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Birrell L, Barrett E, Oliver E, Nguyen A, Ewing R, Anderson M, Teesson M. The impact of arts-inclusive programs on young children's mental health and wellbeing: a rapid review. Arts Health 2024:1-23. [PMID: 38385712 DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2024.2319032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This review evaluated the existing literature exploring the effects of arts-inclusive programs (AIPs) on the mental health and wellbeing of young children. AIPs include activities, programs, or interventions containing creative arts. METHODS Literature searches were conducted across three databases (SCOPUS, psycINFO, and ERIC). The search was restricted to studies reporting outcomes of children 0-6 years. RESULTS Nine studies were included in the review (3,671 participants). Three key themes were identified: music-related (n = 4); artmaking (n = 3); and storytelling/drama (n = 2). All included studies reported positive outcomes on children's wellbeing following engagement in AIPs. DISCUSSION This review found emerging evidence demonstrating positive impacts of arts engagement on the wellbeing of children aged 0-6. However, most studies were low quality and used varying outcome measures. The review is one of the first to highlight the lack of high-quality studies on the relationship between AIPs and wellbeing in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Birrell
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emma Barrett
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Eliza Oliver
- Creativity in Research, Engaging the Arts, Transforming Education, Health and Wellbeing (CREATE) Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - An Nguyen
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Robyn Ewing
- Creativity in Research, Engaging the Arts, Transforming Education, Health and Wellbeing (CREATE) Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael Anderson
- Creativity in Research, Engaging the Arts, Transforming Education, Health and Wellbeing (CREATE) Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Maree Teesson
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Warran K, Smith C, Ugron H, Blaga O, Ladegaard NL, Carstens LF, Nicholls L, Burton A, Zbranca R, Ottow M, Fancourt D, Fietje N. Implementing a singing-based intervention for postpartum depression in Denmark and Romania: a brief research report. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1249503. [PMID: 38188326 PMCID: PMC10769490 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1249503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background There is a burgeoning evidence-base that demonstrates the positive impact of the arts on our health, wellbeing, and health behaviors. However, very few studies have focused on how to optimize the implementation of these activities for different sociocultural contexts. Due to the increasing interest in scaling effective arts interventions as part of public health strategies, and in line with global goals of achieving health equity, this is an essential focus. Aim Using the case study of a singing for post-partum depression (PPD) intervention with empirically-demonstrated clinical effects, this brief research report explores implementation of an arts and health intervention that has been successful in the United Kingdom ("Music and Motherhood") for the new contexts of Silkeborg (Denmark) and Cluj-Napoca (Romania). Methods Data was collected from participants at all levels of the implementation structure including at local and management levels. The study draws on qualitative implementation data to explore participant experiences, including one-to-one interviews, written testimonies, meeting minutes, ethnographic researcher reflections and focus groups, including data from 46 participants in total. Results and conclusion We explore implementation and adaptation across five key themes: (1) acceptability and feasibility; (2) practical and structural barriers and enablers; (3) adoption and sustainability; (4) broader contextual factors affecting implementation and sustainability; and (5) project structure and processes. Taken together, the themes demonstrate that arts interventions need to be adapted in culturally sensitive ways by stakeholders who have local knowledge of their environments. This research serves as an informative foundation for use by other researchers that aim to expand the reach and impact of arts-based interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katey Warran
- Social Biobehavioural Research Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Calum Smith
- Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hanna Ugron
- Centrul Cultural Clujean, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Oana Blaga
- Center for Health Policy and Public Health, College of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Nicolai Lund Ladegaard
- Department of Affective Disorders, Aarhus University Hospital—Psychiatry, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Lucy Nicholls
- Social Biobehavioural Research Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra Burton
- Social Biobehavioural Research Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Mikkel Ottow
- Region Midtjylland (Central Denmark Region), Viborg, Denmark
| | - Daisy Fancourt
- Social Biobehavioural Research Group, Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nils Fietje
- Behavioural and Cultural Insights Unit, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Fazel M, Soneson E. Current evidence and opportunities in child and adolescent public mental health: a research review. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:1699-1719. [PMID: 37771261 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A public mental health lens is increasingly required to better understand the complex and multifactorial influences of interpersonal, community and institutional systems on the mental health of children and adolescents. METHODS This research review (1) provides an overview of public mental health and proposes a new interactional schema that can guide research and practice, (2) summarises recent evidence on public mental health interventions for children and adolescents, (3) highlights current challenges for this population that might benefit from additional attention and (4) discusses methodological and conceptual hurdles and proposes potential solutions. RESULTS In our evidence review, a broad range of universal, selective and indicated interventions with a variety of targets, mechanisms and settings were identified, some of which (most notably parenting programmes and various school-based interventions) have demonstrated small-to-modest positive effects. Few, however, have achieved sustained mental health improvements. CONCLUSIONS There is an opportunity to re-think how public mental health interventions are designed, evaluated and implemented. Deliberate design, encompassing careful consideration of the aims and population-level impacts of interventions, complemented by measurement that embraces complexity through more in-depth characterisation, or 'phenotyping', of interpersonal and environmental elements is needed. Opportunities to improve child and adolescent mental health outcomes are gaining unprecedented momentum. Innovative new methodology, heightened public awareness, institutional interest and supportive funding can enable enhanced study of public mental health that does not shy away from complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Fazel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Soneson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Papageorgi I, Saunders J, Himonides E, Welch GF. Singing and Social Identity in Young Children. Front Psychol 2022; 13:823229. [PMID: 35719461 PMCID: PMC9201955 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.823229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A range of studies suggest that singing activities with young children can have a beneficial impact on other aspects of their development. However, there is little research examining the relationship between young children's singing and their developing social identity. In the current study, data were captured of young children's singing and social identity as part of a larger-scale, longitudinal evaluation of the nationwide Sing Up programme in England. Participants were 720 children aged 5-8 years old. The assessment of young children's singing ability employed an established measure and was undertaken individually. With adult support, the children were also asked to complete a simple questionnaire that focused on selected aspects of their social identity, both in general terms and also related to singing. Key themes embraced their attitudes to singing (at home, in school and in informal settings), singer identity (emotional engagement with singing and self-concept), and perceptions of self (self-efficacy, self-esteem, social integration). Comparative data were collected from young children of a similar age outside the programme. Findings suggested that the programme had a positive impact on children's singing ability, both overall and including the youngest children. The data analyses suggest that children could be identified as either "pupils with positive singing identity" or "pupils with less positive, or still developing singing identity." Overall, pupils with a more positive singer identity-irrespective of Sing Up-related experience-tended to report more positive attitudes toward singing at school and other settings, had higher perceived levels of self-esteem and social integration, as well as more positive evaluations of their singing ability. Furthermore, the research suggests that successful participation in high-quality singing activities is likely to have a positive impact on young children's singing ability and, by implication, such positive singing development will also be associated with aspects of self that are related to contexualised singer identity and their sense of social inclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioulia Papageorgi
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Jo Saunders
- Department of Culture, Communication and Media, University College London (UCL) Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom
| | - Evangelos Himonides
- Department of Culture, Communication and Media, University College London (UCL) Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom
| | - Graham F Welch
- Department of Culture, Communication and Media, University College London (UCL) Institute of Education, London, United Kingdom
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Grebosz-Haring K, Schuchter-Wiegand AK, Feneberg AC, Skoluda N, Nater UM, Schütz S, Thun-Hohenstein L. The Psychological and Biological Impact of "In-Person" vs. "Virtual" Choir Singing in Children and Adolescents: A Pilot Study Before and After the Acute Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Austria. Front Psychol 2022; 12:773227. [PMID: 35058843 PMCID: PMC8764148 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.773227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychobiological responses to music have been examined previously in various naturalistic settings in adults. Choir singing seems to be associated with positive psychobiological outcomes in adults. However, evidence on the effectiveness of singing in children and adolescents is sparse. The COVID-19 outbreak is significantly affecting society now and in the future, including how individuals engage with music. The COVID-19 pandemic is occurring at a time when virtual participation in musical experiences such as singing in a virtual choir has become more prevalent. However, it remains unclear whether virtual singing leads to different responses in comparison with in-person singing. We evaluated the psychobiological effects of in-person choral singing (7 weeks, from January to March 2020, before the COVID-19 outbreak) in comparison with the effects of virtual choral singing (7 weeks, from May to July 2020, after schools partly re-opened in Austria) in a naturalistic pilot within-subject study. A group of children and young adolescents (N = 5, age range 10-13, female = 2) from a school in Salzburg, Austria were recruited to take part in the study. Subjective measures (momentary mood, stress) were taken pre- and post-singing sessions once a week. Additionally, salivary biomarkers (cortisol and alpha-amylase) and quantity of social contacts were assessed pre- and post-singing sessions every second week. Psychological stability, self-esteem, emotional competences, and chronic stress levels were measured at the beginning of in-person singing as well as at the beginning and the end of the virtual singing. We observed a positive impact on mood after both in-person and virtual singing. Over time, in-person singing showed a pre-post decrease in salivary cortisol, while virtual singing showed a moderate increase. Moreover, a greater reduction in stress, positive change in calmness, and higher values of social contacts could be observed for the in-person setting compared to the virtual one. In addition, we observed positive changes in psychological stability, maladaptive emotional competences, chronic stress levels, hair cortisol, self-contingency and quality of life. Our preliminary findings suggest that group singing may provide benefits for children and adolescents. In-person singing in particular seems to have a stronger psychobiological effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Grebosz-Haring
- Department of Musicology and Dance Studies, Faculty of Art History, Musicology and Dance Studies, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Programme Area (Inter)Mediation. Music – Mediation – Context, Interuniversity Institution Knowledge and the Arts, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, University Mozarteum Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Anna K. Schuchter-Wiegand
- Department of Musicology and Dance Studies, Faculty of Art History, Musicology and Dance Studies, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Programme Area (Inter)Mediation. Music – Mediation – Context, Interuniversity Institution Knowledge and the Arts, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, University Mozarteum Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Anja C. Feneberg
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- University Research Platform ‘The Stress of Life – Processes and Mechanisms Underlying Everyday Life Stress’, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nadine Skoluda
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- University Research Platform ‘The Stress of Life – Processes and Mechanisms Underlying Everyday Life Stress’, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Urs M. Nater
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- University Research Platform ‘The Stress of Life – Processes and Mechanisms Underlying Everyday Life Stress’, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastian Schütz
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Leonhard Thun-Hohenstein
- University Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Christian-Doppler-Clinik, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
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Wald-Fuhrmann M, Boenneke S, Vroegh T, Dannecker KP. "He Who Sings, Prays Twice"? Singing in Roman Catholic Mass Leads to Spiritual and Social Experiences That Are Predicted by Religious and Musical Attitudes. Front Psychol 2020; 11:570189. [PMID: 33041936 PMCID: PMC7527438 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.570189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Singing is an essential element in every religion. In the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, theologians expect congregational singing to have several clear-cut effects which can be translated into psychological hypotheses. This study is the first to approach these quantitatively. N = 1603 Catholics from German-speaking countries answered an exhaustive questionnaire that asked whether and to what degree these putative effects were actually experienced by churchgoers. We found that people do, to a large degree, associate feelings of community and spiritual experiences with congregational singing. We also identified relevant intraindividual factors that contribute to the frequency of these experiences, most importantly, religious and musical attitudes. These results are discussed in the light of psychological literature on the effects of group singing on social bonding and wellbeing, but also in the context of theological, ethnomusicological, and sociological research on singing, songs, and spiritual and social experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann
- Department of Music, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Sven Boenneke
- Department of Music, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Thijs Vroegh
- Department of Music, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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