Stress, anxiety, and Steampunk Art in autistic adolescents and young adults

Abstract

Art based programs have been implemented successfully with autistic children and youth, demonstrating significant benefits for communication, behavior, social skills, and emotion regulation. This study reports on the implementation and preliminary outcomes of a Steampunk art program for autistic youth, “Steampunkinetics”. The Steampunk art genre is grounded in technology, mechanics, creativity, divergent thinking, and attention to detail and therefore would provide a strengths-based platform for building on skills and interests of autistic youth. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Steampunkinetics on participants’ experiences of anxiety, stress, peer relationships and self-esteem. During Steampunkinetics participants engaged in a range of art-based activities incorporating the Steampunk genre. Participants completed standardized self-report measures to evaluate the impact of the program, and a focus group was conducted with parents to gather feedback on their child’s response to the program. Findings indicated a significant decrease in anxiety and stress, and participants rated the program as enjoyable and interesting. No significant change was observed in self-esteem or peer relationships, although the majority of participants reported developing friendships during the program. Qualitative analysis of the parent focus group identified several themes which reflected those seen in the quantitative data. These findings are an important contribution given the mental health benefits of art-intervention programs and the need for validated programs designed for autistic youth.