Occupational strain and professional artists: A qualitative study of an underemployed group

Barker, Keegan K.; Soklaridis, Sophie; Waters, Ian; Herr, Gabriella; Cassidy, J. David

doi:10.1080/17533010903031390

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The occupational demands on artists are sources of psychological stress. Artists describe an intense scrutiny and judgment from themselves, audiences/consumers of art, and the arts community (Barker, Soklaridis, Waters, Herr, & Cassidy, 2009). An external source of stress is artists' high job insecurity and unemployment; data from U.S. censuses from 1940 to 2000 show that artists have consistently earned less than other professional workers and were two to three times more likely to be unemployed than other professions (Alper & Wassall, 2006).…”

Section: Psychological Vulnerabilities In Artistsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An external source of stress is artists’ high job insecurity and unemployment; data from U.S. censuses from 1940 to 2000 show that artists have consistently earned less than other professional workers and were two to three times more likely to be unemployed than other professions (Alper & Wassall, 2006). Because of this, artists report engaging in “survival work”—work of which they are not proud or that is not personally meaningful, but is necessary for economic reasons—which becomes another source of stress (Barker et al, 2009). Negative effects of stress depend on the perception of stressors and evaluations of one’s own resources (whether they are seen as a challenge or threat; Folkman, 2013).…”

Section: Psychological Vulnerabilities In Artistsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Patterns of psychological vulnerabilities and resources in artists and nonartists.

Ivčević¹,

Grossman²,

Ranjan³

2022

Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

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The present study was inspired by Barron's (1963) description of creative individuals as "occasionally crazier, yet adamantly saner" than the general population. As suggested by this description, we hypothesized that some individuals embody a pattern of both psychological vulnerabilities and resources and that this pattern is more likely to be present in artists than nonartists. We analyzed intraindividual patterns of psychological vulnerabilities (anxiety, depression, stress) and resources (psychological well-being, ego-resilience, hope) and identified distinct clusters of individuals, including those expected from the negative correlation between resources and vulnerabilities (high vulnerabilities, low resources; low vulnerabilities, high resources), and also a cluster including both moderately high vulnerabilities and resources. As hypothesized, the cluster with both vulnerabilities and resources had more artists than nonartists. Exploratory analyses showed that creative achievement is predicted by the interaction of high vulnerabilities and resources and that this effect is significant beyond the predictive power of openness to experience and age.

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Section: Psychological Vulnerabilities In Artistsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Psychological Vulnerabilities In Artistsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of psychological vulnerabilities and resources in artists and nonartists.

Ivčević¹,

Grossman²,

Ranjan³

2022

Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

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“…A career as an actor includes instability and high psychological and physical demands, and yet it also offers a wealth of intrinsic rewards (Barker, Soklaridis, Waters, Herr, & Cassiday, 2009; Kogan, 2002; Prabhu, Sutton, & Sauser, 2008). According to leading practitioners in the field, most actors enjoy the challenges of creating a living portrayal of another human being who engages in conflict and discovers truth (Brook, 1987; Chekhov, 1953).…”

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confidence: 99%

Holding a mirror up to nature: Psychological vulnerability in actors.

Thomson

Jaque

2012

Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

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For actors, the imaginative psychological process of realizing the life of a character is fundamental. Given this ability, we asked the question, do actors demonstrate increased psychological self-other awareness, including more resolution for past mourning, as compared with a control group? The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and three self-report Instruments were used to determine emotional regulation, absorption/imagination, fantasy proneness, degree of resolution for past trauma and loss, and attachment classification. This study demonstrated that the actor group (n = 41) had greater fantasy proneness and a greater distribution of psychological security (measured on the AAI) as compared with the nonartist control group (n = 41). Despite no group differences in type and frequency of trauma and loss, the actor group had more unresolved mouming and elevated dissociation. Acting is an attempt "to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature" (Hamlet, Act III, Sc. I; Shakespeare, 1600/1987) and in this sample, the actors, although more psychologically aware, may be more vulnerable as they hold a mirror up to their own past trauma and loss-related experiences.

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“…And there is also qualitative research indicating that performing artists report experiences of stigma and devaluation of their choice of occupation (Barker, Soklaridis, Waters, Herr, & Cassidy, 2009). …”

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confidence: 99%

Specific demands and resources in the career of the Norwegian freelance musician

Vaag¹,

Giæver

Bjerkeset

2013

Arts & Health

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Background: Research indicates that there is a higher degree of mental health problems, family/work conflicts and sleep-related problems among workers in creative occupations than in other professions. Research also reveals that musicians have to deal with a relatively high degree of occupational stress. There is, however, a lack of research investigating the qualities of freelance musicians' psychosocial work environment, as well as possible protective factors for maintaining good mental health. Methods: Based on 12 in-depth interviews, we used a template analysis to examine the unique characteristics of the professional life of freelance pop and rock musicians. Results: Using the job demands-resources model as a conceptual framework, we found that an unpredictable future, threats to the family/work balance and significant amounts of external pressure were three broad contextual demands facing freelance musicians. Social support from family, fellow band members, audiences and their professional network, as well as having adequate personal resources such as entrepreneurial skills, value-anchored flexibility, tolerance for ambiguity and dedication to music making were described as important for managing life as a freelance musician. Conclusions: Musicians' psychosocial work environment and health seem to be related to the three overarching protective factors also described in resilience research: namely personal dispositions, family coherence and social resources.

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Occupational strain and professional artists: A qualitative study of an underemployed group

Cited by 14 publications

References 33 publications

Patterns of psychological vulnerabilities and resources in artists and nonartists.

Patterns of psychological vulnerabilities and resources in artists and nonartists.

Holding a mirror up to nature: Psychological vulnerability in actors.

Specific demands and resources in the career of the Norwegian freelance musician

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