Rate My Professor Florentina van Rens

Florentina van Rens, professionally known as Dr. Fleur van Rens, is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Science (Sports Psychology) in the School of Allied Health at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Utrecht University between 2005 and 2008, Master of Science in Psychology from Bangor University from 2008 to 2009, and Doctor of Philosophy in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Victoria University from 2012 to 2016. Her PhD thesis, "Role Strain in Talent Development: A Psycho-social Perspective on the Dual Careers of Junior Elite Athletes," investigated the challenges junior elite athletes face in balancing sport and academic commitments. Upon completing her doctorate, she joined Murdoch University in 2016, where she also serves as Academic Chair of the Elite Athlete Program. Dr. van Rens supervises honours, masters, and PhD students in exercise science and psychology, having successfully guided 11 honours students, 3 masters students, and 3 PhD candidates to completion, with 2 PhDs ongoing.

Dr. van Rens's research specializations include sports psychology, circus psychology, health psychology, and visual impairments. Her studies on the mental health of circus artists reveal elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to general populations, with protective factors such as higher psychological resilience, older age, greater circus experience, and variations by discipline like object manipulation. She has identified that over one in three circus artists exhibit disordered eating behaviors, particularly in equilibrium and aerial disciplines, with resilience serving as a buffer. Her work on perfectionism differentiates self-critical, rigid, and narcissistic types, linking the former two to poorer mental health outcomes. Notable publications encompass the book Circus Psychology: An Applied Guide to Thriving Under the Big Top (Routledge, 2022), offering evidence-based strategies across mental health, environmental optimization, and mental skills training; and "A systematic literature review on the academic and athletic identities of Student-Athletes" (2020, co-authored with A.R. Steele and R.A. Ashley). She has incorporated circus skills into Murdoch University's sport and exercise psychology curriculum and contributes to international discussions on performer wellbeing.