Graduation Semester and Year
Summer 2026
Language
English
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Social Work
Department
Social Work
First Advisor
Weiwen Zeng
Second Advisor
Genevieve Graaf
Third Advisor
Sophia Fantus
Abstract
Performing artists experience psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, burnout, and substance use disorders, at rates significantly exceeding those of the general population. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST) and the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective, this structured literature review synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2026 to examine individual personality traits, environmental stressors across meso- and macro-systems, and existing multi-level mental health interventions for performing artists. Findings reveal that while traits such as high openness to experience, sensory processing sensitivity, and perfectionism foster artistic expression, they also heighten vulnerability to occupational stressors, financial precarity, social isolation, and venue-based substance exposure. Current intervention literature remains overwhelmingly concentrated at the micro-level, targeting short-term state performance anxiety through cognitive-behavioral strategies, imagery, and psychoeducation. Conversely, meso-level support relies primarily on reactive crisis helplines, while macro-level policy and structural workplace safeguards are virtually absent. To address these gaps, this review highlights the need for adapting holistic clinical modalities-such as Dialectical BehaviorTherapy (DBT) skills for emotion regulation-alongside institutionalizing preventive mental health curricula, performing artist-affirming care, and industry-wide regulatory standards.
Keywords
Performing Artists, Mental Health Challenges, Personality, Person in Environment, Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Artistic Personality, Industry Regulation, Aesthetic Sensitivity
Disciplines
Acting | Clinical Psychology | Counseling Psychology | Dance | Industrial and Organizational Psychology | Music Performance | Music Therapy | Performance Studies | Personality and Social Contexts | Social Justice | Social Psychology | Social Work
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Robles, Christopher A., "Behind the Curtain: A Literature Review of Personal and Ecological Risk Factors and Current Multi-Level Interventions for Performing Artists" (2026). Social Work Theses. 7.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/socialwork_theses2/7
Included in
Acting Commons, Clinical Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Dance Commons, Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons, Music Performance Commons, Music Therapy Commons, Performance Studies Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, Social Justice Commons, Social Psychology Commons, Social Work Commons