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

Rebecca J Syed Sheriff; Matti Vuorre; Evgenia Riga; Andrew K Przybylski; Helen Adams; Catherine J Harmer; John R Geddes

doi:10.1177/00048674221115648

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

Rebecca J Syed Sheriff^*
, Matti Vuorre
, Evgenia Riga
, Andrew K Przybylski
, Helen Adams
, Catherine J Harmer
, John R Geddes

^*Corresponding author for this work

Life and Environmental Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	745-757
Number of pages	13
Journal	Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Volume	57
Issue number	5
Early online date	8 Sept 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674221115648
Publication status	Published - May 2023

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2022.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

anxiety
Depression
experimental medicine
youth

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Psychiatry and Mental health

Access to Document

10.1177/00048674221115648Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)

Cite this

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, 57(5), 745-757. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674221115648

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title = "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",

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.",

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author = "\{Syed Sheriff\}, \{Rebecca J\} and Matti Vuorre and Evgenia Riga and Przybylski, \{Andrew K\} and Helen Adams and Harmer, \{Catherine J\} and Geddes, \{John R\}",

note = "Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2022.",

year = "2023",

month = may,

doi = "10.1177/00048674221115648",

language = "English",

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Syed Sheriff, RJ, Vuorre, M, Riga, E, Przybylski, AK, Adams, H, Harmer, CJ & Geddes, JR 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

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 et al.
In: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 57, No. 5, 05.2023, p. 745-757.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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T2 - A proof-of-principle randomised controlled trial

AU - Syed Sheriff, Rebecca J

AU - Vuorre, Matti

AU - Riga, Evgenia

AU - Przybylski, Andrew K

AU - Adams, Helen

AU - Harmer, Catherine J

AU - Geddes, John R

PY - 2023/5

Y1 - 2023/5

N2 - 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.

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KW - Depression

KW - experimental medicine

KW - youth

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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

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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