Amid the Fallout: A Pilot Study Examining Music Teachers' Mental Health Following the Return to the Classroom after the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the rise of diagnoses and awareness of mental wellness indicators across the country, the current study sought to pilot a measure to begin appraising the current state of music educators' mental wellness. Music educators across the United States (M = 84) self-reported indicators of depression, anxiety, stress, and job satisfaction. According to the results of this pilot, the sample of music educators accurately reflect the current music teaching population and reported an average of 10.39 years of experience. They also shared that while they love their jobs, they often find little time to engage in a personal life beyond the classroom. Participants shared that they remain busy outside of the classroom with paperwork, email, and meetings requiring the most time outside of contract hours week all while reporting high perceived stress levels (M = 22.36 with a normed range of 12 -14.7). Regarding mental health, 56% of participants responded to questions regarding depression requiring additional follow-up. Upon additional clarification, almost 45% exhibited symptoms that could indicate moderate or severe depression, whereas 65% of the participants required additional examination regarding anxiety. Additional follow-up revealed that 69% reported signs of moderate and severe anxiety. The researchers explored possible tions, suggest foci of the full study, and additional insights into the continuation of the examination of mental wellness and the music educator.