More Than Just Steps: Harmonious Passion, Self-Confidence, and Emotion-Related Feelings in Female Amateur Dancers

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the interplay between harmonious passion, obsessive passion, self-confidence, emotional arousal control, worry, concentration disruption, and psychobiosocial experiences in female amateur dancers during their usual practice. Methods: A convenience sample of 160 Italian female amateur dancers aged 16 to 36 years (M = 20.63, SD = 4.93) participated in a cross-sectional study and completed a questionnaire assessing the variables of interest. Correlational, parallel mediation, and moderated mediation analyses were conducted to test hypotheses regarding direct and indirect effects of passion on psychobiosocial experiences. Results: Harmonious passion positively correlated with self-confidence, emotional arousal control, and psychobiosocial experiences, while obsessive passion was found to have weaker associations with these variables. Self-confidence mediated the relationship between harmonious passion and psychobiosocial experiences. Moderated mediation revealed that the positive effect of harmonious passion on psychobiosocial experiences was stronger when obsessive passion was low. Conclusion: Findings suggest that fostering harmonious passion and self-confidence enhances dancers’ functional emotional experiences, particularly when obsessive passion is minimized. Practical implications include autonomy-supportive coaching and confidence-building strategies to promote performance satisfaction and well-being.