In Case You Haven't Heard…

Abstract

A new study has found that engaging in creative activities can significantly boost well-being by providing meaningful spaces for expression and achievement, CNN reported on Sept. 15. “Options such as knitting and drawing require very few tools and can be engaging and creatively fulfilling activities,” said Dr. Helen Keyes, cognitive psychologist and head of the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Anglia Ruskin University, and study author, via email. Although prior studies have shown that creating arts and crafting is therapeutic for people with mental health conditions, the general population has been understudied, according to the study, which was published in Frontiers in Public Health. The researchers analyzed a sample of 7,182 participants living in England (age 16 and older) from the annual Taking Part survey conducted by the U.K.'s Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, which explores how the public engages with these activities. Participants' reported happiness, life satisfaction and sense of their lives being worthwhile were positively correlated to participating in arts and crafts, but arts and crafts were not associated with decreased anxiety or loneliness, which requires further investigation.