The Impact of Acting on Student Actors: Boundary Blurring, Growth, and Emotional Distress

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

“…The findings in other studies indicated that performing artists engage in intensive years of training to achieve expertise (Kogan, 2002;O'Quin, 2008), actors recalled greater engagement in imaginary worlds as children (Goldstein & Winner, 2009), and artistic training enhanced a capacity to form images (Peréz-Fabello & Campos, 2007), Second, the premise in testimonial theater-making is to create new theatrical works that draw from personal stories that are collectively gathered and coUaboratively honed into new theatrical productions (Malpede, 1999), This process is done through a process of oscillating between empathy and distancing as the stories emerge. Ultimately, the process helps heal the performers and their audiences (Kaplan, 2005), Third, in psychodrama, the core processes include: (1) dramatic projection, (2) empathy and distancing, (3) role-playing and personification, (4) interactive audience and witnessing, (5) embodiment, (6) life-drama connection, (7) and transformation (Jones, 2008), Regardless of specific techniques, methods, or models, these core processes promote a reduction in posttraumatic stress symptoms and combat violent behavior (Dutton, 2001;Fong, 2006;Malpede, 1999), Despite these positive findings, we are well aware that actors generally have minimal family support with few fatnily members involved in the performing arts (Kogan & Kangas, 2006), and yet they elect to participate in careers in the performing arts despite parental discouragement (Goldstein & Winner, 2009), Furthermore, actors are vulnerable to increased dysregulation and selfdestabilization (Thomson & Jaque, 2011), boundary blurring (Burgoyne, Poulin, & Rearden, 1999;Nemiro, 1997), and that their self-perceived personality becomes more similar to the character during rehearsal and performance (Hannah, Domino, Hanson, & Hannah, 1994), In fact, although histories of trauma and conflict have been found to be no greater in performing artists than in control groups (Ayers, Beaton, & Hunt, 1999;Thomson & Jaque, 2011), emotional connections with the character may cause a trauma response in actors, a premise supported by research that suggests that increased attention to past trauma and loss may actually enhance posttraumatic stress symptoms (Bemtsen & Rubin, 2006), These studies provide persuasive arguments that would suggest that actors are more vulnerable to psychological instability, a conclusion that runs counter to our hypothesis. By implementing the AAI, we are able to assess the actors' psychological processes regarding ...…”

Exploring Psychological wellbeing in a Sample of Australian Actors

“…The personal precariousness actors felt when trying to distinguish themselves from their character was reported in and in student actors by Burgoyne, Poulin, and Reasden (1999), and this study contributes evidence from professional actors. This blurring has been associated with difficulty regulating emotions (Burgoyne et al), as reported by our participants, and it is possible actors may benefit from emotion regulation strategies as found, for example, in dialectical behaviour therapy (Linehan, 1993).…”

Building Visual Artists’ Resilience Capabilities: Current Educator Strategies and Methods

“…As previously mentioned, artists are often vulnerable to various career-related issues including both underemployment and oversupply of the creative workforce (Ashton, 2014;Bridgstock and Carr, 2013;Jeffri, 2004;Menger, 1999). Aligned with the employment and career-related issues for creative and performing artists, are the particular stresses and mental challenges many face on an ongoing basis (Burgoyne, Poulin, and Rearden, 1999;Elias and Berg-Cross, 2009;Jacobs, 2004;Morton, 2012;Nagel, 2009). These issues potentially stem from; the solitary nature of practice in many creative areas (e.g.…”

“…In their interdisciplinary study involving experts from theatre and psychology, Burgoyne et al (1999) applied grounded theory in analysing 15 interviews with university student actors. A general theme identified was that the blurring of the boundary between the individual and the character was not explained nor were coping strategies taught in any of the students' training.…”

“…In building on the themes established by Burgoyne et al (1999), Noble (2011) and Seton (2010; add to the insights into the particular vulnerabilities trainee actors face when working within the discipline. Noble (2011: 14) describes having many conversations with acting students who at certain points have had to play out 'scenes of horrible violence or sexual extremity' yet without sufficient support scaffolds or training in how to deal with such emotionally stressful experiences.…”