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A co-produced online cultural experience compared to a typical museum website for mental health in people aged 16-24: A proof-of-principle randomised controlled trial
Syed Sheriff,Rebecca J. Vuorre,Matti Riga,Evgenia Przybylski,Andrew K. Adams,Helen Harmer,Catherine J. Geddes,John R.
Syed Sheriff,Rebecca J.
Vuorre,Matti
Riga,Evgenia
Przybylski,Andrew K.
Adams,Helen
Harmer,Catherine J.
Geddes,John R.
Abstract
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.
Description
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This study is sponsored by the University of Oxford COVID-19 Research Response Fund and supported by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, The Westminster Foundation and the Huo Family Foundation.
Date
2023
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Publisher
Research Projects
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Keywords
Depression, anxiety, youth, experimental medicine, HELP-SEEKING, NEGATIVE AFFECT, ANXIETY, ADULTS, PRESCRIPTION, DEPRESSION, SURVIVAL, EVENTS, SAMPLE, ARTS
Citation
Syed Sheriff, R J, Vuorre, M, Riga, E, Przybylski, A K, Adams, H, Harmer, C J & Geddes, J R 2023, 'A co-produced online cultural experience compared to a typical museum website for mental health in people aged 16-24 : A proof-of-principle randomised controlled trial', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 745-757. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674221115648