Impact of Arts on Health and Wellbeing

Child neglect, wellbeing and resilience: Adopting an arts based approachSeminar 1

Divya Jindal-Snape

Transformative Change: Educational and Life Transitions (TCELT) Research Centre

Why should we use arts based

approaches?

What is the evidence of their impact?

Context

Creative Environments for Learning in Schools, including wellbeing (2010/2011, LTS/ES funded)

Impact of arts on health and wellbeing (all age groups, primarily adults; all art forms): Mortality and Morbidity (2014, GCPH funded)

Impact on children and young people in a school context (all arts forms): Achievement, and Health and Wellbeing (2014, GCPH funded)

Impact on children and young people in a community context (families and community; music): Health and Wellbeing, and Inequalities (2014, GCPH funded)

Participation

Attendanc

e

Methodology

(EPPI-centre 2007)

ResultsImpact of Participation on Health

Arts as leisure activity increase in levels of general daily activity positive effect on physical wellbeing

Drumming, choirs, dance, music had positive impact on physical health and wellbeing

Evidence of the preventive health benefits of dance was compelling and conclusive

Impact of Participation on Social and Emotional Wellbeing

All three literature reviews provided evidence However, variability in the robustness and

qualitySeveral studies reported positive impact on

indicators or components of wellbeing mood, quality of life, enjoyment, self-

esteem, self-worth, self-confidence, social interaction, motivation, empowerment and voice, resilience

All arts forms, for all age groups, seemed to have a positive impact

Impact of Participation on Social Relationships and Social Cohesion (peers,

families and communities)

All three literature reviews reported positive impact of participation in arts on social

relations, social cohesion and decrease in isolation, irrespective of age and context

opportunities to work together in groups examples of team building; increased social

interaction; improved support systems; community development; bonding between child and family, with peers and intergenerational group bonding

some studies focussed on social cohesion and inclusion of refugees and ‘youth at risk’ and reported positive impact

Examples1 study used seven components of Social Emotional Wellbeing Survey (SEWB)

three external components of School Life, Home Life and Community Life

four internal components of Resilience, Positive Social Skills, Positive Work Management and Engagement Skills

Children participating in The Song Room had higher SEWB scores showed greater resilience improved behaviour and communication less anxiety

Longer the exposure, the greater the effect

Examples (contd.)2 randomised control trials with elderly on impact of creative writing reduced depressive

symptoms in participants with a clinically significant level of depressive symptoms

improved emotional and social wellbeing

Impact of group drumming for inner-city youth in a ‘juvenile detention centre’ statistically

significant improvements in self-reported depression compared to participants of a control group

Quality and Intensity of participation

Better the quality of arts programmes, the larger the effect not clear what ‘good quality’ entailed or

from whose point of viewMore intense and longer the duration of

arts participation, the greater the impact for example, one study found that 12-

month programme was more effective than 6-month programme

however, optimum duration and intensity not reported

Impact of Attendance on Health and Wellbeing

Positive impact frequency of attendance varied

impact seen from three visits per year to the theatre to greater frequency of attendance

Listening to music had a positive impact on children and adults One study with 329 adolescents from a Canadian

high school higher the congruence between child’s and parent’s

listening preferences of music, higher the levels of positive impact on emotional wellbeing

Arts and cultural attendance reduced depressive symptoms and improved emotional wellbeing

Arts and Voice Creativity frees children and gives them a voice to

articulate their views (Bancroft et al., 2008; Jindal-Snape, 2012)

Creative approaches provide a level playing field for every child (Jindal-Snape, Baird & Miller, 2011*; Jindal-Snape, Vettraino, Lowson, & McDuff, 2011) however, barriers found for using creative approaches,

especially in schools, namely, statutory requirements, organisational barriers, pedagogical barriers to taking risks, professionals not feeling competent and confident (Davies et al., 2012, 2014)

Interestingly, studies in the 3 GCPH literature reviews did not use or discuss methods meaningful to the participants, such as creative approaches to listen to

children’s voice.*Used board game to facilitate dialogue in focus group.

Discussion and Conclusion

Although several studies reported impact of participation in arts on health and wellbeing not all evidence was robust (more robust for

physical health and depression)

usually pointed to a positive relationship rather than a clear causal effect

Therefore, easier to say that arts, health and wellbeing co-exist more difficult to say with any confidence

whether art leads to better health and wellbeing

Important role played by Quality Duration Intensity

Application of these findings to our programme objectives

Small group discussion

What surprised or confirmed your beliefs/knowledge about the studies and evidence base?

What does this mean for the use of arts based practices with children who are affected by neglect, and their voice, resilience and wellbeing?

Do you have examples from your own context that could add to the evidence base?

Related publicationsO Bancroft, S., Fawcett, M., & Hay, P. (2008). Researching children researching the world: 5x5x5=creativity.

Stoke-on-Trent, UK: Trentham. O Davies, D., Jindal-Snape, D., Collier, C., Digby, R., Hay, P., & Howe, A. (2012). Creative learning environments

in education—A systematic literature review. Thinking Skills and Creativity. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2012.07.004

O Davies, D., Jindal-Snape, D., Digby, R., Howe, A., Collier, C., & Hay, P., (2014). The roles and development needs of teachers to promote creativity: A systematic review of literature. Teaching and Teacher Education, 41, 34-41.

O Jindal-Snape, D. (2012). Portraying children’s voices through creative approaches to enhance their transition experience and improve the transition practice, LEARNing Landscapes, 6(1), 223-240. Retrieved from http://www.learninglandscapes.ca/current-issue

O Jindal-Snape, D. (2014). A narrative synthesis of evidence relating to the impact of arts and community-based arts interventions on health, wellbeing and educational attainment (Systematic literature review, Work Package 4). Glasgow: Glasgow Centre for Population Health.

O Jindal-Snape, D., Baird, L., & Miller, K. (2011). A longitudinal study to investigate the effectiveness of the Guitar Hero project in supporting transition from P7-S1. Dundee: Report for Learning and Teaching Scotland.

O Jindal-Snape, D., Davies, D., Collier, C., Howe, A., Digby, R., & Hay, P. (2013). The impact of creative learning environments on learners: A systematic literature review. Improving Schools, 16(1), 21-31.

O Jindal-Snape, D., Scott, R., & Davies, D. (2014). ‘Arts and smarts’: assessing the impact of arts participation on academic performance during school years. Systematic literature review (Work package 2). Glasgow: Glasgow Centre for Population Health.

O Jindal-Snape, D., Vettraino, E., Lowson, A., & McDuff, W. (2011). Using creative drama to facilitate primary–secondary transition, Education 3-13, 4, 383-394. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004271003727531

O Levy, S. L., Kroll, T., & Jindal-Snape, D. (2014). Community-based music programmes, and health and inequalities: impact on children/adolescents and their families: systematic literature review (Work Package 3). Glasgow: Glasgow Centre for Population Health.

O Toma, M., Morris, J., Kelly, C., & Jindal-Snape, D. (2014). The impact of art attendance and participation on health and wellbeing: systematic literature review (work package 1). Glasgow: Glasgow Centre for Population Health.

AcknowledgementsResearch TeamProfessor Divya Jindal-Snape (PI)Dr Jacqui MorrisProfessor Thilo KrollDr Ros ScottDr Madalina TomaDr Susan LevyProfessor Dan DaviesChris Kelly

Advisors Professor John Baldacchino Dr Laura Falzon

3 literature reviews funded by Glasgow Centre for Population Health

Managed and supported by Chris Harkins