Marianna Szabó | The University of Sydney (original) (raw)

Papers by Marianna Szabó

Frontiers in Psychology

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS; Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995b) is a set of psychometri... more The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS; Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995b) is a set of psychometrically sound scales that is widely used to assess negative emotional states in adults. In this project, we developed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales for Youth (DASS-Y) and tested its psychometric properties. Data were collected from 2,121 Australian children and adolescents aged 7–18 (61% female). This sample was split randomly into a calibration group (n = 1075, 61% female) and a cross-validation group (n = 1046, 60% female). First, we used Confirmatory Factor Analysis on the calibration group to test the 3-factor DASS model on 40 items we had developed in previous exploratory studies. We then selected the best-performing 21 items based on both statistical and theoretical considerations, guided by the structure and item content of the adult DASS. We cross-validated this new 21-item model in the second half of the sample. Results indicated good fit for the final 21-item 3-factor DASS...

The British Journal of Psychiatry, 2003

Medical Problems of Performing Artists, Jun 1, 2020

BACKGROUND: Anecdotal and media reports suggest that actors and performing artists are vulnerable... more BACKGROUND: Anecdotal and media reports suggest that actors and performing artists are vulnerable to high levels of alcohol use. However, little empirical research is available to document the extent and correlates of alcohol use amongst these artists, particularly in an Australian context. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated alcohol use in a sample of Australian actors and other performing artists and its associations with sociodemographic background, psychological wellbeing, and work stress. METHODS: An online survey was distributed to the Equity Foundation membership representing Australian actors and performing artists. The survey included questions on sociodemographic and occupational background and psychological wellbeing (DASS-21), as well as the AUDIT questionnaire to assess self-reported alcohol consumption. A sample of 620 performing artists responded to the survey, a large majority of whom were actors. RESULTS: Australian actors and performing artists appear to consume alcohol at levels that are higher than those found in the general Australian population. About 40% of men and 31% of women were classified as drinking alcohol at potentially harmful or hazardous levels. Alcohol use was not strongly associated with age, education, or income, but it had a relationship with poorer psychological wellbeing. About 50% of respondents reported that their alcohol drinking was related to work stress as a performer. This perception was more pronounced amongst those performers who reported drinking at harmful levels. CONCLUSIONS: Australian actors and performing artists appear to be an at-risk population for harmful or hazardous alcohol use.

Multiple Sclerosis Journal, Feb 7, 2022

Background: Evidence shows small positive effects associated with psychological treatments for pe... more Background: Evidence shows small positive effects associated with psychological treatments for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). In a recent meta-analysis, the treatment with the largest effect size was a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI). Objectives: We aimed to determine whether an Internet-delivered MBI was beneficial for PwMS. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate history of recurrent depression as a moderator of treatment outcome. Methods: Participants ( N = 132) were assessed based on whether they had a history of recurrent depression, then stratified and randomized to MBI or waitlist. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 and 6 months. Results: The MBI group reported significantly improved depressive symptoms (primary outcome) compared with the waitlist ( p = 0.046, Cohen’s d = 0.39). Those with a history of recurrent depression benefitted significantly more than those without ( p = 0.034, d = 0.66). There were benefits for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the MBI, irrespective of depression history ( p = 0.009, d = 0.5). Pain interference was less overall in the MBI group ( p < 0.001, d = 0.2), but change over time did not differ from waitlist. There were no treatment effects for anxiety, pain severity or fatigue. Conclusion: The Internet-delivered MBI significantly improved depressive symptoms and HRQoL in PwMS. For depression, the benefits were greater for those with a history of recurrent depression. Trial Registration: ACTRN12618001260213, available at: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375598

BMC Neurology, Jun 14, 2019

Medical Problems of Performing Artists, Dec 1, 2019

AIMS: Anecdotal evidence suggests that actors and other performing artists are under great pressu... more AIMS: Anecdotal evidence suggests that actors and other performing artists are under great pressure to conform to idealized appearances and body types. The pursuit of such appearances may trigger eating disorder symptoms, such as unhealthy attitudes towards body weight and shape. Thus far, there has been no dedicated empirical study of the prevalence of such problems in Australian actors and performing artists specifically. Therefore, this study sought to examine eating disorder symptomatology in Australian actors and performing artists. METHODS: An online survey was distributed to the Equity Foundation membership representing Australian actors and performing artists, of whom 573 individuals completed the survey. This survey gauged demographic information and eating disorder symptoms using the psychometrically validated Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale (EDDS). RESULTS: A large proportion of actors reported unhealthy attitudes such as ‘feeling fat’ even though they are of normal weight or underweight; reported an extreme fear of gaining weight; and evaluated their self-worth based on their body weight and shape, particularly women. Results also showed that 2.5% of women in the study met the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa and 13% met diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa based on their scores on the EDDS. DISCUSSION: Performers may be a particularly at-risk population for the development and/or maintenance for a range of eating disorders.

The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Sep 1, 2017

Stress and Health, Jan 24, 2013

Medical Problems of Performing Artists, Jun 1, 2022

BACKGROUND: Anecdotal evidence and media reports suggest that actors and other performing artists... more BACKGROUND: Anecdotal evidence and media reports suggest that actors and other performing artists experience high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. However, no empirical study has examined the psychological well-being of this professional group. OBJECTIVE: The Australian Actors’ Wellbeing Study (AWS) was conducted to examine the general wellbeing of Australian actors and performing artists. The present paper, reporting on data from the AWS, focuses on two aspects of respondents’ psychological well-being: life satisfaction and the experience of negative affect. METHODS: An online survey including several questionnaires was distributed to the Equity Foundation membership representing Australian actors. We report results from the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and examine their associations with respondents’ sociodemographic and occupational background, including their relationship status and any relationship stress, income from performing, and time taken away from performing. RESULTS: A sample of 782 Australian actors responded to the survey, with 582 participants completing the DASS and 568 the SWLS. Participants reported lower levels of life satisfaction and higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than found in the Australian general population. Being in a relationship was associated with better psychological well-being; however, work stress often impacted negatively on relationships. Income had little association with psychological well-being, unless the respondent felt under financial stress. Respondents who took extended periods of time away from performing reported less life satisfaction and more depression than others. CONCLUSION: Australian actors may be at a high risk for poor psychological health. Further research is necessary to establish causality among the variables we examined and to investigate protective factors that may increase well-being in the context of the performing arts industry.

Journal of Medical Internet Research, Mar 2, 2021

Australasian Drama Studies, Apr 1, 2018

This article investigates the precarious lives of working actors, drawing upon responses to the 2... more This article investigates the precarious lives of working actors, drawing upon responses to the 2012 Actors' Wellbeing Survey, to show how reliant actors are upon highly casualised work to supplement earnings from acting. The precarity of actors' lives manifests in a range of challenges, including, in addition to and partially as a result of, financial hardship, stress on relationships and senses of self-worth.

Frontiers in Psychology, 2021

Objectives: Mindful parenting, measured by the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IMP)... more Objectives: Mindful parenting, measured by the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IMP), is beneficial for parents and children. However, the IMP has not been validated in English-speaking parents. Further, little is known about whether mindful parenting is similar in parents of children vs. infants, or how it reduces child internalizing problems. We sought to validate the IMP in English-speaking mothers of children and infants, and to examine relationships between the facets of mindful parenting, child internalizing problems and parent variables related to internalizing.Methods: Using confirmatory factor analyses, we examined the fit of various models of mindful parenting in English-speaking community-recruited mothers of children aged 3–18 years (n = 396) and infants aged 0–2 years (n = 320). We used regression analyses to investigate relationships between the facets of mindful parenting, child internalizing problems, and parent variables including parental experiential ...

Eating patterns affect long-term health. Although dietary guidelines now recommend an increase in... more Eating patterns affect long-term health. Although dietary guidelines now recommend an increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables and a reduction in daily energy intake derived from sugars and fats, evidence shows that in Australia, the UK and the USA children’s diets are widely discrepant from that which is thought to be desirable for good health. This article briefly describes the theoretical models underlying dietary interventions, especially those with children. The paper then outlines the major interventions from the published literature that have aimed to improve children’s eating patterns, and reflects on their efficacy primarily within the context of existing knowledge about the factors thought to influence children’s food choices and their health behaviour generally. The paper concludes by considering some of the methodological issues that are important in designing and establishing the efficacy of dietary interventions for children.

British Journal of Psychiatry, 2002

Medical Journal of Australia, 2002

What are actors' lives like? What kinds of experiences, over the course of a career, do actor... more What are actors' lives like? What kinds of experiences, over the course of a career, do actors have? How does their training prepare them both for the work they will find, and for the lives that they will lead as they pursue that work? What problems confront actors? What kinds of lives do they lead?Our central aim in curating this issue of About Performance was to open up a range of conversations about the lives of actors, those creatives who are often taken for granted. We invited contributors to submit essays reporting on research into actors' lives, their wellbeing and the impact of their creative work upon their lives, their health, and their relationships. This issue seeks to balance the existing surfeit of memoirs, autobiographies and biographical accounts-accounts which, on balance, tend to be written from positions of eminence and professional success-with research that explores the phenomenon in all its variety, and from a range of perspectives, and applying a diver...