A cross-lagged panel study with parallel mediation: examining the dynamic pathways from dance experience to psychological wellbeing

BackgroundWhile dance is linked to enhanced psychological wellbeing (PWB), the specific longitudinal mechanisms underlying this relationship remain inadequately understood. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory and Embodied Cognition, this study tested a dual-pathway model proposing that dance experience is prospectively associated with PWB by concurrently improving emotion regulation and body appreciation.MethodsA three-wave longitudinal panel design was employed with 401 adults. Dance Experience (DEQ) at Time 1 (T1) was hypothesized to predict Emotion Regulation (ERQ) and Body Appreciation (BAS) at Time 2 (T2), which in turn were hypothesized to predict PWB at Time 3 (T3). A parallel mediation model was tested using structural equation modeling, controlling for autoregressive effects and covariates (age, gender, BMI). Bias-corrected bootstrapping (10,000 resamples) was used to test indirect effects.ResultsThe model demonstrated excellent fit. As hypothesized, T1 DEQ positively predicted both T2 ERQ (β = 0.176, p < 0.001) and T2 BAS (β = 0.235, p < 0.001). Both T2 ERQ and T2 BAS subsequently predicted T3 PWB (β = 0.192 and β = 0.254, respectively, both p < 0.001). The specific indirect effects via ERQ and BAS were both significant, confirming parallel mediation. The direct effect from DEQ to PWB remained significant.ConclusionDance experience contributes to psychological wellbeing over time through two distinct yet complementary pathways: by enhancing cognitive emotion regulation capacity and by fostering a more appreciative relationship with one’s body. These findings elucidate the psychological mechanisms of dance and provide a theoretical foundation for designing mechanism-targeted dance interventions to promote mental health.