Dance Frequency and Psychological Flourishing: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Dance is frequently associated with positive emotional experiences, social connection, and wellbeing. However, relatively little is known about the relationship between dance participation and psychological flourishing. The present study explored whether self-reported flourishing varied as a function of dance frequency in a sample of 262 adults. Participants completed the Flourishing Scale (Diener et al., 2010) together with a measure of dance frequency ranging from Never to Every Day. To examine potential order effects, participants completed one of two questionnaire versions in which the dance frequency question appeared either before or after the flourishing items. Results revealed a significant positive association between dance frequency and flourishing. Individuals who danced more frequently reported higher levels of flourishing, with daily dancers achieving the highest flourishing scores. The strongest associations between dance frequency and flourishing were observed for purpose and meaning, supportive relationships, competence, and engagement. No significant effect of questionnaire order was observed. The findings suggest that dance participation may be associated with several key dimensions of psychological flourishing and provide preliminary evidence for a relationship between dancing and positive psychosocial functioning.

Introduction

Research examining the psychological benefits of dance has demonstrated positive effects across a range of domains including mood, social connection, self-esteem, cognitive functioning, and wellbeing. Much of this research has focused on changes in affective state following dance participation, with numerous studies reporting improvements in mood and reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression following dance classes and movement-based interventions.

An alternative perspective emerges from the field of Positive Psychology, which emphasises not simply feeling good but functioning well. Diener and colleagues (2010) introduced the Flourishing Scale as a brief measure of social-psychological prosperity. The scale assesses eight domains considered central to optimal human functioning: purpose and meaning, supportive relationships, engagement, contribution to others, competence, self-respect, optimism, and social respect. Together these domains provide an overall index of psychological flourishing.

Theoretical accounts suggest several reasons why dance may be associated with flourishing. Dance frequently involves social interaction, synchronised movement, shared goals, skill acquisition, creativity, self-expression, and opportunities for mastery. Such experiences may contribute to several dimensions of flourishing simultaneously. However, little research has directly examined the relationship between dance frequency and flourishing.

The present exploratory study investigated whether flourishing varies as a function of dance frequency. A secondary aim was to determine whether the placement of the dance frequency question influenced responses to the flourishing scale.

Method

Participants

A total of 262 participants completed an anonymous online survey. Participants were recruited through online channels associated with dance and movement interests.

Measures

Dance Frequency

Participants indicated how often they danced using one of seven response categories:

Never
Less than once a month
Once a month
Every 2–3 weeks
Once a week
Every 2–3 days
Every day

Responses were converted to a numerical frequency score ranging from 0 (Never) to 6 (Every Day).

Flourishing Scale

Participants completed the Flourishing Scale (Diener et al., 2010), an eight-item measure assessing positive psychological functioning. Each item was rated on a seven-point Likert scale ranging from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (7). Total scores ranged from 8 to 56, with higher scores indicating greater flourishing.

The eight items assessed:

1. Purpose and meaning
2. Supportive relationships
3. Engagement and interest
4. Contribution to others
5. Competence and capability
6. Living a good life
7. Optimism
8. Social respect

Procedure

Two versions of the questionnaire were administered.

In the first version (n = 106), participants reported dance frequency before completing the Flourishing Scale.

In the second version (n = 156), participants completed the Flourishing Scale before reporting dance frequency.

This design allowed examination of possible priming effects associated with asking participants about their dancing prior to assessing flourishing.

Results

Dance Frequency and Overall Flourishing

A significant positive relationship was observed between dance frequency and flourishing.

Across the entire sample, dance frequency correlated positively with flourishing score (r = .30, p < .001).

Participants who danced more frequently reported higher levels of flourishing.

Mean flourishing scores ranged from 39.57 among participants who reported never dancing to 50.44 among those who danced every day.

A one-way analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences in flourishing across dance-frequency categories, F(6,255) = 6.48, p < .001.

Questionnaire Order Effects

Participants who completed the dance frequency question before the flourishing items reported a mean flourishing score of 47.27.

Participants who completed the flourishing items before reporting dance frequency reported a mean flourishing score of 46.93.

This difference was not statistically significant.

Similarly, although the correlation between dance frequency and flourishing was somewhat stronger in the Dance First condition (r = .36) than in the Dance After condition (r = .25), this difference was not statistically significant.

These findings suggest that the relationship between dance frequency and flourishing was robust across questionnaire versions and was not substantially influenced by question order.

Flourishing Components

Analysis of individual flourishing items revealed substantial variation in their relationship with dance frequency.

The strongest association was observed for:

“I lead a purposeful and meaningful life” (r = .26)

This was followed by:

Supportive and rewarding relationships (r = .25)
Competence and capability (r = .24)
Engagement and interest in daily activities (r = .22)

Smaller but significant relationships were observed for:

Living a good life (r = .18)
Optimism about the future (r = .17)
Contributing to the happiness and wellbeing of others (r = .14)

The item:

“People respect me”

showed no significant relationship with dance frequency (r = .08).

Mean Scores Across Flourishing Domains

Participants generally endorsed all flourishing items positively.

The highest mean scores were observed for:

I am a good person and live a good life (M = 6.20, SD = 0.78)
I actively contribute to the happiness and wellbeing of others (M = 6.13, SD = 0.85)
I am competent and capable in important activities (M = 6.12, SD = 0.83)

The lowest mean scores were observed for:

I am optimistic about my future (M = 5.79, SD = 1.08)
My social relationships are supportive and rewarding (M = 5.85, SD = 1.05)

Importantly, the domains most strongly associated with dance frequency were not necessarily those with the highest average scores.

Discussion

The present findings provide preliminary evidence that dance frequency is positively associated with psychological flourishing.

Participants who danced more frequently reported significantly higher levels of flourishing than those who danced less frequently. The relationship was moderate in magnitude and remained evident regardless of whether participants reported their dance frequency before or after completing the flourishing questionnaire.

Perhaps the most interesting finding concerned the specific dimensions of flourishing associated with dance participation. The strongest relationship emerged for purpose and meaning in life. Individuals who danced more frequently were more likely to report that their lives were purposeful and meaningful.

This finding suggests that dance may contribute to flourishing in ways that extend beyond immediate emotional benefits. Rather than simply making people feel happier, dance may support broader existential and psychological needs related to identity, purpose, and personal growth.

Strong associations were also observed for supportive relationships, competence, and engagement. These findings align closely with theoretical accounts of dance as a social, skill-based, and intrinsically motivating activity. Dance classes and dance communities provide opportunities for belonging, mastery, self-expression, challenge, and shared experience, all of which may contribute to flourishing.

Interestingly, social respect showed no meaningful relationship with dance frequency. This suggests that the association between dance and flourishing is unlikely to be driven by prestige, status, or external validation. Instead, the relationship appears to be grounded in more intrinsic aspects of human functioning, including meaning, connection, competence, and engagement.

Several limitations should be acknowledged. The study was cross-sectional and correlational, preventing causal conclusions. It remains possible that individuals who already flourish are more likely to dance frequently. Equally plausible is the possibility that dance contributes to flourishing. A reciprocal relationship is perhaps the most likely explanation, whereby flourishing individuals are drawn to dance, and participation in dance further enhances flourishing over time.

Future research should employ longitudinal and experimental designs to examine causal pathways and to explore whether increasing dance participation leads to measurable improvements in flourishing.

Conclusion

The present study found that people who dance more frequently report higher levels of psychological flourishing. The strongest associations were observed for purpose and meaning, supportive relationships, competence, and engagement. These findings suggest that dance may be associated not only with positive emotions but also with broader aspects of optimal human functioning. Dance may therefore represent a valuable context through which individuals develop psychological resources that contribute to flourishing and wellbeing.

References

Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi, D., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2010). New well-being measures: Short scales to assess flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social Indicators Research, 97(2), 143–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-009-9493-y