{"title":"Bringing health research to life: readers theatre as an innovative knowledge translation strategy.","authors":"Poppy Jackson, Alison Luke, Sandra Bell, Shelley Doucet","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2555254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2555254","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Arts-based knowledge translation (KT) tools are increasingly being used to make health research more accessible and engaging.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This paper reports on the evaluation of Readers Theatre - short, theatrical vignettes - as a method for sharing qualitative interview findings with diverse audiences. This approach was evaluated in three settings: a workshop for caregivers and care providers and two undergraduate health classrooms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results demonstrate that Readers Theatre is an educational, enjoyable, effective, and useful tool for KT. Most participants perceived it to be as effective or more effective than other KT methods.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While the results are promising, further research is warranted to better understand its full potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144993937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-08-29DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2551538
Salome M Xavier, Adrianne Both, Manuela Ferrari, Amal Abdel-Baki, Susanne Serres, Nicole van den Bogerd, Imke Lemmers-Jansen, Els van der Ven, Srividya N Iyer
{"title":"Narratives in context: a cellphilm study of the social experiences of persons with psychosis from different ethnic, racial and migrant backgrounds.","authors":"Salome M Xavier, Adrianne Both, Manuela Ferrari, Amal Abdel-Baki, Susanne Serres, Nicole van den Bogerd, Imke Lemmers-Jansen, Els van der Ven, Srividya N Iyer","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2551538","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2551538","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A higher risk of psychosis among migrants and ethnic minorities, due to intersecting exposure to social disadvantage, exclusion and discrimination, has been reported. However, first-person experiences and perspectives regarding these topics have rarely been sought.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We aimed to explore the contexts, experiences, and perspectives of individuals with psychosis from diverse ethno-racial and migrant backgrounds through a qualitative study involving an in-depth interview and an arts-based component (cellphilming).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four themes were generated through thematic analysis: Facing adversity; Apart from the world; (Re)building structure; and meaning; and Cellphilming as possibility and connection. Themes portray the role of place and society in the lives and development of psychosis of participants.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings resonate with previous research on the impacts of social and structural disadvantage, particularly for minoritized populations. By framing these under particular contexts and life stories, our findings allow for contextualization and nuance, and a focus on what mattered the most for participants: hope, meaning, renewal and healing.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2551542
Aahana Uppal, Lisa Sheehy, Carol Wiebe
{"title":"Assessing impact on quality of life from \"Unmasked Connections\": delivering personalized intimate arts performances to people in long-term care.","authors":"Aahana Uppal, Lisa Sheehy, Carol Wiebe","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2551542","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2551542","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Radical Connections' program \"Unmasked Connections\" provides virtual personalized and interactive arts performances to residents living in long-term care (LTC). This project assessed its impact on the quality of life (QoL) of residents, artists and staff.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Residents were paired with artists based on shared artistic interests for 40-minute virtual one-on-one sessions. Semi-structured interviews on QoL with 14 participants were transcribed, coded and analyzed using the Framework Method of analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five artists, six residents, a recreation technician and two summer students participated in the interviews. The themes developed included 1) Happiness, Health and Gratitude; 2) Deep and Meaningful Connections; 3) Reminiscence and Nostalgia; and 4) Features of Delivery are Important. Artists expressed compassion and gratitude for the program and staff highlighted residents' excitement. Most participants recommended to others or wished to continue with \"Unmasked Connections\".</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>\"Unmasked Connections\" fostered meaningful interactions, improved emotional health and highlighted the important role of arts in healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-08-04DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2541369
Rebecca L Fix
{"title":"Singing for self-affirmation and healing: how Black young people articulate growth and mental health through music.","authors":"Rebecca L Fix","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2541369","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2541369","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Black young people in underresourced communities with high levels of violence exposure experience a range of mental health sequelae and barriers to mental health support. In this study, 18 Black young people (ages 12-19) participated in a co-created program to process and cope with the impact of trauma through creative writing activities focused on music production. Participating young people created 20 songs. Song lyrics young people created during the program were the study data source. Using an inductive coding approach and member checking with program participants, three key themes emerged from songs: (1) self-affirmation and self-empowerment, (2) flourishing or personal growth, (3) emotional processing and narrative construction, and (4) disclosure of mental health challenges. The first author, a white woman and non-musician, engaged in reflexivity to account for positionality and center the socio-political contexts and expressive intent of the youth lyricists. Mental health difficulties included externalizing behavior problems (depictions of violence), substance use, exposure to violence, trauma and loss, feelings of mental instability, and depression. Data emphasized the power of such programming to promote unplanned skills building like cognitive restructuring. Altogether, study findings point toward the importance of co-creating curricula with young people to address their mental health needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-23"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144776452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-07-29DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2539520
Napak Pakdeesatitwara, Imogen N Clark, Jeanette Tamplin
{"title":"How adults with chronic health conditions made self-administered music interventions (SAMIs) work: thematic synthesis from a mixed-studies systematic review.","authors":"Napak Pakdeesatitwara, Imogen N Clark, Jeanette Tamplin","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2539520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2539520","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>By nature, a chronic illness creates lasting repercussions on a person's life. Although existing literature has shown the benefits of music therapy for many chronic health conditions, there are times when music therapy services become unavailable. In these situations, self-administered music interventions (SAMIs) can be an effective strategy to promote psychological wellbeing in people with chronic illnesses. We conducted a mixed-studies systematic review of the evidence for SAMIs and have previously published a meta-analysis and synthesis of quantitative results. This article presents qualitative synthesis findings on: (1) factors that influence SAMI implementation, (2) how and why do SAMIs have or not have an effect, and (3) recommendations for practice implications.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We systematically searched seven databases from January 1990 to June 2025. Citation tracking and reference checks were applied. We used the CASP qualitative checklist for quality assessment of studies with qualitative data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Qualitative results from 11 articles were included in thematic synthesis. Five themes emerged: (a) participants' personal qualities informed their SAMI implementation and outcomes, (b) participants made SAMIs work, (c) SAMI outcomes became feedback, (d) a facilitator supported SAMI uses, and (e) a propelling cycle of SAMI implementation (overarching theme).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results illustrated how participants independently made SAMIs work over time and what factors were involved. Recommendations for research and practice are provided.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144745450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-07-15DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2527908
Xiaochen Zhong, Chloe Cheng, Nathaniel Jenkins, Peter Ureste, Tammy Duong
{"title":"Afternoon at the museum: psychological wellbeing and social connectedness among LGBT older adults.","authors":"Xiaochen Zhong, Chloe Cheng, Nathaniel Jenkins, Peter Ureste, Tammy Duong","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2527908","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2527908","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Social isolation poses a major public health crisis for older adults in the U.S. as it negatively impacts physical and mental health. Intersectional communities, like LGBT older individuals, are particularly impacted. This study assesses the efficacy of an art museum-based intervention on social isolation and wellbeing of LGBT older adults when paired with medical school volunteers in San Francisco. Fifteen participants completed pre- and post-intervention surveys with established questionnaires and open-ended questions, reporting improvements in social connectedness and wellbeing. This pilot program underscores the value of sociocultural activities in enhancing the quality of life among this vulnerable population.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144643810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-07-13DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2531906
Chloe Asker, Victoria Tischler, Errol Francis, Hannah Zeilig
{"title":"Reflections from the Culture Box Live exhibition and training course.","authors":"Chloe Asker, Victoria Tischler, Errol Francis, Hannah Zeilig","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2531906","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2531906","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Beyond Culture Box aimed to stimulate public interest in dementia through creating new resources, including a touring exhibition (<i>Culture Box Live</i>) that visited Exeter and Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom, and training course (<i>Lessons from Culture Box</i>) for activity providers and artists. The project took research findings and materials created during Culture Box, a pandemic responsive study that aimed to improve dementia care during the pandemic through creative and arts-based approaches to new audiences in two English cities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This practice report presents findings and learnings from the project. Evaluation methods included team reflections throughout the project, alongside visitor verbal and written feedback.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Beyond Culture Box created opportunities for learning and engagement with physical exhibitions and a training course (with around 125 visitors in attendance across both sites and activities) and content on the project website (with around a 130% increase of new visitors to our website; 22% of those were looking for activity material in our archive and boxes between January and February 2024).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings provide new learning on creative health research impact and engagement projects.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144627391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-07-07DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2527185
Shilpa V Yohannan, Sunirose Ishnassery Pathrose, Saju Madavanakadu Devassy
{"title":"The effectiveness of art therapy in addressing emotional and behavioral issues and enhancing self-esteem of children living in residential childcare institutions: a feasibility study in Kerala, India.","authors":"Shilpa V Yohannan, Sunirose Ishnassery Pathrose, Saju Madavanakadu Devassy","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2527185","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2527185","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Children living in residential childcare institutions often face emotional, behavioral challenges, and low self-esteem due to early trauma and attachment issues. Art therapy, a creative and non-verbal engagement technique, is a promising approach that remains unexplored.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to test the feasibility of a structured art therapy intervention to address emotional and behavioral issues and enhance self-esteem of children in residential childcare institutions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A small sample experimental design was used to assess the effectiveness of a 10-week structured art therapy intervention for children aged 10-16 in residential childcare institutions in Kerala, India.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Post-intervention, outcomes revealed significant improvements in emotional problems (<i>t</i> = 8.008, <i>p</i> < .001), conduct disorders (<i>t</i> = 8.41, <i>p</i> < .001), hyperactivity (<i>t</i> = 7.139, <i>p</i> < .001), and augmented prosocial behavior (<i>t</i>= -8.527, <i>p</i> < .001). Self-esteem also improved across general (<i>t</i>=-12.085, <i>p</i> < .001), social (<i>t</i> =-3.117, <i>p</i> = 0.004), home-parent (<i>t</i>=-3.194, <i>p</i> = 0.003), and academic domains (<i>t</i>=-9.95, <i>p</i> < 0.001) in contrast with comparison group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Art therapy facilitates the articulation of internal conflicts and serves as a non-verbal, non-threatening method with children promoting positive coping strategies. This study recommends randomized controlled trials in larger populations before implementing it in all childcare institutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144576552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2525334
Sarah Crabtree, Felicity Anne Baker, Anna A Bukowska, Ming-Hung Hsu, Tone Kvamme, Kate McMahon, Helen Odell-Miller, Tanara Sousa, Karette Stensæth, Thomas Wosch, Jeanette Tamplin
{"title":"Exploring the use of musical activities implemented in home-based dementia care as part of the HOMESIDE study.","authors":"Sarah Crabtree, Felicity Anne Baker, Anna A Bukowska, Ming-Hung Hsu, Tone Kvamme, Kate McMahon, Helen Odell-Miller, Tanara Sousa, Karette Stensæth, Thomas Wosch, Jeanette Tamplin","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2525334","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2525334","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Methods: </strong>This paper explores how person-centred musical activities were used in HOMESIDE (Baker et al. 2019, 2023), an internationalRCT exploring music and reading in dementia care. Demographic, case summary, and diary data were analysed from 10 participant pairs, across 5 countries.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Listening to music was the most used activity. Dyads changed their approach over time and incorporated varied forms of music into daily life. Benefits were described in physical, behavioural, psychological, cognitive, and relational areas.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This research highlights the benefits of music training for informal caregivers. A \"Triangle of care\" approach to provide care and support for the caregiver and care recipient is recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144545430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arts & HealthPub Date : 2025-06-23DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2523800
Caitlin Thompson, Paras Patel, Angela Kennedy
{"title":"Exploring the role of creative arts in recovery following a suicide attempt amongst healthcare staff.","authors":"Caitlin Thompson, Paras Patel, Angela Kennedy","doi":"10.1080/17533015.2025.2523800","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2523800","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Research has evidenced the role of creative arts and culture in positive mental health of individuals and communities. There is more limited research into its significance for those who have felt life is not worth living at some point.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The current study aims to explore the role of creative arts in recovery following a suicide attempt in healthcare workers, a population at high risk of work-related stress, and greater risk of poorer mental health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using secondary data from 25 healthcare staff who have reported a previous suicide attempt(s), the study uses content and thematic analysis to analyse responses to a survey question regarding the role of creative arts in recovery.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Content analysis identified genres of chosen art pieces, including music, poetry, literature, film, and artwork. Key themes of hope, self-acceptance, connection with others, and representation of experience offered by the arts were identified as influential in recovery.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study uses a novel approach to enhance understanding in an under-researched area. Findings offer a unique insight into the protective factors which can be provided through engagement with the arts and the role creative arts can play in promoting recovery from a suicide attempt in healthcare workers.</p>","PeriodicalId":45944,"journal":{"name":"Arts & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144477252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}