A recent study published in Frontiers in Public Health has raised an intriguing question: Could arts and crafts be a tool to improve the mental health of the population? This finding reinforces the importance of creative activities as an accessible and affordable resource that could have a significant impact on people’s emotional well-being.
The researchers, led by Dr Helen Keyes from Anglia Ruskin University, were inspired by the urgent need to promote mental health globally, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought with it an increase in mental health problems.
The team set out to analyze the effect of artistic and manual activities on people’s daily lives, with the aim of determining whether these activities can contribute to improving overall emotional well-being.
The study, which was based on a sample of 7,182 people who took part in the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s annual Taking Part survey, revealed the results. People who took part in arts and crafts activities experienced higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. Even more notable was the finding that these activities gave them a greater sense that their lives had value – an effect that Keyes said even exceeded the impact of having a job.
“Crafts and other artistic activities have been shown to have a significant effect on people’s perception that life is worthwhile,” Keyes explained. “This impact is significantly greater than that of having a job. Craft activities not only offer a sense of accomplishment, but also allow for self-expression in ways that are not always possible in the workplace.”
The scientists also focused on assessing the impact of these activities beyond the controlled clinical context, allowing for a broader view of their effect on the general population. By controlling for sociodemographic variables, such as gender, age, health status, employment status and level of deprivation, the researchers were able to isolate the effect of arts and crafts on emotional wellbeing. Poor health, unemployment and economic deprivation are all known to be linked to lower levels of wellbeing, making the findings of this study even more significant.
Participants were asked to rate their happiness, anxiety and life satisfaction, as well as their perception of whether life was meaningful. They were also asked how often they felt lonely and whether they had participated in any craft activities during the past year. 37.4% of respondents confirmed having engaged in at least one craft activity in the past twelve months, and these individuals reported higher levels of well-being.
However, the study also revealed an interesting limitation: although artistic and craft activities improved feelings of well-being, no significant impact on reducing loneliness was observed. This may be related to the fact that many artistic activities are done solitary, so further research will be needed to explore the social aspects of these activities.
Keyes suggested that governments and health systems could consider promoting arts and crafts as part of their strategies to improve public mental health. “National health services could explore funding and promoting creative activities or even prescribing them on a social basis for at-risk populations, as part of a preventative approach and promoting mental wellbeing,” she said.
The research highlights how the arts, although their impact on well-being is small, can be an effective and easily accessible tool to improve mental health. The effects observed in this study are comparable to those of sociodemographic variables, which are more difficult to modify. Therefore, promoting access to creative activities could be a valuable strategy to improve people’s emotional well-being, particularly in difficult times such as those experienced during the pandemic.
While the results are promising, the scientists caution that this is a correlational study. “We can’t say for sure that craft activities are the direct cause of this increase in well-being,” Keyes said. To confirm this relationship, the next step will be to conduct experimental studies that measure well-being before and after participation in craft activities over time.
Continue reading:
- Diet and exercise can treat depression like a doctor: study
- CDC warns US doctors about mpox strain
- Sweetener linked to blood clots