| Description |
Studies of dancers have indicated they experience a variety of psychological issues including low body satisfaction, low self-esteem, and poor mood. Researchers have suggested that perceptions of the dance climate may impact psychological well-being and have concluded that promoting task-involving climates is beneficial to dancers' well-being. Other researchers have suggested that caring climates are integral to optimizing well-being. However, perceptions of a caring climate have not been examined in dance studios and little is known about the relationship between perceptions of a broader climate and aspects of psychological well-being. Additionally, no studies have examined whether types of dance studios (competitive or technical) influence dancers' experiences of the climate or their well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceptions of the social psychological climate (task-involving, ego-involving, and caring) and aspects of psychological well-being (positive and negative affect, body-esteem, and teacher and peer friendship quality) in both technical and competitive adolescent dancers. Eighty-three female dancers (M age = 16.28 +/- .93) completed questionnaires regarding perceptions of their studio's dance climate and self-reported well-being. Competition dancers perceived their dance climate to be more task-involving, more caring, and less ego-involving and reported higher levels of psychological well-being (positive affect, body-esteem, and friendship) than technical dancers. Dancers' overall perceptions of task-involving and caring climates were related to higher positive affect, greater body-esteem, and better quality relationships with teachers and peers (r range: .33 - .68). A second order factor analysis of the subscale scores revealed two factors. The first factor, exemplifying a thriving climate, accounted for 47.93% of the variance and involved aspects of a positive climate and positive well-being. The second factor, characterizing a threatening climate, accounted for an additional 14.70% of the variance and included an ego-involving climate and negative loadings on well-being. Results demonstrate perceptions of a positive social psychological climate are vital to promoting psychological well-being in adolescent dancers. These findings suggest dance teachers should be considerate of the impact the climate has for promoting well-being in their dance students. Educating dance teachers to create such a climate should be included in any dance pedagogy program. |
