Self-Esteem, Professional Grit, Social Acceptance, and Life Satisfaction among Music Students in Lahore: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among self-esteem, professional grit, social acceptance, and life satisfaction among music students in Lahore, Pakistan. The study was positioned as an exploratory cross-sectional investigation because research on the psychosocial well-being of music students in Pakistan remains limited and because music training combines sustained performance demands with strong dependence on interpersonal evaluation and social recognition. A purposive sample of 60 music students (40 men and 20 women), aged 19–30 years, was recruited from the University of the Punjab, National Music Academy, and Alhambra Arts Council. Participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, an adapted Professional Grit Scale, and a self-constructed Social Acceptance Scale. Pearson correlations, multiple linear regression, independent-samples t tests, and one-way analysis of variance were conducted in SPSS. Professional grit was positively associated with social acceptance (r = .33, p < .01), life satisfaction (r = .32, p = .013), and self-esteem (r = .33, p = .011). Social acceptance showed the strongest association with life satisfaction (r = .68, p < .01) and was the only statistically significant predictor in the multiple regression model, which explained 46.9% of the variance in life satisfaction. No statistically significant gender or birth-order differences were observed. The findings place social acceptance at the center of the observed pattern of life satisfaction in this sample and are consistent with recent evidence emphasizing social support, belonging, and connectedness in student and musician well-being. However, the small purposive sample and low internal consistency of several measures, particularly professional grit and social acceptance, require cautious interpretation. Future research should replicate the model with larger samples and validated measures of social inclusion and profession-specific grit.