Mental health, eating behaviour and injuries in professional dance students

A high frequency of mental health challenges and injuries in professional dancers necessitate a better understanding of the complexity of such symptoms, and to explore differences according to sex, academic year and performance levels. Professional dance students were recruited to evaluate symptoms of depression and anxiety (SCL-10), resilience (RSA), self-esteem (RSS), perfectionism (CAPS), body appreciation (BAS-2), and symptoms of low energy availability (LEA, LEAF-q) and eating disorders (ED) (EDE-q). Totally 20-54% of the dancers had symptoms of anxiety or depression, LEA (in females), ED and/or injuries, and 12% had a self-reported history with ED. In females, 44% of the variability in SCL-10 was explained by CAPS and RSS; 15% of variability in LEA was explained by EDE-q and training volume; while BMI, academic year and LEA increased the odds ratio of an injury. In all, BAS-2 reduced the odds ratio of EDE-q by -3.33. Totally 50% reported that they could identify personal mental health problems, still <45% would consult a health professional. Enhanced body acceptance may reduce the frequency of mental health challenges in dancers, and improved knowledge of nutrition and body weight regulation may reduce the high frequency of LEA, disordered eating behaviour, and injuries.

Automated summary

There is a high frequency of mental health challenges and injuries among professional dancers. Understanding the complexity of these symptoms and exploring differences according to sex, academic year, and performance levels is important. The study found that symptoms of anxiety and depression in female dancers were related to perfectionism and self-esteem. Variability in low energy availability symptoms was associated with disordered eating and training volume. Injuries were influenced by BMI, academic year, and low energy availability. Improving body acceptance may reduce the frequency of mental health challenges in dancers.