Psychosocial Aspects of Injuries Among Professional Folk Dancers

Injury or fear of injury can cause stress for everyone. This is especially true for dancers, whose careers can be ruined by a serious injury. Stress or various psychological problems can play a role in the development of injury. Our research aims to explore the psychosocial patterns associated with injuries among Hungarian professional folk dancers. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 96 professional dancers (47.9% male, 52.1% female, mean age 29.9 years). Data was collected through an online questionnaire survey. Among psychological factors, perceived stress (using the Perceived Stress Scale), burnout (using the Athletic Burnout Questionnaire), coping skills (using the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory), relationship with the leader (using the Coaching Behaviour Questionnaire) and perceived social support (using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) were examined among injured and non-injured dancers. The two groups were compared along psychological subscales using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) followed by a post hoc ANOVA and Mann-Whitney test regarding social support. Our results showed a significant correlation between psychosocial factors and injuries sustained during the study period. Positive correlation was found between injuries and perceived stress (p < 0.001) and burnout (reduced sense of accomplishment p = 0.021; dance devaluation p < 0.001). Factors reflecting dancer's behavior and coping skills also correlated with injuries, such as a decrease in coachability (p = 0.007), less concern (p = 0.029), and negative reactions to the leader's behavior (p = 0.019). In addition, perceived social support from family also negatively correlates with injury (p = 0.019). Our findings suggest a multidirectional relationship between physical injuries and the mental state of dancers. Further investigation of the causal relationships is recommended, with the aim of using psychosocial support tools during the prevention and treatment of injuries by the professionals dealing with dance artists. It is also recommended to investigate whether individual psychological factors are directly related to injuries or interact with each other. It would also be useful to introduce prevention programs that help dancers manage their emotions related to injuries.