Arts & Health最新文献

Black young people in underresourced communities with high levels of violence exposure experience a range of mental health sequelae and barriers to mental health support. In this study, 18 Black young people (ages 12-19) participated in a co-created program to process and cope with the impact of trauma through creative writing activities focused on music production. Participating young people created 20 songs. Song lyrics young people created during the program were the study data source. Using an inductive coding approach and member checking with program participants, three key themes emerged from songs: (1) self-affirmation and self-empowerment, (2) flourishing or personal growth, (3) emotional processing and narrative construction, and (4) disclosure of mental health challenges. The first author, a white woman and non-musician, engaged in reflexivity to account for positionality and center the socio-political contexts and expressive intent of the youth lyricists. Mental health difficulties included externalizing behavior problems (depictions of violence), substance use, exposure to violence, trauma and loss, feelings of mental instability, and depression. Data emphasized the power of such programming to promote unplanned skills building like cognitive restructuring. Altogether, study findings point toward the importance of co-creating curricula with young people to address their mental health needs.

Background: By nature, a chronic illness creates lasting repercussions on a person's life. Although existing literature has shown the benefits of music therapy for many chronic health conditions, there are times when music therapy services become unavailable. In these situations, self-administered music interventions (SAMIs) can be an effective strategy to promote psychological wellbeing in people with chronic illnesses. We conducted a mixed-studies systematic review of the evidence for SAMIs and have previously published a meta-analysis and synthesis of quantitative results. This article presents qualitative synthesis findings on: (1) factors that influence SAMI implementation, (2) how and why do SAMIs have or not have an effect, and (3) recommendations for practice implications.

Method: We systematically searched seven databases from January 1990 to June 2025. Citation tracking and reference checks were applied. We used the CASP qualitative checklist for quality assessment of studies with qualitative data.

Results: Qualitative results from 11 articles were included in thematic synthesis. Five themes emerged: (a) participants' personal qualities informed their SAMI implementation and outcomes, (b) participants made SAMIs work, (c) SAMI outcomes became feedback, (d) a facilitator supported SAMI uses, and (e) a propelling cycle of SAMI implementation (overarching theme).

Conclusion: Our results illustrated how participants independently made SAMIs work over time and what factors were involved. Recommendations for research and practice are provided.

Background: Beyond Culture Box aimed to stimulate public interest in dementia through creating new resources, including a touring exhibition (Culture Box Live) that visited Exeter and Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom, and training course (Lessons from Culture Box) for activity providers and artists. The project took research findings and materials created during Culture Box, a pandemic responsive study that aimed to improve dementia care during the pandemic through creative and arts-based approaches to new audiences in two English cities.

Methods: This practice report presents findings and learnings from the project. Evaluation methods included team reflections throughout the project, alongside visitor verbal and written feedback.

Findings: Beyond Culture Box created opportunities for learning and engagement with physical exhibitions and a training course (with around 125 visitors in attendance across both sites and activities) and content on the project website (with around a 130% increase of new visitors to our website; 22% of those were looking for activity material in our archive and boxes between January and February 2024).

Conclusions: The findings provide new learning on creative health research impact and engagement projects.

Background: Children living in residential childcare institutions often face emotional, behavioral challenges, and low self-esteem due to early trauma and attachment issues. Art therapy, a creative and non-verbal engagement technique, is a promising approach that remains unexplored.

Objective: This study aims to test the feasibility of a structured art therapy intervention to address emotional and behavioral issues and enhance self-esteem of children in residential childcare institutions.

Methods: A small sample experimental design was used to assess the effectiveness of a 10-week structured art therapy intervention for children aged 10-16 in residential childcare institutions in Kerala, India.

Results: Post-intervention, outcomes revealed significant improvements in emotional problems (t = 8.008, p < .001), conduct disorders (t = 8.41, p < .001), hyperactivity (t = 7.139, p < .001), and augmented prosocial behavior (t= -8.527, p < .001). Self-esteem also improved across general (t=-12.085, p < .001), social (t =-3.117, p = 0.004), home-parent (t=-3.194, p = 0.003), and academic domains (t=-9.95, p < 0.001) in contrast with comparison group.

Conclusions: Art therapy facilitates the articulation of internal conflicts and serves as a non-verbal, non-threatening method with children promoting positive coping strategies. This study recommends randomized controlled trials in larger populations before implementing it in all childcare institutions.

Methods: This paper explores how person-centred musical activities were used in HOMESIDE (Baker et al. 2019, 2023), an internationalRCT exploring music and reading in dementia care. Demographic, case summary, and diary data were analysed from 10 participant pairs, across 5 countries.

Results: Listening to music was the most used activity. Dyads changed their approach over time and incorporated varied forms of music into daily life. Benefits were described in physical, behavioural, psychological, cognitive, and relational areas.

Conclusions: This research highlights the benefits of music training for informal caregivers. A "Triangle of care" approach to provide care and support for the caregiver and care recipient is recommended.

Background: Research has evidenced the role of creative arts and culture in positive mental health of individuals and communities. There is more limited research into its significance for those who have felt life is not worth living at some point.

Objective: The current study aims to explore the role of creative arts in recovery following a suicide attempt in healthcare workers, a population at high risk of work-related stress, and greater risk of poorer mental health.

Methods: Using secondary data from 25 healthcare staff who have reported a previous suicide attempt(s), the study uses content and thematic analysis to analyse responses to a survey question regarding the role of creative arts in recovery.

Results: Content analysis identified genres of chosen art pieces, including music, poetry, literature, film, and artwork. Key themes of hope, self-acceptance, connection with others, and representation of experience offered by the arts were identified as influential in recovery.

Conclusions: This study uses a novel approach to enhance understanding in an under-researched area. Findings offer a unique insight into the protective factors which can be provided through engagement with the arts and the role creative arts can play in promoting recovery from a suicide attempt in healthcare workers.

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in military veterans and presents as distress, anxiety, or depression due to a traumatic event. Expressive therapies are an emerging intervention used to enhance the quality of life by addressing the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of individuals.

Methods: Five databases were searched from 2014 to 2022 with search terms addressing the expressive therapies of art, dance, drama, music, and writing, and military veterans with PTSD.

Results: One hundred eighty-seven articles were screened and 16 articles qualified for review. Articles were categorized based on the following results: decrease in PTSD symptoms, veterans' triggered responses, participants recommending expressive therapy/finding it helpful, and increased well-being and/or quality of life.

Conclusions: Results found that expressive therapies are effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in military veterans. However, more research is recommended to fully support the use of expressive therapies in PTSD treatment.

Background: For persons with dementia, receptive music may reduce negative expressions and increase positive ones. Caregiver singing (CS) is an intervention aimed at facilitating care situations and involves caregivers singing for or together with persons with dementia during care activities. In the literature, CS is commonly addressed as a music activity rather than a care intervention. The aim was to describe caregivers' experiences of the reactions of persons with dementia when using CS and receptive music in dementia care.

Method: The data comprised three focus group interviews with 12 professional caregivers in dementia care, analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: the analysis resulted in two themes: "CS increases interaction and builds companionship" and "Receptive music soothes, awakens memories and reflects the person's self".

Conclusion: Both CS and receptive music was shown to have positive influences, and while the results were sometimes intertwined, CS was shown to better facilitate problematic care situations.

Background: This paper explores the opportunities that creative, nature-based activities offer for mobilising social connections via community-centred approaches to improve individual and collective wellbeing.

Methods: The study involved ethnographic methods and data was gathered from a nature for wellbeing project implemented in a rural village in North East England.

Results: The findings indicate creative, nature-based activities delivered within an environment marked by an ethic of care and kindness enabled the project to engage with participants at individual and collective levels simultaneously, which enhanced the project's ability to mobilise community skills and assets, and affect connectedness, equity and control within social groups facing significant disadvantages.

Conclusion: Creative, nature-based activities, delivered with an ethic of care, present an opportunity to recognise and engage complex and, at times, opposing undercurrents inherent in social connections between individuals and social groups.