Mental Health in Preprofessional and Professional Circus Artists: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Mental health has received little attention in preprofessional and professional circus despite the performance demands, cognitive skill, and emotional labor required. This review aimed to consolidate the literature, identify research gaps, and guide practice priorities for mental health in preprofessional and professional circus artists. A narrative review of the literature was conducted based on the International Olympic Committee’s 2019 consensus statement for mental health in elite athletes. Articles reported on mental health symptoms and disorders (n = 13) and interventions (n = 3) in preprofessional and professional circus contexts. Circus artists may experience more symptoms of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and disordered eating compared to the general population. Mental health symptoms may be related to discipline, age, gender, professional status, coping resources, environmental demands, and injury. There is insufficient evidence to support the development of best practice guidelines; however, multidisciplinary collaboration to support mental health appears to be important for preprofessional and professional circus artists.