Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group
Recent research has indicated that many people around the world turned to artistic creative activities (ACAs) to support their mental health during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, studies have also shown that the negative psychosocial impacts of the pandemic have disproportionately affected young peopl...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.993259/full |
| _version_ | 1797997170718146560 |
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| author | Anthony Chmiel Anthony Chmiel Frederic Kiernan Frederic Kiernan Sandra Garrido Sarah Lensen Sarah Lensen Martha Hickey Martha Hickey Jane W. Davidson Jane W. Davidson |
| author_facet | Anthony Chmiel Anthony Chmiel Frederic Kiernan Frederic Kiernan Sandra Garrido Sarah Lensen Sarah Lensen Martha Hickey Martha Hickey Jane W. Davidson Jane W. Davidson |
| author_sort | Anthony Chmiel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent research has indicated that many people around the world turned to artistic creative activities (ACAs) to support their mental health during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, studies have also shown that the negative psychosocial impacts of the pandemic have disproportionately affected young people, suggesting that the use of ACAs to support mental health in lockdown may have varied across age groups. This study investigated how Australians in four different age groups (18–24, 25–34, 35–54, and 55+) engaged in ACAs to support their mental health during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. Participants (N = 653) recruited from the general public completed an online survey between May and October 2020, in which they reported which ACAs they had undertaken during the pandemic using an established list. Participants subsequently ranked undertaken ACAs in terms of effectiveness at making them “feel better,” and those who had engaged in musical ACAs also completed the Musical Engagement Questionnaire (MusEQ). Additionally, ratings of anxiety (GAD7) and depression (PHQ9) symptoms were obtained and examined for potential variations across four diverse variables: age, exercise, gender and state/territory of residence. ACA rankings showed that younger participants overwhelmingly rated musical activities as most effective, while, with the exception of singing, those aged 55+ rated non-musical activities as being most effective. These differences were further supported by ratings for all six MusEQ subscales, with responses strongly indicating that the youngest participants (aged 18–24) used music in significantly different ways during the pandemic than participants in all other age groups. Specifically, these youngest participants were more likely to integrate music into daily life, use music for emotion regulation, respond to music in embodied ways, and use music to perform a social identity. In line with prior research, further analyses indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were lessened for older participants, as well for those who reported exercising more during the lockdowns. These findings provide insight into how ACAs can support mental health during a pandemic crisis for specific age groups, which may inform future policy directions, and suggestions for how this can be done are provided. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:28:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb24677a875d42cc8fd3819ba1e0b250 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:28:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb24677a875d42cc8fd3819ba1e0b2502022-12-22T04:29:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-10-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.993259993259Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age groupAnthony Chmiel0Anthony Chmiel1Frederic Kiernan2Frederic Kiernan3Sandra Garrido4Sarah Lensen5Sarah Lensen6Martha Hickey7Martha Hickey8Jane W. Davidson9Jane W. Davidson10Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaCreativity and Wellbeing Hallmark Research Initiative (CAWRI), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaMelbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaThe MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaCreativity and Wellbeing Hallmark Research Initiative (CAWRI), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaRoyal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaRoyal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaMelbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaCreativity and Wellbeing Hallmark Research Initiative (CAWRI), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaRecent research has indicated that many people around the world turned to artistic creative activities (ACAs) to support their mental health during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, studies have also shown that the negative psychosocial impacts of the pandemic have disproportionately affected young people, suggesting that the use of ACAs to support mental health in lockdown may have varied across age groups. This study investigated how Australians in four different age groups (18–24, 25–34, 35–54, and 55+) engaged in ACAs to support their mental health during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. Participants (N = 653) recruited from the general public completed an online survey between May and October 2020, in which they reported which ACAs they had undertaken during the pandemic using an established list. Participants subsequently ranked undertaken ACAs in terms of effectiveness at making them “feel better,” and those who had engaged in musical ACAs also completed the Musical Engagement Questionnaire (MusEQ). Additionally, ratings of anxiety (GAD7) and depression (PHQ9) symptoms were obtained and examined for potential variations across four diverse variables: age, exercise, gender and state/territory of residence. ACA rankings showed that younger participants overwhelmingly rated musical activities as most effective, while, with the exception of singing, those aged 55+ rated non-musical activities as being most effective. These differences were further supported by ratings for all six MusEQ subscales, with responses strongly indicating that the youngest participants (aged 18–24) used music in significantly different ways during the pandemic than participants in all other age groups. Specifically, these youngest participants were more likely to integrate music into daily life, use music for emotion regulation, respond to music in embodied ways, and use music to perform a social identity. In line with prior research, further analyses indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were lessened for older participants, as well for those who reported exercising more during the lockdowns. These findings provide insight into how ACAs can support mental health during a pandemic crisis for specific age groups, which may inform future policy directions, and suggestions for how this can be done are provided.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.993259/fullCOVID-19Australian lockdownmental healthartistic creative activitiesyoung peopleage |
| spellingShingle | Anthony Chmiel Anthony Chmiel Frederic Kiernan Frederic Kiernan Sandra Garrido Sarah Lensen Sarah Lensen Martha Hickey Martha Hickey Jane W. Davidson Jane W. Davidson Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group Frontiers in Psychology COVID-19 Australian lockdown mental health artistic creative activities young people age |
| title | Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group |
| title_full | Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group |
| title_fullStr | Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group |
| title_full_unstemmed | Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group |
| title_short | Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group |
| title_sort | creativity in lockdown understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the covid 19 pandemic by age group |
| topic | COVID-19 Australian lockdown mental health artistic creative activities young people age |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.993259/full |
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