Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026
09:19
Community-based Adapted Tango Dancing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Older Adults
Published on: December 9, 2014
Substance use and misuse among professional ballet dancers
Damir Sekulic1, Mia Peric, Jelena Rodek
1University of Split, Split, Croatia. dado@kifst.hr
Substance Use & Misuse
|June 1, 2010
Summary
Croatian ballet dancers exhibit concerning substance use, including binge drinking and smoking. A significant portion would consider performance-enhancing drug use ("doping") despite health risks, highlighting a need for specialized support.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Dance Science
- Psychology of Sport
Background:
- Professional ballet demands extreme physical and psychological resilience.
- Substance use and performance-enhancing drug (PED) prevalence in elite athletes is a growing concern.
- Limited research exists on substance use and doping attitudes within the unique pressures of professional ballet.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patterns of substance use and misuse among Croatian professional ballet dancers.
- To explore factors associated with substance use and potential "doping" habits.
- To identify the need for targeted health and psychological interventions in professional ballet.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing an original questionnaire administered in 2008.
- Data collected from 16 female and 9 male Croatian ballet professionals.
- Analysis included social, personal, activity-related, training-related, and educational factors, alongside substance use (alcohol, cigarettes, appetite suppressants, analgesics) and "doping" behaviors.
Main Results:
- Over one-third of male dancers reported binge drinking; 20% of female dancers smoked over 20 cigarettes daily.
- Nearly 25% of dancers expressed willingness to use "doping" for performance enhancement, irrespective of health risks.
- In males, potential "doping" risk increased with age. In females, higher education correlated with increased "doping" propensity but decreased smoking.
- Religiousness was negatively associated with both potential "doping" behavior and the belief in "doping" within professional ballet.
Conclusions:
- Professional ballet dancers face significant risks of substance misuse and "doping" behaviors.
- Age, education, and religiousness appear to influence these behaviors differently across genders.
- There is a clear need for tailored medical and psychological support services within professional ballet settings.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
01:26Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
01:04Social Facilitation
Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.