with peers, buy core books;
Begin making a shortlist of potential topics and research them;
Continue making records in the research diary (Bell and Waters, 2019, p.
58).
Week 2 Main challenge Deciding on a topic, defining what personal skills should be developed
for the project.
Why was it It will help to put a focus on the further research;
important? Ensure that the research process will not be boring and the findings will
actually prove beneficial and relevant to continue the research for the
A2.

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How can I improve? Discuss the listed ideas with peers and consult the subject tutor;
Google the topic to see if similar research has been conducted (Bell and
Waters, 2019, p. 49);
Analyse if the goal of the topic is achievable and, reflecting on that,
narrow the field of study;
Make a list of questions, build a mind-map (Appendix 1);
Make a decision and write a title by the next lesson (Bell and Waters,
2019, p. 59-62);
Analysing Cottrell’s (2014) skills checklist (Appendix 2).
Week 3 Main challenge Planning the research.
Why was it Make the process easier, prevent irrelevant time consumption.
important?
How can I improve? Write down research questions;
Conduct secondary research, define their reliability;
Write an introduction;
Create a word document and make a draft of the research proposal.
Week 4 Main challenge Deciding on research methods.
Why was it It will help to understand what methods will be the most effective for
important? collecting the needed data and begin the process of primary research.
How can I improve? Read academic texts about research methods (Bell and Waters, 2018;
Walliman, 2011);
Understand how can they be applied to the current research;
Document findings with a reference;
Start writing the ‘Methodology’ and ‘Project activity’ sections;
Make a draft of online and offline surveys (Appendices 3 and 4);
Use previously published similar questionnaires as an example (Boyton
and Greenhalgh, 2006, 1313);
Use longer sentences to explain open questions of the offline survey as
they are better for the sensitive issue topics (Boyton and Greenhalgh,
2006, 1314);
Week 5 Main challenge Completing the ‘Methodology’ and ‘Project activity’ sections.
Why was it For the assessment preparation.
important?
How can I improve? Bring the draft of the research proposal to the subject tutor for the
feedback;
Find students with a similar topic (The Importance of Musical Education;
Mental Health of Music Managers) and discuss all difficulties;
Design a cycle plan for answering the main research question (Appendix
5);
Continue working on survey design (Appendices 3 and 4);
Ensure data protection of the participants by writing a consent (Boyton
and Greenhalgh, 2006, 1314);
Week 6 Main challenge Writing a ‘Literature Review’.
Why was it For the assessment preparation;
important? Choosing good sources that will fulfil the research with a good evidence.
How can I improve? Choose authoritative pieces of literature (Gross and Dr Musgrave, 2016;
Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011);
Investigate if the chosen sources are reliable;
Write a literature review;
Arrange a meeting with a Language support tutor for spelling check.
Week 7 Main challenge Completing a BIMM Undergraduate Primary Research Ethical Review
Form.
Why was it To make sure all ethics were concerned and boost the chance for the
important? research approval.
How can I improve? Classify what participants will take a part in the research (BIMM Institute
London students);
Read academic texts on ethics (Bell and Waters, 2018, p. 63 – 82);
Consider probable risks caused by the sensitive nature of the research;
Complete the ethical form and attach it to the assessment.
Week 8 Main challenge Time planning
Why was it It will ensure that the project will be finished by the deadline date
important?
How can I improve? Get the feedback for the offline survey Plan an appointment with the
psyc complete timetable

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Week 9 Main challenge

Why was it
important?
How can I improve?
Week 9 Main challenge
Why was it
important?
How can I improve?
Week 10

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Ethical Approval Form

Undergraduate Primary Research Ethical Review Form

Ethical review is required for all research involving human participants. Primary data must
not be collected until ethical approval has been granted. Ethical review is final and must be
adhered to.
It is important to disclose your research plans as fully, clearly and accurately as possible. Vague
statements of intended research activities may lead to your proposal requiring revision prior to
ethical approval.

If your research does not involve human participants, you do not need to fill out this form.

I: Risk Assessment

Please tick ‘yes’ or ‘no’ Yes No

1) Will your study involve participants who are vulnerable, unable to give
informed consent or in a dependent position? Examples of such
participants include (but are not limited to):
✓
 People under the age of 18
 People with learning difficulties
 People in care facilities or in legal custody

2) Will participants be required to take part in the study without their ✓

consent or knowledge at the time (e.g. covert observation of people in
non-public places), and/or will deception be used?

3) Could the study induce psychological stress or anxiety, or cause harm,

humiliation or negative consequences beyond risks encountered in the ✓
everyday life of the participants?

4) Will any drugs or other substances be administered as part of the study ✓

and/or will an invasive or potentially harmful procedure of any kind be
used?

5) Will your project involve working with any equipment that may be ✓
considered hazardous?

6) Will financial inducements (other than reasonable expenses or small- ✓

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scale inducements such as a book token, admission to a gig or a minor

reward offered as a prize draw for taking part in a survey) be offered to
participants?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above, your project will be considered ‘High Risk’. High Risk
research activity is out of scope for undergraduate research. It is therefore likely that your proposal
will be rejected, and you will be asked to revise your project. However, if you wish to make a case
that your proposal could be considered as ‘Low Risk’, please enter your reasons below. Your project
will need to be approved by the BIMM Institute Ethical Approval Committee.

The project will investigate mental health issues in music education environment at BIMM
Institute. Due to a sensitive nature of the topic, before conducting the research, all methods will
be discussed with the Research Methods tutor and the institute psychologist to ensure the risk
of participants feeling vulnerable when answering the questions is minimised. All responses will
be anonymous and treated with strict confidentiality. No extreme questions will be asked.
The research will not be shared anywhere else than inside the institution.

If you answered ‘no’ to all the above, your project will be considered ‘Low Risk’. Please now
complete the review form below.

II: Ethical Review Form for ‘Low Risk’ Research Projects

1. Researcher

Name: (Corey) Karolina Bartosevic

ID number: 1096115
Email address: 1096115@bimmstudents.com
College: BIMM Institute London
Course: BA Music Business

2. Project

Project title: Mental Health in Higher Music Education

Module: Research Methods - PM511
Expected start date: 06.01.2020
Expected end date: 21.05.2020

Aims and objectives of the project:

Please consider what you are hoping to discover through undertaking this project.

To investigate the nature of anxiety among BIMM Institute London students;

To provide practical action list that could help students to achieve a stress-free educational

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environment within the institution.

Research question(s):
1) What is the scale of mental health problem within the institution?
2) What are the experiences of musicians with anxiety in the university?
3) What help can be provided by the BIMM Institute London to ensure stress-free
education?

3. Methods

Please list all primary research methods you are planning to make use of:
Offline survey, online survey, interviews, focus group.

4. Working with participants

What kind of participants (e.g. BIMM students, industry professionals) will be asked to take part?
BIMM students, student support members, Mental Health Society members, mental health in
music industry professional.

How many participants are you planning to recruit?

For the offline survey – 15-30
For the online survey – 50-100
For the interview – 3
For the focus group – 4-6

How will you contact your participants?

The offline survey will be distributed in person to people who are willing to participate;
The link to the online survey will be posted on BIMM London Facebook and WhatsApp student
groups;
The participants of interviews will be contacted via email;
The focus group participants will be asked to participate in person.

Do you perceive any potential risks to participants or yourself? If so, please provide further
details.
Some of the participants may refuse to provide their opinions and talk about their mental
health experiences. If so, they will not be chased or convinced to participate.

Will sensitive topics be discussed? If yes, what are they and how will you make sure that you do
not expose your participants to risks beyond what they may encounter in their daily lives?
Yes. Due to the sensitive nature of mental health topic, all actions will be conducted after the

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approval of the institution and will be discussed with the psychologist. Moreover, all
participants will have a right to refuse to take a part in the research.

Is a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check necessary for this project?
No.

5. Anonymity, Confidentiality, Data Protection and Consent

Are your participants going to remain anonymous, or will you want to name them? Please explain
your choice.

It may for example be the case that research participants such as industry professionals could be
named to demonstrate the presence of a meaningful source of information. Participants should
only be identified where they directly consent to doing so, based on accurate information
regarding how this will be done in the study.
All names will be anonymous due to the ethical nature of the research and the promise to
participants. The exception will be made with the professionals, if they wish to have their
names mentioned.

Please tick ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘N/A’ Yes No N/A

Will all participants be provided with an information sheet? ✓
Will participants taking part in other forms of research than an
online questionnaire (e.g. an interview or a focus group) be asked
to sign a consent form? ✓
Will participants self-completing an online questionnaire be ✓
informed that completing it implies consent?
Will participants be told that they can withdraw at any time, and ✓
ask for their data to be destroyed and/or removed from the
project until it is no longer practical to do so?
Can you confirm that you will not use the data for any purpose ✓
other than that for which consent is given?
Will all personal information be treated in strict confidence and ✓
never disclosed to any third parties?
Can you confirm that all research data will be held in accordance ✓
with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR guidelines? Please
see https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/data-protection for details.

If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, please explain why below. Make sure that your
explanation of planned activity demonstrates adherence with legal and ethical requirements.

6. Dissemination

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Do you intend to share data or research findings outside of BIMM Institute? If yes, please provide
details.
No.

Could the project produce findings that may have a negative effect on the reputation of BIMM
Institute or its validating partners? If yes, please provide details.
No. Some feedbacks of the participants could have a negative character, but it will not be share
in public outside BIMM.

7. Declaration

 The information on this form is accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief,
and I take full responsibility for it.
 I understand that I am responsible for monitoring the research at all times and
recording and reporting any unexpected events to the BIMM Institute.
 If any serious adverse events arise in relation to the research, I understand that I
am responsible for immediately stopping the research and alerting the relevant
College Principal at BIMM Institute within 24 hours of the occurrence.
 I am aware of my responsibility to be up to date with and comply with the
requirements of the law and relevant guidelines relating to the security and
confidentiality of personal data.
 I understand that research records/data may be subject to inspection for audit
purposes if required in future.
 I understand that I may not commence this research until I have been notified that
the project has approval.
 I understand my responsibilities to work within a set of safety and ethical
guidelines as an academic researcher and comply with applicable ethical codes.

Signature of Researcher:

Date: 15.11.2019

8. Approval

Name and job title:

Signature:

Date:

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Appendices
Appendix 1 – question mind-map.

Appendix 2 – Skills checklist (Cottrell, 2014).

Self-management skills Current Develop

skill level further? ✓
0-5
1. Developing the right mindset 3 ✓
2. Nurturing my own intellectual curiosity 4

3. Envisaging myself as a researcher 1 ✓

4. Maintaining high levels of motivation 3 ✓
5. Managing time effectively 5

Academic skills Current Develop

skill level further? ✓
0-5
6. Understanding what is meant by ‘research’ 2 ✓
7. Awareness of different approaches to research 1 ✓
8. Reading background literature to develop my knowledge 3 ✓
9. Writing up a literature review 3 ✓

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10. Selecting an appropriate topic as the subject of research 4

11. Formulating a suitable question title and/or hypothesis 2 ✓

12. Drawing upon relevant theoretical frameworks 0 ✓
13. Selecting a research methodology 2 ✓
14. Choosing research methods 2 ✓
15. Gathering, selecting and organising material/data 4

16. Thinking critically about material and findings 1 ✓

17. Synthesising material and ideas 5

18. Structuring my material appropriately in writing 5

19. Communicating my work well in writing 3 ✓

People skills Current Develop

skill level further? ✓
0-5
20. Working effectively with my supervisor or tutor 5

21. Giving and receiving support from peers 4

22. Working with participants 1 ✓

23. Working with children/vulnerable groups as participants 0

24. Gathering data from surveys 3 ✓

25. Conducting interviews 1 ✓
26. Understanding the ethical issues 0 ✓

Task management skills Current Develop

skill level further? ✓
0-5
27. Being able to pause and reflect constructively 4

28. Clarifying the assignment brief 5

29. Project management skills 4

30. Understanding the overall process of such assignments 5

31. Maintaining a sense of the project as a whole 4

32. Understanding the component parts of the process 4

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33. Managing resources 3 ✓

34. Managing risks 0 ✓
35. Forward planning and scheduling tasks to meet deadlines 5

36. Preparing a proposal 3 ✓

37. Organising myself for writing 5

Appendix 3 – Offline survey (confirmed).

Mental Health in Higher Music

Education
Offl ine Survey

Please read this information before answering the questions.

Background information:
This is an invitation to participate in a research project about Mental Health in Higher Music
Education. The research will be conducted inside BIMM Institute London by collecting
students’ opinions. You were selected to describe your personal experiences of dealing with
the stress and anxiety of being a music student.

Procedure:
If you agree to be a part of this study, you will be asked a few questions. These include your
experiences dealing with stress and anxiety inside and outside the university. Completing
the survey will imply consent. However, your answers will remain anonymous and treated
with confidentiality. Please take this survey responsibly and be sure your answers are
honest and expressed clearly.

Risks and benefits of being in the study:

Your answers and propositions will help to reach the goal of the current research which is to
achieve a stress-free environment for the whole BIMM community. Although this survey is
fully anonymous, if you wish to quit the research and destroy your answer sheet, you are
free to do so.

1. What year are you in and what course are you on?

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2. Describe the last time you felt anxiety. Describe your feeling. Why do you think that
happened? What helped you to overcome that?

3. What are your experiences of stress and anxiety at BIMM? How often do you feel
stress? What are the reasons for it?

4. What do you know about the help available at BIMM regarding your mental health?

5. Did you come from another country to study at BIMM? If yes, how do you deal with
the distance/homesickness? How often are you able to see your family?

6. Do your family support you financially or do you have to work? If you work, how
easy/difficult do you find it to combine work and study? What are the challenges?

7. Summarise the most common reasons that cause stress and anxiety for you and
things that help you to relax:

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8. Have you consulted the mental health therapist before? If yes, was it helpful?

9. What do you think can be done at BIMM to achieve a secure environment? Give
examples of services you would like to see implemented.

10. How would you describe your current mental state?

Thanks for completing the survey!

Please leave some feedback about the questions. Were they clear? Were they too personal?
Did they make you feel bad at any point?

Please consider the help available at BIMM:

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Appendix 4 – Online survey (draft).

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Appendix 4 – Action research cycle plan.

Question:
What can be done to achieve a stress-free
educational environment at BIMM?

Plan:
Reflect:
1) Investigate secondary research;
1) Write a Research Project;
2) Get permission to conduct the research
2) Submit it;
within the institution;
3) Share it with the Student Support Team
3) Plan the questionaries and interviews.

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Observe: Act:
1) Analyse the collected data; 1) Distribute the offline survey;