Flow experiences and psychological well-being among Indian classical dancers: An exploratory study

Pages: 1636-1642
Avleen Kaur Vig and Garima Srivastava (Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, New Delhi)

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between flow experiences and psychological well-being (PWB) among 50 female Indian classical dancers using a mixed-methods approach. In the quantitative phase, participants were administered the Dispositional Flow Scale 2 and Psychological Well-Being Scale. Subsequently, the qualitative phase involved five in-depth interviews. The results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between flow and PWB (r = 0.32*). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the interviews revealed the following themes related to the flow experience: ‘Flow as a positive optimal experience’, ‘Flow as a spiritual experience’, ‘The bodily experience of flow’, ‘Absorption in task’, ‘Transformation of time’, and ‘Facilitators and inhibitors of flow’. Themes demonstrating the link between dance and well-being included ‘Positive self-concept’, ‘Sense of personal growth’, and ‘Deriving a sense of meaning from dance’. The results of the study confirmed previous findings related to the positive link between flow and well-being as well as the phenomenological experiences of flow in dance. The implications of the study were further discussed.