1. To the Pointe: How Dancer’s Optimism Levels Predict Responses to Stress Presented at: UCI Undergraduate Research Symposium by Elisa Roe May 14, 2005

2. Acknowledgements Professor Linda Levine Professor Valerie Jenness Heather Lench UCI Dance Department This project was funded by The UCI Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program

3. Question I conducted a study to find out: –If being optimistic when dealing with a stressful situation will lead to better physical health and lower anxiety. –Do certain types of goals determine these positive outcomes as well?

5. Why Dancers? Dance has been shown to prevent, reduce, and induce stress. Prevent: positive self perception, physical well being Reduce: expression of emotion, diversion Induce: injury, body-image, competition What determines how a dancer responds? (Hanna, 1989)

6. Stress Stressor: an event that would require functioning beyond a person’s usual level of skill Stress Appraisal: Evaluation of the stressor - “Does this exceed what I can handle?” Stress Response: Reaction; - physical, emotional, behavioral.

7. Responses to Stress Physical –Poor general health, more pain, fatigue Emotional –Decreased Happiness, Anxiety

8. Optimism Optimists: people who expect to have positive outcomes, even when things are difficult, or despite pressure. Optimists focus on positive aspects of stressful situation Low in optimism focus on stressful aspects involved with the situation. (Scheier, Carver & Bridges, 1994).

9. (Carver, 2004 ; Lench, 2005) Approach vs. Avoidance Goals Goal Setting *Approach* Attain desired outcome *Avoidance* Avoid undesired outcome

10. Hypothesis 1 Dancers with high levels of optimism will have –better health & wellbeing at the end of the quarter –lower anxiety in response to stress In comparison to dancers low in optimism. This relationship between optimism and outcomes will be mediated by their emotions.

11. Hypothesis 2 This relationship between goal setting and outcomes will be mediated by their emotions. Dancers who set approach goals will have –better health & wellbeing at the end of the quarter –lower anxiety in response to stress In comparison to dancers who set avoidance goals.

12. Methodology 117 UCI dance students Majors: 89 dance 23 drama 3 other Mean: 11 years of dance Level 3 Completed online surveys –Week 3 – Week 8

13. Time 1 Measures EmotionHappy, Sad, Anxious, Relief, Angry OptimismLife Orientation Test (LOT-R) (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994) CopingCOPE Survey (Carver et al., 1989) Goal SettingsDance Goals Survey AnxietyStress Inventory (STAI) (Spielberger, 1986 ) HealthRAND Health Survey, SF-36 (Rand, 2001)

14. Measures Time 2 EmotionHappy, Sad, Anxious, Relief, Angry Goal SettingsDance Goals Survey AnxietyStress Inventory (STAI) (Spielberger, 1986 ) HealthRAND Health Survey, SF-36 (Rand, 2001)

15. Results: Is Dance Stressful? YES, here’s why…. Fun Facts: –*More tired as the quarter went on ( t (98 ) =.978, p <.000 ) –*Attendance decreased, ( t (100) = -3.77, p <.000 ) –*Higher level dancers had more physical symptoms of stress. ( t (81) = 2.84, p <.006 )

16. Does Optimism Relate to Positive Outcomes? * Results significant at p<.05 * * *

17. Does Goal Setting Relate to Positive Outcomes? * Results significant at p<.05 * *

18. Emotional Responses Results significant at p<.05 OptimismGoals HappinessAnxiety

19. Results Optimism Health.36 *** (.28**) (.14) Happy.38***.31**.36*** Optimism Health -.32** Anxiety -.49***

20. Results 2 (-.09) -.22* Avoidance Goals Health.26* Anxiety -.49***

21. Discussion : Higher Optimism  Better Health Avoidance Goals  Worse Health These relationships are partially accounted for by emotions.

22. Implications Furthers the current understanding of optimism and stress Might aid dancers in learning to deal with the pressures and stressors that are associated with the pursuit of a dance career. Adds to under researched topic of dance Other Students, High Pressure Jobs, Athletes in general

23. Future Directions Explore exactly how Happiness and Anxiety are related to health. Study other highly stressful occupations or athletes

24. Thank You!

25. For Further Information: Elisa Roe Department of Psychology and Social Behavior Department of Dance University of California, Irvine eroe@uci.edu