The Impact of Coping Strategies and Trait Anxiety on Self-Reported Injuries Among Pre-professional Contemporary and Ballet Dancers: A Prospective Study

Introduction: Injuries are prevalent in dance, affecting performance. Understanding injury risk factors is essential for prevention. Coping strategies and anxiety influence injury risk, yet their influence among pre-professional contemporary and ballet dancers aged 15+ remains underexplored. This transitional stage is marked by increased training intensity, heightened psychological demands, and performance pressure, increasing the risk of injury. This study examined the association between coping strategies, trait anxiety, and injury risk among contemporary and ballet pre-professional dancers aged 15+. Methods: In October 2022, participants from a French dance school completed an intake questionnaire assessing demographics (age, sex, injury history), dispositional coping strategies (Brief COPE), and trait anxiety (STAI-Y trait). From November 2022 to February 2023, participants completed monthly questionnaires assessing injuries, using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center questionnaire on Health Problems (OSTRC-H) during a prospective follow-up. Injuries were defined as “all-complaints injuries” (any physical complaint irrespective of the need for medical attention and/or time loss) and/or “substantial injuries” (leading to moderate/severe/complete reduction in training volume or performance). Binomial logistic regression examined associations between demographics, coping strategies, trait anxiety, and injury risk. Results: Eighty-two dancers consented to participate. The final analysis included 31 (37.8%) participants (mean age: 17.4 ± 1.36 years) excluding those with pre-existing injuries reported in the intake (n = 8) or a completion rate < 30% (n = 43). Included participants had higher active coping scores than excluded students (U = 418.5, P = .006). The completion rate among included participants was 80.64%. Nineteen students (61.29%) reported at least 1 all-complaints injury. “Humor” as a coping strategy was associated with reduced risk of substantial injury (OR: 0.485, 95% CI: 0.25–0.96, P = .037). No associations were found between demographics, training volume, trait anxiety, and injury outcomes. Conclusion: Humor may be a coping strategy that reduces self-reported substantial injuries among pre-professional contemporary and ballet dancers. Encouraging appropriate humor during instruction may support injury prevention. Level of Evidence: 3