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Visiting the cinema, concerts, museums or art exhibitions as determinant of survival: A Swedish fourteen-year cohort follow-up
Abstract
The aim of this study was to ascertain the possible influence of attending various kinds of cultural events or visiting cultural institutions as a determinant of survival. A cohort of individuals aged 25-74 years from a random sample were interviewed by trained non-medical interviewers in 1982 and 1983. The interviews covered standard-of-living variables. Our independent variables covered visiting cultural institutions and attendance at cultural events, reading books or periodicals, and music making. The non-response rate was about 25%. The cohort was followed with respect to survival for 14 years up to 31st December 1996. The background covariates that were used for control purposes were age, sex, cash buffer, educational standard, long-term disease, smoking, and physical exercise. Our setting was the Swedish survey of living conditions among the adult Swedish population aged 25-74 years. About 10,609 individuals were interviewed in 1982 and 1983. The outcome measure was survival until 31st December 1996. In all, 916 men and 600 women died during this period. We found a higher mortality risk for those people who rarely visited the cinema, concerts, museums, or art exhibitions compared with those visiting them most often. The significant relative risks ranging between RR 1.14 (95% CI. 1.01-1.31) of attending art exhibitions, and RR 1.42 (CI. 1.25-1.60) of attending museums, when adjusting for the nine other variables. Visits to the cinema and concerts gave significant RR in between. We could not discern any beneficial effect of attending the theatre, church service or sports event as a spectator or any effect of reading or music making. Our conclusion is that attendance at certain kinds of cultural events may have a beneficial effect on longevity.
... If we consider art expertise as multi-faceted (e.g., knowledge or training in art, interest in art; Specker et al., 2020), however, we may see differing relations with flourishing. Although those with training in art or being professional artists may exhibit lower flourishing, behaviors indicative of art interest, a different component of art expertise (Specker et al., 2020), such as visit art institutions have been associated with greater flourishing (e.g., Konlaan et al., 2000). Here we focus on the art interest aspect of expertise as an exploratory factor in this study. ...
... Research that has taken longitudinal approaches has tended toward longer time scales and has not captured factors related to the aesthetic experience. Because prior work suggests that repeated and consistent engagement is important for flourishing benefits of arts engagement (e.g., Konlaan et al., 2000), examining a series of repeated arts experiences is necessary to advance our understanding of the links between art engagement and flourishing. ...
A wealth of research suggests that engaging with visual art and visiting art museums is beneficial to flourishing; however, less is known about the potential benefits of digital forms of engagement. An emerging literature provides preliminary evidence of the benefits of digital art engagement, but additional research on mechanisms and potential moderators of the benefits is necessary. The present study examines the impacts of repeated visitation to a virtual art gallery to address three questions: 1) Do well-being, emotion, and immersion differ between those in a digital art gallery versus those reading about art?; 2) Do personality and interest in art influence virtual art gallery visit qualities (i.e., emotion and immersion)?; and 3) Do visit qualities and individual differences predict well-being? A sample of 890 U.S. adults was recruited from Prolific. The findings suggest that: 1) People in a virtual gallery show greater well-being, immersion, and aesthetic emotion than those reading about art; 2) Openness to experience is most strongly linked with visit qualities; and 3) Immersion, positive and aesthetic emotion, extraversion, and neuroticism are associated with well-being. This work suggests that repeated engagement with art in a digital format has benefits and that future research should continue to examine the underlying mechanisms and ways digital art experiences can be best designed to be effective well-being interventions.
... According to a study that was conducted by Konlaan, Bygren, and Johansson (2010), those who have never been to the movies have mortality rates that are nearly four times higher than those who go to the movies at least occasionally. This finding was the result of a rather groundbreaking study (Konlaan, Bygren, and Johansson 2010). ...
... According to a study that was conducted by Konlaan, Bygren, and Johansson (2010), those who have never been to the movies have mortality rates that are nearly four times higher than those who go to the movies at least occasionally. This finding was the result of a rather groundbreaking study (Konlaan, Bygren, and Johansson 2010). Their conclusion stays true even when other types of social interaction are controlled, which suggests that social engagement especially in an artistic setting is vital for human survival. ...
This study was an examination of the influence of home videos on the students of National Open University of Nigeria, Benin Study centre. The goals of the study were to determine the extent of National Open University of Nigerian students viewership of home videos; nature of effect of home videos on the moral values of National Open University of Nigerian students; perception of National Open University of Nigerian students about Nigerian home videos and how the negative effects of Nigerian home videos on National Open University of Nigerian students can be curbed. The cultivation and the agenda setting theories served as theoretical frameworks. The questionnaire was used as the research instrument, and the survey was the research design. The results of the study revealed that National Open university of Nigeria students watch home videos because of the entertainment enlightenment value, love for their favourite actors and as past time in order to kill boredom. It was also found that home videos have both positive and negative effects. Positively, it enhances the moral values, need for education and ethical values of students. Negatively, it also promotes immoral behaviours. As a consequence of the results of this research, it was recommended that instead of just seeing Nollywood films as a source of entertainment, National open university of Nigeria students and in extension tertiary institution students should make efforts to assimilate the ethical and moral principles that are propagated in home videos and that Nigeria movie producers should ban all forms of movies that directly or indirectly devalue the essence of education among youths. Education should always be placed higher than greed for money.
... Additionally, a recent study of a representative sample of adults in the United States demonstrates that the arts provide people with a rich and varied source of personally significant experiences and activities (Crone, Shim, Cotter, Tay, & Pawelski, 2022). Similarly high levels of art engagement have been found in a number of European nations, including Finland (Vaananen et al., 2009), Norway (Cuypers et al., 2012), Poland (Weziak-Bialowolska & Bialowolski, 2016;Weziak-Bialowolska, Bialowolski, & Sacco, 2019), Sweden (Johansson, Konlaan, & Bygren, 2001;Konlaan, Bygren, & Johansson, 2000), and the United Kingdom (Fancourt & Steptoe, 2019a, 2019bFancourt & Tymoszuk, 2018;Tymoszuk, Perkins, Fancourt, & Williamon, 2020). ...
... For instance, Fredrickson (2013;Kok et al., 2013;Van Cappellen, Catalino, & Fredrickson, 2020) suggests that positive emotions are critical in building enduring resources (e.g., social connection), and for continuing with activities (e.g., meditation and exercise) that are viewed positively. Given the flourishing impacts of art museum visitation (see for review) and increasing benefits of consistent visitation (e.g., Konlaan et al., 2000), hedonically positive experiences within an art museum may encourage repeated visitation and enhance the facilitation of other flourishing outcomes. ...
People visit art museums for many reasons—to see something beautiful or famous, to learn more about art, or to experience a sense of awe. Recently, there has been increased interest in how art museum engagement can promote flourishing. Little is known, however, about how the professionals shaping these art museum experiences (e.g., curators, educators, front of house staff) view art museums as institutions that can promote flourishing outcomes. In the present research, we examined the perceptions of 208 art museum professionals regarding the functions of art museums and their ability to impact both well-being (e.g., empathy, self-acceptance) and ill-being (e.g., anxiety, loneliness) factors. The findings suggest that art museum professionals feel that the well-being of visitors should be emphasized as a goal more strongly than it currently is, and that there are some well-being and ill-being components (e.g., empathy, helping, closed-mindedness) that should receive greater attention than others.
... However, null results of the present study are far from the exception in epidemiologic studies investigating performing arts impact. Only one of three studies found a positive effect of performing arts activity on all-cause mortality, 5,27,28 while two of three studies have demonstrated protective effects of performing arts activity on dementia incidence. 3,7,29 Methods of evaluating performing arts participation and receptive engagement vary across this and prior epidemiologic studies, with a notable dearth of validated and/or psychometrically tested approaches. ...
... Notably, studies which more directly assessed performing arts activity -for example, questionnaires regarding the type and/or frequency of performing arts activities -have also returned conflicting null and positive results. 3,5,7,[27][28][29] This suggests that direct assessment methods are not inherently the solution. However, one prior study interrogating links between dancing and cardiovascular disease mortality provides guidance regarding an approach that could be expanded to evaluate performing arts more broadly. ...
Aims: Recent reviews have demonstrated broad links between performing arts participation (e.g. music-making; dancing; acting) and receptive engagement (e.g. listening to music; attending a dance/theatre performance) and improved health, including reduced disease and mortality risk. However, no investigations to date have interrogated the links between community-level performing arts activity (i.e. participation + receptive engagement) and health outcomes – that is, do the performing arts help create healthy communities? This study aims to address this question by examining links between performing arts activity and health outcomes across 500 cities in the US.
Methods: Secondary analysis of demographic, health outcome, performing arts activity
(estimated by annual performing arts revenue), and preventive/unhealthy behaviour data for 500 large cities in the US – data extracted from the US Centers for Disease Control 500 Cities Project, Dun & Bradstreet Hoovers Database, and US Census. Links between performing arts activity and 12 health/disease outcomes were evaluated using a series of hierarchical beta regression models which progressively controlled for demographic variables and preventive/unhealthy behaviour prevalence.
Results: The 500 analysed US cities comprise 33.4% of the total US population and 84,010
performing arts businesses (total annual revenue $27.84 billion). No significant associations were found between performing arts activity and 9 of 12 health outcomes in fully adjusted models (p ⩾ .17). Statistically significant relationships (p < .01) between increased performing arts activity and increased prevalence of chronic kidney disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke were determined to be clinically equivocal.
Conclusions: This study contributes to a growing body of conflicting epidemiologic evidence regarding the impact of the performing arts on health/disease and mortality outcomes, evaluated using a range of disparate methodologies. A consensus, psychometrically rigorous approach is required to address this prevailing uncertainty in future epidemiologic studies examining the effects of performing arts activities both within and across countries and communities.
... Questo aspetto è stato affrontato dal gruppo svedese di Bygren in uno studio longitudinale che ha indagato la associazione tra partecipazione culturale e sopravvivenza. Tra le varie attività culturali quella legata ai musei si è associata, quando assente al più elevato eccesso di mortalità (12). ...
Molti musei stanno spostando la propria mission e ruolo da centri per l'apprendimento e l’educazione a centri per il benessere individuale e sociale. Tutta una serie di studi qualitativi, ma anche quantitativi e randomizzati, suggeriscono che i musei promuovono la salute ed il benessere in diversi modi: attraverso esperienze sociali positive che riducono l’isolamento, promuovono senso di relax e riducono l’ansia, innescano emozioni positive, migliorano autostima e senso di identità. In ambito sanitario, le visite ai musei si associano ad un aumento della qualità di vita, specie in soggetti con demenza permettendo anche una migliore comunicazione tra caregivers e pazienti. Sul versante fisiologico, dati sperimentali attestano che le visite ai musei abbassano la pressione arteriosa sistolica e la frequenza cardiaca. Questo sta aprendo le porte alla progettazione di esperienze che possono migliorare la vita dei visitatori aiutandoli a migliorare il proprio benessere.
... Questo aspetto è stato affrontato dal gruppo svedese di Bygren in uno studio longitudinale che ha indagato la associazione tra partecipazione culturale e sopravvivenza. Tra le varie attività culturali quella legata ai musei si è associata, quando assente al più elevato eccesso di mortalità (12). ...
... This is important because much of the current literature on cultural engagement and health uses samples of older adults (Cohen et al. 2006;Keogh et al. 2009;Bolwerk et al. 2014; Thomson and Chatterjee 2016;Fancourt and Tymoszuk 2019;Bone et al. 2022aBone et al. , 2022b or specific patient groups, such as people with Parkinson's disease (Hackney et al. 2007;Sharp and Hewitt 2014;Houston and McGill 2015;Dos Santos Delabary et al. 2018) or mothers with post-natal depression Perkins 2018a, 2018b). Secondly, there are considerable variations in how cultural engagement is defined, measured, and operationalised in the literature, with many publications keeping a narrow focus on particular cultural activities, such as singing, or using crude indicators of engagement with a range of cultural pursuits (Konlaan et al. 2000b;Wilkinson et al. 2007;Bygren et al. 2009;Pinxten and Lievens 2014;Fancourt and Steptoe 2018b;2019a;2019b;Fancourt and Tymoszuk 2019;Rogers and Fancourt 2019;Tymoszuk et al. 2021). Therefore, we do not yet have a clear picture of how specific, consistent, or directional the association between cultural activities and health may be. ...
Background
Research has shown that cultural activities may bring about improved health. However, large-scale quantitative analyses on cultural engagement and biomarkers are lacking to date. As a result, the mechanisms through which cultural activities may be associated with health are unclear.
Aim
Test quantitative associations between cultural engagement pattern (including active and passive engagement in arts, sports, and heritage activities) and indicators of biological dysregulation in a large dataset.
Subjects and methods
Understanding Society data were used to conduct cross-sectional linear regression analyses between a data-driven latent class model of cultural engagement and indicators of anthropometric, cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and neuroendocrine function. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, childcare responsibility, urbanicity, leisure time satisfaction, capacity-related factors, socioeconomic position, social and economic capital indicators, physical activity, and medication use.
Results
More culturally participants had better indicators of biological health, such as lower waist circumference and fibrinogen blood concentration. Specific associations between cultural engagement pattern and the different biological outcomes were also observed. The associations were explained in part by correlated factors (accounting for around half of the association).
Conclusions
Cultural engagement is cross-sectionally associated with biomarkers, although the characteristics of people who engage with culture are an important consideration when interpreting these findings.
... Attending cultural events, such as concerts, museums or art exhibitions, is often considered a mental leisure activity; however, its effects on cognition are unknown. A longitudinal study (Konlaan et al., 2000) that interviewed 10,609 Swedish individuals between 25 and 74 years found that individuals who attended cultural events at least occasionally versus not attending cultural events showed a lower mortality risk 14 years later. Watching TV and listening to the radio are also frequently considered mental leisure activities (e.g., Hassing, 2020). ...
The impact of leisure activities on cognition has been mainly investigated in older adults by means of composite measures of leisure activities and general measures of cognition. The majority of these studies have reported that leisure activities improve cognitive functions and even prevent cognitive impairment. However, the independent influences of each leisure activity on episodic memory across adulthood, and specifically in young, middle-aged, and older adults, have not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to estimate the separate influence of physical, mental, social, cultural, and passive leisure activities on episodic memory in an adult lifespan sample and in the main stages of adulthood. A sample of 1,557 healthy adults between 21 and 80 years of age participated in the study. Leisure activities were assessed through a lifestyle questionnaire created for the study. Episodic memory performance was measured through a computerized task that allowed us to reliably measure recollection and recognition, the main processes within episodic memory. Physical and mental (computer use) leisure activities predicted higher recollection and recognition across adulthood. Young adults’ recollection and recognition benefited from physical, mental (computer use), and social leisure activities. Middle-aged adults’ recollection benefited from physical and mental (computer use) leisure activities. Only the mental leisure activity of engaging in hobbies predicted higher recollection in older adults. Although we observed that physical, mental and social leisure activities improved episodic memory processes, with advancing age, individuals tend to cease these activities.
... It is absolutely normal to experience a wide range of emotions when dealing with a global threat. However, active involvement in creative and cultural activities may offer important benefits, such as promoting well-being, quality of life, and health as already stated in classical studies (Bygren, Konlaan, and Johansson 1996;Konlaan, Bygren, and Johansson 2000) and more recent contributions (e.g., Chatterjee 2015)). ...
... This study found that visiting museums, galleries, or exhibitions and attending the theater, concert, or opera benefited verbal memory 10 years later, as measured through composite scores of immediate and delayed memory. In another study (Konlaan et al., 2000) not related to cognition, 10,609 Swedish individuals aged 25-74 years were interviewed. Individuals who attended cultural events at least occasionally were found to have a lower mortality risk 14 years later than those who did not attend cultural events. ...
The aim of the present study was to contrast the potential influence of five independent types of leisure activities (physical, mental, social, cultural, and passive) on working memory in a lifespan sample and in specific stages of adulthood (young, middle-aged, and older adults). A sample of 1652 healthy adults between 21 and 80 years of age participated in the study. Leisure activities were assessed through a lifestyle questionnaire created for the study. Working memory was measured in the verbal and spatial domains using a computerized n-back task that allowed us to reliably measure discrimination and reaction times. Across adulthood, mental (computer use and hobbies) and social leisure activities predicted greater verbal and spatial working memory discrimination; mental (reading) and social activities predicted faster verbal working memory; and mental (computer use) and physical activities predicted faster spatial working memory. In young adults, mental (computer use) and social activities were associated with greater verbal and spatial working memory performance. In middle-aged adults, physical and mental activities (computer use) were associated with greater working memory performance. In older adults, physical, mental (hobbies), and social activities were associated with greater working memory performance. Leisure activities can enhance working memory discrimination and speed independent of individuals’ age.
... Many studies have provided evidence to suggest that taking part in arts and cultural activities stimulates creativity, enhances health and wellbeing, and generates a range of other positive outcomes (Bungay and Clift, 2010;Bygren et al., 2009;Camic and Chatterjee, 2013;Chatterjee and Nobel, 2016;Cuypers et al., 2011;Konlaan et al., 2000). Community COVID aimed to critically evaluate the immediate short-and longer-term impacts of creative engagement through lockdown and beyond, considering issues such as those associated with social prescribing. ...
... The results of this study also suggest that having more cultural capital is associated with lower mortality. Previous longitudinal studies have shown that active participation in organized groups and associations, and engagement in leisure activity are important predictors of survival (Konlaan et al., 2000(Konlaan et al., , 2002. The present study confirms these findings. ...
... In addition to being outcomes in themselves, positive emotions can be viewed as potential catalysts for increased engagement in the activity that elicited the positive emotions (e.g., Fredrickson, 2013;Kok et al., 2013;Van Cappellen et al., 2020). Given the well-being benefits of consistent art museum visitation (e.g., Konlaan et al., 2000), positive emotional experiences that promote future engagement with art museums may facilitate future well-being benefits beyond those gained through a single visit. ...
Our emotions can be influenced by many factors, including our engagement with visual art. Further, as our emotional experiences may help us develop psychological resources, they have important implications for our overall well-being and ill-being. Research into the emotions experienced when viewing art, however, has focused on individual emotions separately rather than on global patterns of experienced emotions. The present research used latent class analysis to identify patterns of emotional experiences during art museum visits and sought to investigate whether people experiencing each emotional pattern differed in their well-being and ill-being across five domains—psychological distress, empathy, meaning, positive self-regard, and social connection. A sample of 613 visitors to three art museums completed a survey of their visit experiences, including their emotional experiences and their experiences across the five domains of well-being and ill-being. The analyses resulted in three latent classes—one characterized by above average positive emotions, one characterized by above average negative emotions, and the third characterized by very high levels of negative emotions. Overall, the positive emotion class showed greater well-being and lower ill-being than the two negative emotion classes, with the two negative emotion classes differing only in psychological distress.
... W tym kontekście rozwój praktyk uczestnictwa w kulturze filmowej w kinie i organizacja lokalnych wydarzeń, w tym premier filmowych, jest ważnym elementem nie tylko polityki kulturalnej, ale także społecznej mającej na celu lepszą integrację lokalnej społeczności, walkę z wykluczeniem czy nawet jako cultural subscribing -profilaktykę efektów starzenia się czy chorób, w tym tak dotkliwej po pandemii depresji (Fancourt, Finn 2019, Lennartsson 2001, Konlaan et al., 2000. (Najbor 2022, s. 64). ...
Diagnoza stanu sektora audiowizualnego w Krakowie 2023 jest owocem szeregu badań: ilościowych (ankietowych), przeprowadzonych na próbie 110 respondentów; jakościowych: 7 wywiadów pilotażowych z profesjonalistami branży audiowizualnej działającymi również na skalę ogólnopolską i międzynarodową, 6 wywiadów indywidualnych z podmiotami krakowskimi, reprezentującymi różne grupy interesariuszy i wreszcie 5 grup fokusowych z udziałem respondentów aktywnych w branży lokalnej oraz 1 grupy z respondentami działającymi ponadlokalnie (na skalę krajową lub międzynarodową). Łącznie daje to próbę 149 osób, od których czerpałyśmy wiedzę o kondycji branży, wyzwaniach związanych z ich aktywnością zawodową, potrzebach i oczekiwaniach wobec Miasta. Badanie zrealizowane na zlecenie Gminy Miejskiej Kraków
... Our results complement existing work in this area building on the results from several large, prospective cohort studies conducted in recent years in Japan, the United States, England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland [13,[30][31][32][33][34]. Those studies measured cultural participation at a baseline in cohorts and followed up participants through linked death registries over several years. ...
Background:
Clinical interventions based on cultural participation have consistently demonstrated improved patient outcomes. At the population level, prospective cohort studies show a protective association between cultural participation and all-cause mortality. However, the latter is limited by a narrow choice of methods and outcomes. We sought to address this by using multiple methods to investigate the effects of cultural participation on both morbidity and mortality.
Methods:
First, we conducted multivariable linear and logistic regression models using the National Survey of Wales 2015-2019. This featured attendance at cultural events/activities as an exposure and self-reported health (SRH), as well as specific health conditions, as an outcome with sequential adjustment for confounders related to demographics, socio-economic position (SEP), and lifestyle behaviours. To complement this, we conducted a multivariable panel regression model using cultural expenditure data from English and Welsh local authorities and life expectancy data from the Office for National Statistics.
Results:
When adjusting for age, sex, SEP, and lifestyle behaviours, we found that overall cultural participation had a small positive association with SRH (4.8% improvement in SRH score, 95% confidence intervals [4.0-5.6%], p<0.0001, n=15374) and lower likelihood of cardiovascular disease, and anxiety/depression. Similar, albeit smaller, positive associations were seen between SRH and individual cultural activities, including library, museum, and heritage site visits. However, we did not identify any association between local authority cultural expenditure and local life expectancy.
Conclusion:
We identified new evidence for a positive association between cultural participation and morbidity. However, additional evidence will be required to better establish causal inference.
... In contrast this study allowed young people to describe alternative ways of supporting their mental health on their own terms. 29 Regular attendance of cultural events in the community has been shown to be associated with a multitude of health benefits including increased longevity [41][42][43][44] and previous commentary has described the potential of the cultural heritage sector as providing sites for public health interventions. 22 OAC from cultural institutions such as museums, arts galleries and libraries, has enormous potential for enabling wider access and more frequent and flexible engagement for optimal public health impact. ...
Objectives
This study aimed to understand young people’s perception of the potential utility of arts and culture, focusing on online access, for supporting their mental health.
Design
A qualitative interview study.
Setting
Online.
Participants
Participants were selected by purposeful sampling from an online survey of arts and culture for mental health and well-being.
Method
Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted from 30 July 2020 to 9 September 2020. Rich interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Thirteen participants aged 18–24 who were socio-demographically diverse and varied in their use of online arts and culture (OAC) and in their level of psychological distress were interviewed. Six themes, ‘Characteristics of other activities’, ‘Online engagement’, ‘Human connection’, ‘Mechanisms of impact’, ‘Mental health outcomes’ and ‘Engagement optimisation’, were identified along with subthemes. Participants identified that online engagement had some advantages over in-person engagement and benefits were greater with familiarity and regular use. Participants described that human connection was the feature of OAC most likely to benefit mental health and emphasised the importance of representation. Mechanisms included improving perspective, reflection, learning, escapism, creativity, exploration and discovery. Outcomes were described as the disruption of negative thought patterns, lifting of mood and increased feelings of calm and proactivity.
Conclusions
This study demonstrates that young people have a critical level of insight and understanding regarding their mental health and ways in which it might be improved. These findings can be used to optimise the mental health benefits of OAC in an engaging and acceptable way for young people. These methodologies could be applied to other types of community resources for mental health.
... Arts and culture engagement may protect against chronic pain in old age [11]. Such engagement has also shown associations with survival [12] (and longevity with prolonged follow-up time [13]) and a lower risk of CVD and cancer mortality [14] and cancer incidence in urban areas [15]. They can also have mental health benefits such as increased life satisfaction and a lower risk of anxiety and depression [16]. ...
Aims:
The aim of this study was to investigate associations between having visited the theatre/cinema and an arts exhibition during the past year and all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and other-cause mortality.
Methods:
The 2008 public health postal survey in Scania, Sweden, was distributed to a stratified random sample of the adult population (18–80 years old). The participation rate was 54.1%, and 25,420 participants were included in the present study. The baseline 2008 survey data were linked to cause-of-death register data to create a prospective cohort with 8.3-year follow-up. Associations between visit to the theatre/cinema, visit to an arts exhibition and mortality were investigated in survival (Cox) regression models.
Results:
Just over a quarter (26.5%) had visited both the theatre/cinema and an arts exhibition during the past year, 36.6% only the theatre/cinema, 4.9% only an arts exhibition and 32% neither of the two. Not visiting the theatre/cinema during the past year was associated with higher all-cause and CVD mortality. Not visiting an arts exhibition was associated with higher all-cause and other-cause mortality. The combination of having visited neither the theatre/cinema nor an arts exhibition during the past year was associated with higher all-cause, CVD and other-cause mortality.
Conclusions:
There is an association between attending arts and culture activities and a reduced risk of CVD and other-cause mortality but not cancer mortality, although model imperfections are possible.
... Research has increasingly been interested in examining how engaging with the arts may impact individual flourishing (see Shim et al., 2021 for review). Studies have found links between engaging with the arts and a variety of flourishing-related outcomes: reduced risk for mental health (Cuypers et al., 2012;Fancourt & Steptoe, 2019a;Fancourt & Tymoszuk, 2018) and physical health conditions (Väänänen et al., 2009), greater subjective health (Cuypers et al., 2012;Węziak-Bialowolska & Bialowolski, 2016;Wilkinson et al., 2007), reduced loneliness (Tymoszuk et al., 2020), and longer life (Bygren et al., 1996;Fancourt & Steptoe, 2019b;Konlaan et al., 2000;Väänänen et al., 2009). Further, the topic of arts engagement and flourishing has also garnered the attention of international governments (e.g., All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health, and Wellbeing, 2017; Fujiwara & MacKerron, 2015) and organizations (e.g. ...
Throughout history, visual art has helped people feel connected to each other, experience a deep sense of belonging to their communities, and enhance their own well-being. In recent years, many museums have increased their digital presence to engage with the public in new ways, including curating unique virtual experiences. The present research examines the well-being effects of a virtual art gallery visit and the role of immersion in facilitating these well-being effects. Participants were 155 adults from the United States recruited via Prolific. Participants completed a 15-min virtual gallery experience and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) To spend 5 min selecting one work and then spend 10 min engaging in mindful looking; (b) To spend 5 min selecting one work and then spend 10 min engaging in curious looking; or (c) To spend 15 min viewing the art however they wished. Participants completed measures of well-being and emotional state before and after their gallery experience. Although the three conditions did not differ in their levels of immersion or in their well-being and emotional experiences, participants did experience a range of well-being increases following their virtual art experience. Further, the level of immersion participants reported during the visit, regardless of condition, predicted postvisit well-being and emotional state. This suggests that virtual art engagement, like in-person art engagement, may hold well-being benefits for those who engage in these experiences.
... In addition to being outcomes in themselves, positive emotions can be viewed as potential catalysts for increased engagement in the activity that elicited the positive emotions (e.g., Fredrickson, 2013;Kok et al., 2013;Van Cappellen et al., 2020). Given the flourishing benefits of consistent visitation (e.g., Konlaan et al., 2000), positive emotional experiences that promote future engagement with art museums may facilitate future flourishing benefits beyond those gained through a single visit. ...
Our emotional experiences can be influenced by many factors, including our engagement with visual art. Further, as our emotional experiences may help us develop psychological resources, they have important implications for our overall flourishing. Research into the emotions we experience when engaging with visual art, however, has focused on individual emotions separately rather than on global patterns of experienced emotions. The present research used latent class analysis to identify patterns of emotional experiences during art museum visits. Then, it sought to investigate whether people experiencing each emotion pattern during their visit differed in their flourishing experiences. A sample of 613 visitors to one of three art museums completed a survey of their visit experiences, including their emotional experiences and their experiences across five domains of flourishing (psychological distress, empathy, meaning, positive self-regard, and social connection). The analyses resulted in three latent classes—one characterized by above average positive emotions, one characterized by above average negative emotions, and the third characterized by very high levels of negative emotions. Overall, the positive emotion class showed greater flourishing than the two negative emotion classes, with the two negative emotion classes differing only in psychological distress.
... For instance, fostered local identity, social cohesion, sense of belonging and active citizenship triggered and enhanced by cultural participation (Laaksonen, 2010; O'Toole, 2006; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2009) might in fact reflect costs reduction in terms of crime or conflict resolution. Moreover, the positive effects of cultural participation on well-being and life satisfaction might be also linked to longer life expectancy (Konlaan et al., 2000). The contribution of participating in cultural life on shaping shared systems of meaning and fostering a greater awareness of social consequences of individual behaviours can influence the effectiveness of resources saving measures and strategies that are nowadays extremely important for sustainable local development. ...
Following the hype that has been given to culture as trigger and enhancer of local economic performance in the last 20 years, the cultural character of cities is considered as a strategic strength and opportunity that can favour the economic system of the entire regions in which the cities are located. According to this perspective, this paper explores the role of cultural participation, intended as individuals' involvement in cultural activities, in affecting regional output. Exploiting a regional production function and data from the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor (CCCM) provided by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), the effect of urban cultural participation on the regional economy is econometrically investigated. Potential congestion effects possibly related to (excessive) cultural tourism are also examined. Cultural participation in Cultural and Creative Cities emerges as a strategic resource for development, although some congestion mechanisms could reduce its positive effect. Related policy implications are thoroughly discussed.
... Empirical studies directly link active cultural participation with happiness and life satisfaction (Ateca-Amestoy 2011; Wheatley and Bickerton 2017). Active cultural participation even seems to be connected to good physical health: empirical studies have convincingly shown that the more active people are culturally, the better their health is, even when other socio-economic variables are taken into consideration (Hyyppä et al. 2006;Konlaan et al. 2000). ...
This chapter argues that in our era of cultural divides, researching cultural practices can be complicated. It is explained that ‘lacking’ cultural participation appears as something that belongs to the territory of the popular and working classes, which further devalues cultural non-participation. Furthermore, this chapter explains in detail the research design and introduces the data set (40 individual interviews and 9 focus groups) and the sampling strategy. All interviewees could not unambiguously be categorised as ‘working class’, but in general one could characterise them as ‘underprivileged popular classes’. The main analytic tools—close reading and thematic analysis—are explained in detail. It is argued that both individual and focus groups interviews were needed to provide both individual perspectives and common negotiations on the topic.KeywordsChallenges of qualitative interviewingClose readingThematic analysisIndividual interviewsFocus group interviews
... There's no doubt that culture and tourism provide substantial benefits to human lives. The mere consumption of culture positively affects human wellbeing (Grossi et al., 2011;Laukka, 2007;Koonlaan, Bygren and Johansson, 2000;Nummela et al., 2008). Along the same line, tourism, being directly associated with leisure and relaxation time, highly impacts tourists' psychological health (Smith and Diekmann, 2017). ...
... Another 14 year Swedish study (Konlaan et al. 2000) interviewed 10,609 individuals in 1982 and 1983. The outcome measure was survival until 31st December 1996. ...
Wellbeing measures are gaining consensus as complementary to the traditional GDP approach when it comes to assessing the development of countries and communities. Cultural Welfare is a new, integrated approach aimed at promoting the wellbeing and health of individuals and communities through practices rooted in the arts and in cultural heritage. Recently, experimental tools have been devised and applied, with reference to either specific target groups of beneficiaries or individual cultural/artistic disciplines, the purpose of which is to measure and assess the contribution to individual and societal wellbeing, as well as the health of cultural and artistic participation and practice in general. Policies aimed at promoting cultural welfare need a robust body of evidence, and indicators may contribute to supporting them. While measures for the assessment of the culture-and-wellbeing relationship have been proposed at the national level or at the level of individual organizations or programmes, the level of local policies appears still largely unexplored. The article discusses a few theoretical and methodological issues and proposes a set of quality criteria for designing cultural welfare indicators on a local scale.
... Regular attendance of cultural events in the community has been shown to be associated with a multitude of health bene ts including increased longevity [38][39][40][41] and previous commentary has described the potential of the cultural heritage sector as providing sites for public health interventions [20]. OAC from cultural institutions such as museums, arts galleries and libraries, has enormous potential for enabling wider access and more frequent and exible engagement for optimal public health impact. ...
This qualitative interview study aimed to understand the potential utility of online arts and culture (OAC) for mental health in young people. Methods: Participants aged 16-24 were selected by purposeful sampling from an online survey of community engagement for mental health and wellbeing. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted from 30th July to 9th Sept 2020 with thirteen participants who were socio-demographically diverse and varied in their use of OAC and in their mental health status. Rich interview data were analysed using a reflective thematic analysis. Results: Participants identified that culture and the arts could be helpful for their mental health, online engagement had some advantages over in-person engagement and benefits were greater with regular use. Participants described that the features of OAC most likely to benefit mental health were diverse human stories about personal challenges and a variety of viewpoints with which they could connect on a human level. This brought a sense of perspective and provided opportunities for reflection, learning, escapism, creativity, exploration and discovery. Perceived impacts on mental health included the disruption of negative thought patterns, lifting mood and increased feelings of calm and proactivity. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that young people have a critical level of insight and understanding regarding their mental health and ways in which it might be improved. These findings can be used to optimise the mental health benefits of OAC in an engaging and acceptable way for young people. These methodologies could be applied to other types of community resource for mental health.
Key Words: Adolescent, Art, Culture, Mental health
... There are significant research gaps regarding the impact of arts and culture on mental health. While many epidemiological studies have demonstrated associations between engagement with arts and culture and improved health and even longevity (Bygren et al., 1996;Cuypers et al., 2012;Johansson et al., 2001;Konlaan et al., 2000;Väänänen et al., 2009), most are confounded by the sociodemographic determinants of health (Browne Gott, 2020) such as income, which are positively associated both with positive health outcomes and engagement with culture and the arts. In addition, many qualitative studies have explored the relationship between arts and culture and mental health, predominantly in clinical populations (Ander et al., 2013;Coles and Harrison, 2018;Morse et al., 2022;Plumb, 2012;Hui, 2012a, 2012b;Thomson et al., 2020;Todd et al., 2017). ...
The mental health of young people (YP) is a major public health concern that has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst engaging with culture and the arts may have mental health benefits there is a dearth of experimental research regarding the impact of online arts and culture on depression and anxiety in YP. In particular online interventions, which may improve accessibility.
Objective
We aimed to compare a co-produced online intervention encompassing the diverse human stories behind art and artefacts, named Ways of Being (WoB), with a typical museum website, the Ashmolean (Ash) on negative affect (NA), positive affect (PA) and psychological distress (K10).
Methods
In this parallel group RCT, 463 YP aged 16-24 were randomly assigned, 231 to WoB and 232 to Ash.
Results
Over the intervention phase (an aggregate score including all post-allocation timepoints to day-five) a group difference was apparent in favour of WoB for NA (WoB-Ash n=448, NA -0.158, p=0.010) but no differences were detected for PA or K10 and differences were not detected at week six. Group differences in NA in favour of WoB were detected in specific subgroups, e.g. ethnic minorities and males. Across participants (from both groups) mean K10 and NA improved between baseline and six weeks despite increased COVID-19 restrictions. Trial recruitment was rapid, retention high and feedback positive with broad geographical, occupational and ethnic diversity.
Conclusions
Online engagement with arts and culture has the potential to impact on mental health in a measurable way in YP with high unmet mental health needs.
... Most studies define the SES index based on three variables of income level, education, and occupation (Kim, Cho, and Kim 2019;Lee et al. 2021), and take 'occupation' as a proxy of social class (Hupkens, Knibbe, and Drop 2000;Dierckens et al. 2018). However, culture-dependent social activities, such as the number of times going to concerts and movie theaters, number of foreign travels, internet access, and number of extracurricular books read, are usually overlooked (Konlaan, Bygren, and Johansson 2000;Nimmon 2014). Many studies have shown that the social activity of people is influenced by a series of activities related to the culture of the society they live in, as social activity is often independent of the household economic status and may change and affect the health status of people even before any change in their economic status or educational attainment (Mahmud et al. 2019;McCartney et al. 2019). ...
Socioeconomic status (SES) is often considered a major predictor of health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the role of social activity in the association between SES and physical health among Tehran University of Medical Sciences Employees’ Cohort (TEC) study. In this cross-sectional design, we used the data of the enrolment phase of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) cohort study on 4461 employees. The latent variable of this study was the composite SES-index, which is a combination of assets, social activities, and education. A self-reporting questionnaire was used to measure the physical health conditions of the respondents. The relationship between variables was examined using the structural equation modeling (SEM) in STATA-14. The results showed that 2706 respondents (60.65%) were female and the mean age of all participants was 42.29 years (SD = 8.71, range: 19 to 74). The SEM results showed that the composite SES-index had a significant effect on physical health (β = −0.21, SE = 0.017, p < 0.001, 95٪ CI = [−0.25 to −0.18]). Physical health also exhibited the greatest association with the social activity index (β = −0.18, SE = 0.014, p < 0.001, 95٪ CI = [−0.21 to −0.15]). In addition, the social activities, assets, and education explained 53%, 50%, and 43% of the estimated variance of the composite SES-index, respectively. This study demonstrated that the social activity index could be one of the best proxy indicators of objective SES when we intend to assess the association between SES and physical health.
... In addition to the widely reported impact on mental and social wellbeing, such as feelings of loneliness, absence of intimacy and lack of connectedness in personal relationships, Dhand et al. noted that 'social isolation is a potent determinant of poor health and neurobiological changes, and its effects can be comparable to those of traditional risk factors ' (Dhand et al., 2016: 605). In younger people, the need for social interaction and access to cultural spaces as a contribution to wellbeing has also been widely reported (Konlaan, Bygren and Johansson, 2000), as evidenced in the case studies later in this paper. ...
Article Info. Abstract One of the most pervasive messages about group music-making is its ability to contribute to social unity and cultural bonding. The notion of COVID-19 as a vehicle for cultural change is currently being examined in detail, particularly the development of improved digital platforms and the widespread globalism of music. The impact of community music-making in Western cultures has been extensively reported; for example, it has been shown to boost confidence, improve social skills and bring together communities. Much research has been done into the practice of using technology in the classroom, such as the inclusion of electronic keyboards and digital audio workstation (DAW) software, though success here has depended on teachers and learners sharing the same space and time to access necessary technology. In contrast, the potential and limitations of virtual, online music-making across widespread geographical locations are relatively new. It is clear that group music-making can play a key role in maintaining social unity and assuaging societal pain, and, in this extraordinary time, online alternatives can offer some form of coherence and opportunity.
... Regular attendance of cultural events in the community has been shown to be associated with a multitude of health bene ts including increased longevity [38][39][40][41] and previous commentary has described the potential of the cultural heritage sector as providing sites for public health interventions [20]. OAC from cultural institutions such as museums, arts galleries and libraries, has enormous potential for enabling wider access and more frequent and exible engagement for optimal public health impact. ...
Introduction: This qualitative interview study aimed to understand the potential utility of digital arts and culture (DAC) for mental health in young adults.
Methods: Participants aged 16-24 were selected by purposeful sampling from an online survey of community engagement for mental health and wellbeing. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted from 30th July to 9th Sept 2020 with thirteen participants who were socio-demographically diverse and varied in their use of DAC and in their mental health status. Rich interview data were analysed using a reflective thematic analysis.
Results: Participants identified that culture and the arts could be helpful for their mental health, online engagement had some advantages over in-person engagement and benefits were greater with regular use. Participants described that the features of DAC most likely to benefit mental health were diverse human stories about personal challenges and a variety of viewpoints with which they could connect on a human level. This brought a sense of perspective and provided opportunities for reflection, learning, escapism, creativity, exploration and discovery. Perceived impacts on mental health included the disruption of negative thought patterns, lifting mood and increased feelings of calm and proactivity.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that young people have a critical level of insight and understanding regarding their mental health and the ways in which it might be improved. These findings can be used to optimise the mental health benefits of DAC in an engaging and acceptable way for young people. These methodologies could be applied to other types of community resource for mental health.
... Given the flourishing impacts of art museum visitation (see Cotter & Pawelski, 2022 for review) and increasing benefits of consistent visitation (e.g., Konlaan, 2000), hedonically positive experiences within an art museum may encourage repeated visitation and enhance the facilitation of other flourishing outcomes. ...
People visit art museums for many reasons—to see something beautiful or famous, to learn more about art, or to experience a sense of awe. Recently, there has been increased interest in how art museum engagement can promote flourishing. Little is known, however, how the professionals shaping these art museum experiences (e.g., curators, educators, front of house staff) view art museums as institutions that can promote flourishing outcomes. In the present research, we examined the perceptions of 208 art museum professionals regarding the aims of art museums and ability of art museums to impact both well-being (e.g., empathy, self-acceptance) and ill-being (e.g., anxiety, loneliness) factors. The findings suggest that art museum professionals feel that the well-being of visitors should be emphasized as a goal more strongly than it currently is, and that there are some well-being and ill-being components (e.g., empathy, helping, closed-mindedness) that should receive greater attention than others.
... Psychological health influences quality of life. Supportive activity within social networks, such as meeting friends and participating in cultural activities, are positively associated with life satisfaction and longevity (Koponen et al. 2017;Helvik et al. 2011;Forssén, 2007;Koonlaan et al. 2000Koonlaan et al. , 1996. Older people in hospital care have an increased risk of dissatisfaction when social connections and participation in activities are reduced (Helvik et al. 2011). ...
We investigated if cultural activities are associated with improved quality of life experiences of older people. In 2012, older people in five care units were invited to participate more cultural activities (study group) than usual. Each person in the study group had a tailored cultural plan integrated into the care plan. Older people in traditional care units (control group) did not have such cultural plans.
One hundred sixty-one persons from care units in two cities in Finland participated in 2012 and 161 persons in 2014 in a cross-sectional study. Their quality of life was assessed with the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life WHOQOL-BREF (Field Tríal Version) enquiry. The quality of life variable contained four domains: physical, psychosocial, social and environment. The values of these domains underwent multivariate analysis of variance of the following explanatory variables: intervention group, age (</= to 80 compared to >80 years old), education background, marital status, gender and comorbidities. The domains of the participants’ self-rated experience were also assessed.
The quality of life experience was similar at baseline in 2012 in both study groups. In 2014 the study group rated the quality of life (p<0.0001 respectively) and satisfaction with health (p=0.001 respectively) higher than the control group.
Older people in care units need cultural activities as a necessary part of their care. The care provided in the care units does not put enough emphasis on this need. With individually tailored cultural activities set down in a cultural plan, care providers can ensure a better quality of life for older people.
... https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6283-8982 Elisa Panzera https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2229-6634 ENDNOTES 1 Participation in cultural activities is, however, a fundamental and essential aspect of vibrancy and vitality of local cultural lives and it has also been recognized as linked with emotional and physical health as well as psycho-physic well-being (Crociata, Agovino, & Sacco, 2014;Evans, 2009;European Union, 2012;Grossi, Sacco, Tavano Blessi, & Cerutti, 2011;Konlaan, Bygren, & Johansson, 2000; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2012) and virtuous behaviours (e.g., Quaglione, Cassetta, Crociata, & Sarra, 2017). In addition, cultural participation is a form of human capital accumulation, social regeneration, networking, and cohesion (Everingham, 2003). ...
Cultural heritage has been recognized as fundamental for local development. In particular, some recent works have highlighted the role of sophisticated transmission channels of this relationship, i.e. local creativity and cosmopolitan identity. Following a territorial perspective, the present work aims at combining the two approaches, in the belief that there could be a synergic interplay between creativity and cosmopolitan identity, reinforcing their individual effects. Accordingly, an original conceptual and operational taxonomy characterizing cultural cities is put forward. The contribution of the different patterns identified to urban and regional growth is assessed, as well as their capacity to valorize cultural participation.
Sommario Una delle principali sfide delle società contemporanee, segnate dall'invecchiamento della popolazione, è garantire a tutti i cittadini condizioni di salute e benessere ottimali per il maggior tempo possibile. L'attenzione ai fattori che influenzano la salute e il benessere si è estesa dai fattori materiali a quelli immateriali, legati alla socialità e al benessere emotivo. Accanto a una buona alimentazione e all'attività fisica, tra le componenti degli stili di vita sani rientra sempre più spesso la partecipazione culturale, con le sue ricadute positive su funzioni cognitive, benessere psicologico ed emozionale, e relazioni interpersonali. L'obiettivo del presente lavoro è verificare l'esistenza di una relazione causale statistica tra i consumi culturali e la percezione soggettiva dello stato di salute. Lo studio sfrutta i dati già esistenti dell'indagine campionaria ISTAT Multiscopo-Aspetti della vita quotidiana, che contiene informazioni su entrambi gli ambiti. Poiché i dati sono trasversali, è stato necessario trasformarli in una prospettiva longitudinale, mediante un approccio pseudo-panel. Sono stati creati gruppi di individui simili ("entità" nel testo), osservati nel tempo dal 2005 al 2019. Le diverse tipologie di consumo culturale sono state raggruppate per ambiti attraverso un'analisi in componenti principali (ACP), per valutarne l'efficacia. I risultati confermano un effetto positivo dei consumi culturali sulla percezione dello stato di salute, sebbene con intensità diverse a seconda dell'ambito di attività. Ciò suggerisce la necessità di una maggiore attenzione e di interventi mirati in questo settore. Abstract One of the main challenges of contemporary societies, marked by an aging population, is ensuring optimal health and well-being conditions for all citizens for as long as possible. Attention to the factors influencing health and well-being has expanded from material aspects to immaterial ones, linked to social interaction and emotional well-being. Alongside a healthy diet and physical activity, cultural participation is increasingly recognised as a key component of a healthy lifestyle, with positive effects on cognitive functions, psychological and emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships. The aim of this study is to verify the existence of a causal statistical relationship between cultural consumption and the subjective perception of health status. The study utilizes existing data from the ISTAT Multipurpose Survey-Aspects of Daily Life, which contains information on both areas. Since the data are cross-sectional, it was necessary to transform them into a longitudinal perspective using a pseudo-panel approach. Groups ("entities" in the text) of similar individuals were thus created and observed over time, from 2005 to 2019. Different types of cultural consumption were also grouped by domain through a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to assess their effectiveness. The results confirm a positive effect of cultural consumption on the perception of health status, although with varying intensity depending on the activity domain. This suggests the need for greater attention and targeted interventions in this sector. JEL codes: C23, I12, Z11
This paper reviews the evidence on the relationships between cultural participation and well-being. We classify the literature according to the strength of available evidence and various types of cultural activities. Secondly, this paper uses data from time use surveys from Canada, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States to study individuals’ emotional responses to a series of daily activities. A simple model of time allocation is used to show that experienced well-being is one of the reasons why individuals engage into cultural activities. Furthermore, the model helps explain why cultural participation, in spite of being one of the most enjoyable human activities, is also the least undertaken. We show that heterogeneity of preferences results in a strong selection effect in available time-use statistics.
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the relationship between watching dance and mood enhancement considering potential differences across gender and age brackets.
Design/methodology/approach
Exploratory research was undertaken through a personal survey, using a structured questionnaire on a large sample of young participants between 18 and 35 years old, split into generational cohorts (Millennials or Generation Y and Centennials or Generation Z). Quota sampling (gender and age) was the method used to select respondents.
Findings
Results show that after watching dance, more positive mood changes were observed in general. However, they were stronger among women and younger Millennials. These findings are important as they open a new area of study; show the effects of culture on people; and help design programming strategies to enlarge audiences.
Originality/value
The effects of specific forms of arts and cultural participation on people’s moods have been analyzed from a diversity of disciplines. In the case of dance, studies have tested this relation among practitioners (active participants) but not among viewers (attendees) as this paper does.
BACKGROUND. The leisure-rehabilitation programs offered to children and adolescents with autism convey feelings like emotional, social, cognitive, and physical engagement, fun, adventure, and sense of novelty. Each activity however has an intrinsic power to influence the emotional pattern in different ways. AIM. To define how each type of rehabilitation program can be expected to influence the psychological response di children and adolescent affected by autism. METHODS. We applied the Delphi procedure during a workshop with 18 expert therapists (12 females- 6 males), with the aim of achieving consensus regarding the appropriateness of 11 types of leisure-rehabilitation activities in inducing seven types of psychological responses. RESULTS. The activities with the highest potential for each psychological response were indoor climbing for physical engagement, for sense of adventure and for sense of novelty; team sports for social engagement and for fun, dramatherapy for emotional engagement, writing your life story for cognitive engagement. The top five activities with the highest overall impact (mean overall score > 7) were in decreasing order: indoor climbing, team sports, outdoor visits to common life environments, exercising in the swimming pool, and dramatherapy. CONCLUSIONS. We hope that this Delphi exercise will help the carers of individuals with autism to choose and adapt possible leisure activities according to the specific needs of the subject, maximizing the potential benefit of rehabilitation.
BACKGROUND. The leisure-rehabilitation programs offered to children and adolescents with autism convey feelings like emotional, social, cognitive, and physical engagement, fun, adventure, and sense of novelty. Each activity however has an intrinsic power to influence the emotional pattern in different ways. AIM. To define how each type of rehabilitation program can be expected to influence the psychological response di children and adolescent affected by autism. METHODS. We applied the Delphi procedure during a workshop with 18 expert therapists (12 females- 6 males), with the aim of achieving consensus regarding the appropriateness of 11 types of leisure-rehabilitation activities in inducing seven types of psychological responses. RESULTS. The activities with the highest potential for each psychological response were: for emotional and cognitive engagement dramatherapy, for social engagement and for fun team sports, for physical engagement and for sense of adventure indoor climbing, for sense of novelty outdoor visits to museums. The top five activities with the highest overall impact (mean overall score > 7) were in decreasing order: indoor climbing, team sports, outdoor visits to common life environments, outdoor visits to parks and gardens, and dramatherapy. CONCLUSIONS. We hope that this Delphi exercise will help the carers of individuals with autism to choose and adapt possible leisure activities according to the specific needs of the subject, maximizing the potential benefit of rehabilitation.
Background The leisure-rehabilitation programs offered to children and adolescents with autism convey feelings like emotional, social, cognitive, and physical engagement, fun, adventure, and sense of novelty. Each activity however has an intrinsic power to influence the emotional pattern in different ways. Aim To define how each type of rehabilitation program can be expected to influence the psychological response di children and adolescent affected by autism. Methods We applied the Delphi procedure during a workshop with 12 expert therapists (8 females- 4 males), with the aim of achieving consensus regarding the appropriateness of 11 types of leisure-rehabilitation activities in inducing seven types of psychological responses. Results The activities with the highest potential for each psychological response were: for emotional and cognitive engagement dramatherapy, for social engagement and for fun team sports, for physical engagement and for sense of adventure indoor climbing, for sense of novelty outdoor visits to museums. The top five activities with the highest overall impact (mean overall score > 7) were in decreasing order: indoor climbing, team sports, outdoor visits to common life environments, outdoor visits to parks and gardens, and dramatherapy. Conclusions We hope that this Delphi exercise will help the carers of individuals with autism to choose and adapt possible leisure activities according to the specific needs of the subject, maximizing the potential benefit of rehabilitation.
The leisure-rehabilitation programs offered to children and adolescents with autism convey feelings like emotional, social, cognitive, and physical engagement, fun, adventure and sense of novelty. Each activity however has an intrinsic power to influence the emotional pattern in different ways. To define how each type of rehabilitation program can be expected to influence the psychological response di children and adolescent affected by autism; A Delphi study was carried out involving twelve Expert therapists. The aim is to have criteria to personalize the individual rehabilitation plan choosing a mix of activities with more appropriate emotional influence. We applied the Delphi procedure during a workshop with 12 expert therapists (8 females- 4 males), with the aim of assessing the opinion of participants regarding the appropriateness of 11 types of leisure-rehabilitation activities in enhancing 7 types of psychological responses. The activities with the highest potential for each psychological response were for dramatherapy emotional and cognitive engagement, team sports for social engagement and for fun, indoor climbing for physical engagement and for sense of adventure, for outdoor visits to museums sense of novelty. The top five activities with the highest overall impact (mean overall score > 7) were in decreasing order: indoor climbing, team sports, outdoor visits to common life environments, outdoor visits to parks and gardens, and dramatherapy. We hope that this Delphi exercise will help the carers of individuals with autism to choose and adapt possible leisure activities according to the specific needs of the subject, maximizing the potential benefit of rehabilitation.
The World Health Organization encourages mental health services to adopt a strategic intersectoral approach by acknowledging the potential of the arts and the value of culture on the process of mental health recovery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of participatory arts in museums on mental health recovery. A quasi-experimental, pre-post and multicentre study was carried out. By using a mixed methods evaluation at baseline and at 3 months, quantitative outcome measures were used to assess the changes in recovery and social support and qualitative interviews to explore the self-perceived impact on five processes of recovery. One hundred mental health service users participated for 3 years in the face-to-face programme RecuperArte, of which the data of 54 were analysed. The results indicate a significant increase in recovery measured with the QPR-15-SP (42 vs. 44; p = 0.034) and almost significant in functional social support measured with the DUKE-UNC (41.50 vs. 43.50; p = 0.052), with almost large (r = 0.29) and medium (r = 0.26) effect sizes, respectively. Participants perceived mostly an impact on the recovery process of Meaning in life 30/54 (55.56%), Hope and optimism about the future 29/54 (53.7%) and Connectedness 21/54 (38.89%), followed by Identity 6/54 (11.11%) and Empowerment 5/54 (9.26%). The findings contribute to the growing evidence of the potential of the arts as a therapeutic tool, the value of museums as therapeutic spaces and the role of nurses in intersectoral coordination, between the mental health and cultural sectors, as facilitators and researchers of these evidence-based practices.
This thesis demonstrates that the theoretical and analytical focus around the topic of cultural participation inequalities has primarily remained on the impact of person-specific characteristics, namely individual socioeconomic and demographic factors. At the same time, the role of territorial, spatial or geographical aspects are little explored and accounted for. Thus, this work aims to contribute to the cultural participation literature and policy debate by exploring theoretically and empirically territorial aspects that shape cultural behaviour and prevent people from having equal conditions to participate in cultural activities. For this end, it reviews the main approaches and empirical studies on the determinants of online and offline cultural participation and extends them by proposing a theoretical framework that accounts for territorial dimensions. Subsequently, this thesis develops two empirical studies. The first looks at the influence of violence on individuals’ willingness to go out to participate in cultural activities. More specifically, it analyses how the fear of violence in the favelas of Maré (Rio de Janeiro) influences choices of cultural participation. The second investigates how the distance to cultural facilities and the socioeconomic milieu influence digital/online cultural participation. It uses data from the 2018 French Cultural Practices Survey to assess whether the proximity to cinemas and the median income in the municipality influence an individual’s consumption of digital/online movies. Both empirical findings show that territorial aspects affect individuals’ opportunities, preferences and choices of cultural participation. Next, this thesis analyses the topic from a public policy perspective. It argues that the main economic fundamentals of cultural policies are not distributive or inclusive in nature and are therefore insufficient to correspond to territorial specific needs. Moreover, while the main international principles and resolutions about cultural participation recognize the importance of accounting for local elements and territorial specificities in the formulation of public policies, an analysis of policies and programs implemented across 38 countries demonstrates that this is not translated into the design and implementation of the main measures employed to address inequalities in cultural participation.
In the past two decades, 'slow looking' has emerged as an engaging art-viewing approach used by museums around the world as part of their in-person and online programming, but there has been little empirical inquiry into the precise effects of the practice. This study represents the first such attempt, exploring reported impacts of slow looking within an online context. Specifically, the study examined the effects of two factors-audio context (control, meditation, historical) and image category (photography, representational, abstract)-on mood change and aesthetic engagement. A total of 141 participants completed the online exercise, first selecting a series of three artworks within one of the image categories and then viewing each for 3 min per work while listening to the randomly allocated audio context. Participants reported feeling significantly more pleasant and relaxed after the exercise. Representational artworks were chosen the most and also contributed to greater overall aesthetic experience scores, and the historical condition was found to lead to greater levels of cultural understanding and engagement. Future investigation within an ecologically valid setting is currently underway, examining the contribution of different live viewing elements to the slow looking experience.
Kunst og unge med psykiske og sociale problemer synes at være to uforenelige størrelser. Alligevel peger empiriske undersøgelser samt filosofiske og psykologiske antagelser på at kunst og æstetik er en vigtig forudsætning for en sund personlig udvikling. I denne artikel redegøres for nogle af disse synspunkter som optakt til et pilotprojekt hvor kunst og æstetik er brugt som socialpædagogisk strategi over for en gruppe psykisk sårbare og socialt udsatte unge i Kofoeds Skoles Ungdomsboliger.
With the rapid expansion of the Internet, it continuously penetrates the life of older adults around the world. This study aims to explore the effect of Internet use on the multi-dimensional health of the elderly with the mediating role of cultural engagement. Using data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) in 2015 and 2017, this study adopts logistic regression and a single-step multiple mediation model to investigate how Internet use affects the multi-dimensional health of older adults in China. The results show that Internet use has positive effects on the self-rated health, physical health, and mental health of the elderly. Endogenous tests, robustness analysis, and sensitivity analysis show that the above conclusions remain robust. Additionally, the mediating effect analysis shows that cultural engagement plays a mediating role in the relationship between Internet use and the three health-related responses. Therefore, to improve the elderly's health level, the government should not only cultivate the ability to use the Internet but also encourage greater cultural engagement amongst the aged.
With the digital transformation, the exponential increase in the number of tools and types of support with which human expressions can be created and transmitted brings with it new cultural paradigms that feed creative productions and vice versa, giving rise to new questions regarding how Heritage “works”, what it “does” and what it “serves”. This is the general context in which the research project described in this book is set, and the convergence that has been created over time between technologies, cultural heritage, and design, which today seem to implement a triangulation in which each vertex favors the relationship between the other two, opening up new and interesting research perspectives to explore.
The aim of the study is to determine the association between Behavioral Lifestyles (regular physical activity, healthy diet, sleeping, and weight control) and longevity in the elderly. A search strategy was conducted in the PsycInfo, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science (WoS), and Scopus databases. The primary outcome was mortality/survival. Four variables (mean of participant's age at the baseline of the study, follow-up years of the study, gender, and year of publication) were analyzed to evaluate the role of potential moderators. Ninety-three articles, totaling more than 2,800,000 people, were included in the meta-analysis. We found that the lifestyles analyzed predict greater survival. Specifically, doing regular physical activity, engaging in leisure activities, sleeping 7–8 h a day, and staying outside the BMI ranges considered as underweight or obesity are habits that each separately has a greater probability associated with survival after a period of several years.
There is accruing evidence which indicates that actively making music can contribute to the enhancement of a range of non-musical skills and lead to other beneficial outcomes.
Visiting art museums is a common activity that a wide variety of people choose to engage in for many reasons. Increasingly, communities, nations, and societies are turning to art museums as institutions to enhance flourishing (i.e., reducing ill-being factors, such as depression, and increasing well-being factors, such as feelings of belonging). In this paper, we review the psychological literature examining art museum visitation and museum program participation and their associations with flourishing-related outcomes. The literature suggests art museum visitation is associated with reductions in ill-being outcomes and increases in well-being outcomes. Additionally, programs targeting flourishing outcomes in clinical or at-risk populations (e.g., people living with dementia, older adults) show benefits to participants, with visits to art museums being socially prescribed across the globe to address a variety of ill-being conditions. Implications for existing knowledge and avenues for future research are discussed.
In recent years, museums have actively embraced their role in health and well-being. Although the interest in examining museums’ health impacts is growing, the field lacks robust evidence of measurable well-being benefits that would allow art museums to expand their social role and realize their health-enhancing potential for the communities they serve. The purpose of our study was to explore the influence of a brief art museum visit on people’s psychological and physiological indicators of stress, including self-reported stress, self-reported arousal, and saliva cortisol. A single group pre- and post-test approach was used, and data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and saliva samples (n = 31). Results demonstrated that average levels of self-reported stress and arousal were significantly reduced by a museum visit; levels of saliva cortisol were unchanged. The research suggests that art museums have an opportunity to strengthen their social role by becoming health and well-being resources for their communities.
Aims: Recent reviews have demonstrated broad links between performing arts participation (e.g. music-making; dancing; acting) and receptive engagement (e.g. listening to music; attending a dance/theatre performance) and improved health, including reduced disease and mortality risk. However, no investigations to date have interrogated the links between community-level performing arts activity (i.e. participation + receptive engagement) and health outcomes; i.e. do the performing arts help create healthy communities? This study aims to address this question by examining links between performing arts activity and health outcomes across 500 cities in the United States.
Methods: Secondary analysis of demographic, health outcome, performing arts activity (estimated by annual performing arts revenue), and preventive/unhealthy behaviour data for 500 large cities in the United States; data were extracted from the US Centers for Disease Control 500 Cities Project, Dun & Bradstreet Hoovers Database, and US Census. Links between performing arts activity and 12 health/disease outcomes were evaluated using a series of hierarchical beta regression models which progressively controlled for demographic variables and preventive/unhealthy behaviour prevalence.
Results: The 500 analysed US cities comprise 33.4% of the total US population and 84,010 performing arts businesses (total annual revenue $27.84 billion). No significant associations were found between performing arts activity and nine of twelve health outcomes in fully adjusted models (p>.17). Statistically significant relationships (p<.01) between increased performing arts activity and increased prevalence of chronic kidney disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke were determined to be clinically equivocal.
Conclusions: This study contributes to a growing body of conflicting epidemiologic evidence regarding the impact of the performing arts on health/disease and mortality outcomes, evaluated using a range of disparate methodologies. A consensus, psychometrically rigorous approach is required to address this prevailing uncertainty in future epidemiologic studies examining effects of performing arts activities both within and across countries and communities.
To investigate the possible influence of attendance at cultural events, reading books or periodicals, making music or singing in a choir as determinants for survival.
A simple random sample was drawn of 15,198 individuals aged 16-74 years. Of these, 85% (12,982) were interviewed by trained non-medical interviewers between 1982 and 1983 about cultural activities. They were followed up with respect to survival until 31 December 1991.
Swedish interview survey of living conditions comprising a random sample of the adult Swedish population.
12,675 people interviewed between 1982 and 1983.
Survival of subjects after controlling for eight confounding variables: age, sex, education level, income, long term disease, social network, smoking, and physical exercise.
6,301 men and 6,374 women were followed up; 533 men and 314 women died during this period. The control variables influenced survival in the expected directions except for social network for men; a significant negative effective was found when the analysis was made separately for men and women. We found an influence on mortality when the eight control variables were controlled for in people who rarely attended events compared with those attending most often, the relative risk being 1.57 (95% confidence interval 1.18 to 2.09).
Attendance at cultural events may have a positive influence on survival. Long term follow up of large samples with confounders that are well controlled for and with the cultural stimulation more highly specified should be used to try to falsify the hypothesis before experiments start.
The steroidal environment of the brain has marked consequences for both its structure and function. Social or physical stress has deleterious results on hippocampal function. This can be replicated by raising corticoids, which are also highly responsive to stress. Corticosterone, the major glucocorticoid in the rat, induces neuronal death in primary hippocampal cultures. Elevated corticoids also induce mood changes, and these are well known to be associated with stress, particularly chronic stress such as social adversity accentuated by intercurrent aversive life events. DHEA, a second adrenal steroid, has a very different developmental history, increasing rapidly during childhood, reaching a peak in youth, and declining thereafter in both blood and CSF. DHEA, in contrast to corticoids, has brain protective actions. It reduces the neurotoxic actions of glutamate analogues (such as NMDA) as well as those of corticoids. Evidence from several sources suggests that DHEA can act as an antiglucocorticoid. DHEA levels are reduced in major depressive disorders in both adolescents and adults, and a raised cortisol/DHEA ratio (together with intercurrent life events) predicts delayed recovery. DHEA may have a role in the treatment of depression. Together, these findings suggest that altered steroidal environment, whether induced by stress or aging, can have appreciable results on the cellular structure of the brain as well as on its function, although links between the two sets of findings are still tentative.
This article uses elements of postmodernist spatial theory to explain aspects of ethnic identity among a group of soccer `hooligans' who follow a traditionally Croatian-based team in Australia's premier soccer competition. While not supporting the practices of vilification evident in the group, the article seeks to understand the significance of such practices from the subcultural perspective of its members. To this end Soja's concept of `Thirdspace' and Bhabha's related concept of `third space' are used to explain how members of the group found a metaphorical space within the soccer stadium to construct a unique social identity.
Rats with large unilateral or bilateral frontal cortical lesions were placed in either isolated or enriched housing conditions for 90 d and then were compared behaviorally and neuroanatomically to control rats. The frontal lesions reduced chronic body weight, produced impairments in claw cutting, food hoarding, tongue extension, and spatial navigation in the Morris water task, and increased running wheel activity. Enriched rearing attenuated many of the behavioral changes, but with the exception of tongue extension and spatial navigation, it had similar effects in both normal and brain-injured animals. Analysis of the brains showed that enrichment increased brain weight and dendritic branching in visual cortex similarly in normal and brain-injured rats. In contrast, however, enrichment affected parietal neurons in normal but not in brain-damaged animals. Instead, the frontal operates showed an increase in parietal branching irrespective of the rearing condition, which implies that the lesion itself may have led to some form of reactive synaptogenesis that subsequently precluded environmental effects.
The central nervous system and the immune system are both stimulus response systems with sophisticated memories mediating defence and adaptation to external and internal threats. There is mounting evidence that these two systems share their information in a bidirectional flow of cytokines, steroids, and neuropeptides. This review examines the influence of higher cognitive centres on immunity and highlights the central role played by the hypothalamus in enabling these two systems to function as an integrated unit to maintain homeostasis. The search for novel compounds that are capable of enhancing immunity by regulating these brain-immune feedback loops offers one of the most exciting areas for future neurobiological research.
The present article reports on a controlled intervention study of the effects of a nondirected use of pictures as a possible modality for improving well-being in elderly women. Works of art were chosen for the individual taste pattern on the basis of psychological and art scientific research on aesthetic reactions to and perception of art. Participants were randomly allocated either to the intervention (n = 20) or to the control (n = 20) group. Participants in both groups had the same amount of social contact with and attention from the experimenter. The difference between the groups indicated improved well-being in the intervention group, an improvement not seen in the control group. The quantitative analyses of the results reveal a significant improvement of the positive mood parameters happiness, peacefulness, satisfaction and calmness and the negative parameters low-spirited, unhappy and sad. Systolic blood pressure decreased and an improvement was seen in the subjects' medical health status with regard to reported dizziness, fatigue, pain and use of laxatives.
Life satisfaction (LS) is one of a set of constructs defining quality of life. Previous studies showed that LS was sometimes related to health and sometimes not. The study was designed to examine the relation of LS as a general construct to satisfaction in specific domains. We assumed that there is a tendency to maintain an acceptable level of LS even under stressful and threatening conditions, that it is related to optimism and that the likelihood of attaining satisfaction in a particular domain affected the selection of domains on which LS is based. We expected that in cancer patients LS would be related to more domains but not to health. The study was done with 55 head-and-neck cancer patients, of all stages and grades of tumor; 51 orthopedic patients, victims of accidents with good recovery chances; and 55 healthy individuals. The healthy individuals and orthopedic patients were matched (in terms of group values) to the cancer patients in age, gender and education. Single-item measures of LS and optimism, and a questionnaire with 49 multiple-choice items assessing adjustment in 13 domains were administered to all subjects. The results showed that in cancer patients LS was related to most domains but not to health and not to optimism, whereas in the other groups it was related to few domains including health, and also to optimism. The findings support the tendency to maintain LS with the materials available to the individual, and show that health is related to LS only if its maintenance or attainment are realistic goals. Thus, both bottom-up and top-down theories of LS are supported.
This article explores the relationship between level of social integration and various aspects of health. A search of the literature published since the mid-1970s (under the MEDLINE key words, "social ties," "social network," "social isolation," "social environment") presented strong evidence that social integration leads to reduced mortality risks, and to a better state of mental health. The evidence on physical health outcomes is less conclusive. There is no consistent evidence that social integration affects the incidence of disease (at least for cardiovascular outcomes). However, social integration does appear to have a highly beneficial effect on post-myocardial infarction prognosis (functioning and longevity). A physiologic basis for these effects on health outcomes is also indicated by research demonstrating that both social isolation and nonsupportive social interactions can result in lower immune function and higher neuroendocrine and cardiovascular activity while socially supportive interactions have the opposite effects. In conclusion, available data suggest that, although social integration is generally associated with better health outcomes, the quality of existing ties also appears to influence the extent of such health benefits. Clearly, individuals' networks of social relationships represent dynamic and complex social systems that affect health outcomes.
Environmental enrichment augments neuronal plasticity and cognitive function and possible mediators of these changes are of considerable interest. In this study, male rats were exposed to environmental enrichment or single housing for 30 days. Rats from the enriched group had significantly higher 5-HT1A receptor mRNA expression in the dorsal hippocampus (62%, 59% and 44% increase in the CA1, CA2 and CA3 subfields, respectively). This was associated with significantly higher [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding in the inferior part of CA1. No changes were seen for 5-HT2A or 5-HT2C receptor mRNAs. The neuronal plasticity detected after environmental change may be mediated, in part, through 5-HT1A receptors.
Live arts experiences: their impact on health and wellness. A work in progress
- Mj Spencer
Spencer MJ. Live arts experiences: their impact on health and wellness. A work in progress. New York: Hospital Audiences Inc., 1997.