Promoting Mental Well-being and Social Inclusion through Art: Six Month Follow-up Results from Open Arts Essex

Wilson, Ceri, Secker, Jenny, Kent, Lyn and Keay, Jo (2017) Promoting Mental Well-being and Social Inclusion through Art: Six Month Follow-up Results from Open Arts Essex. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 19 (5). pp. 268-277. ISSN 2049-8543

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Abstract

Previous evaluations have demonstrated improvements in well-being and social inclusion for people with mental health difficulties after participating in Open Arts’ introductory participatory arts courses. This evaluation aimed to ascertain whether improvements are maintained long-term. Course participants completed measures of well-being and social inclusion at the beginning and end of their course and after three and six months. At initial follow-up participants rated their experience of their course, and at three and six months they reported activities taken up after attending. Scores significantly increased from baseline to first follow-up and remained significantly higher than at baseline at three and six months. End-of-course ratings were positive and most participants continued their art work. Other activities included education/training and voluntary/paid work. Further studies are needed to examine whether improvements can be attributed with confidence to arts participation, but these results add to a growing weight of evidence pointing to that conclusion.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Additional Information:	This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in: 'International Journal of Mental Health Promotion' available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14623730.2017.1345688
Keywords:	arts activities, participatory arts, mental health, mental wellbeing, social inclusion, six month follow-up
Faculty:	ARCHIVED Faculty of Health, Social Care & Education (until September 2018)
Depositing User:	Dr Ceri Wilson
Date Deposited:	29 Jun 2017 10:14
Last Modified:	31 Jan 2022 11:22
URI:	https://arro.anglia.ac.uk/id/eprint/701933

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