Understanding how classroom drama workshops can facilitate social capital for newly arrived migrant and refugee adolescents: Insights from Denmark

Art-based interventions, such as classroom drama workshops (CDWs), increasingly form part of a collection of mental health-promoting activities introduced in school settings. While research points to the potential benefits of CDWs for the mental well-being of refugee and migrant adolescents, the mechanisms to such improvement are less understood. In this article we respond to the need for qualitative evidence of how CDW interventions affect refugee and migrant adolescents' experience. The study draws on eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with 41 adolescents, four semi-structured interviews with teachers and a school coordinator, and written documents from two drama therapists. Our thematic analysis revealed that the CDWs were found to foster trust and improve social relations in the classroom-key facets of bonding social capital. Several processes were described as being linked to these changes. Participants spoke about how the CDWs were facilitated in an emancipatory and safe manner, creating social spaces where the adolescents could have fun together, share, and bear witness to each other's stories, as well as experiencing a sense of agency. In some cases, however, activities in the CDWs crossed the learners' psychological boundaries, which led to withdrawal and a loss of trust. We conclude that whilst CDWs have the potential to facilitate bonding social capital amongst refugee and migrant adolescents and their teachers, this potential hinges on how the CDWs are facilitated.

Boosting Resilience: Photovoice as a Tool for Promoting Well-Being, Social Cohesion, and Empowerment Among the Older Adult During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper examines how older adults who participated in an online photovoice-based group intervention program reported their experience. In a qualitative-phenomenological study, in which 13 older-adult people participated, data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed through content analysis. The findings point to three central themes: a) Challenges-technical difficulties, difficulties in finding a subject for photography, investing time in photography, and an emotional-intellectual effort to put their experience into photography; b) Growth: New knowledge and skills-acquiring new knowledge, acquiring skills, experiencing skills regardless of age, and empowerment; c) Meaning-reflexivity, the ability to project feelings onto images, connection to the outside world, mindfulness, ability to choose, creativity, and critical consciousness. The findings share the way in which the use of creative visual engagement with photography contributed to coping with various challenges and enabled various gains within the process among the older-adult participants.

Coloring complex shapes decreases patient anxiety in three care environments: a pilot study with color analysis

Introduction

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of coloring activity of circular symmetrical shape with complex patterns, so-called mandala, on anxiety associated with chronic illness in three different ambulatory medical situations (general consultation, psychiatric day hospital, and hemodialysis session).

Methods

Thirty patients were included in three groups and came from three different ambulatory medical situations: a hemodialysis group (n = 10), a psychiatric day hospital group (n = 10), and a nephrology consultation group (n = 10). We asked the patients to fill STAI-S and STAI-T questionnaires before to color complex circular shape with complex patterns, then to fill the STAI-S questionnaire again and a questionnaire on the experience of the activity.

Results

The results show that the STAI-S score was significantly lower after coloring for the hemodialysis (p = 0.02) and psychiatric groups (p = 0.005) but not for the general consultation group (p = 0.26). STAI-T scores did not differ between groups. The distribution of colors in the mandala was different in the three groups of patients. A positive subjective experience of the activity was found in all groups.

Discussion

These results show the effectiveness of a coloring activity of a circular shape with complex patterns on anxiety associated with chronic illness in care environment. The different distribution of the colors of the mandala in the three groups raises the question of the influence of the context on the mood of the patients and the deeper meaning of the choice of colors and their placement in the mandala. Our study reinforces the multiple applications of art activities in different medical disciplines and encourages their development within healthcare settings.

Mixed-mode Zentangle and Pastel Nagomi artwork for improving mental well-being in university students during COVID-19 pandemic - a randomized controlled feasibility trial

Background

University students are identified as a high-risk group for mental health problems. Artworks have been found effective in enhancing individuals' mental well-being in different populations, but none have been conducted on university students. This study was to address this research gap to determine the feasibility and estimate the preliminary effects of Zentangle and Pastel Nagomi on the mental well-being of undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

This was a 3-arm randomized controlled trial, with 33 undergraduates allocated to two 8-week artworks (Zentangle or Pastel Nagomi Art group) and a control group. Data were collected at baseline, and weeks 4, 6, 8, and 12. Focus group interviews were conducted at the 12-week follow-up.

Results

The consent and attrition rates were 80.5 and 6.06%, respectively. The attendance rate ranged from 83.3 to 100%. Compared with the control group, the Pastel Nagomi art group had a significant improvement in retaining positive affect at week 6. This retention could be further observed at week 12. Moreover, the Zentangle group had a significant increase in positive affect at week 4, with better retention at week 12. In addition, the within-group analyses showed that the Pastel Nagomi art group had significantly decreased negative affect at weeks 6 and week 12; and the Zentangle group had significantly decreased depression at week 8. The qualitative findings suggested that the intervention resulted in the participants enjoying the artwork process, and being proud of their artwork and personal growth.

Limitation

The study included an imbalance number of online vs. face-to-face sessions, and repeated measures may have affected the results.

Conclusion

The study suggests that both artworks are effective in improving undergraduates' mental well-being and that it is feasible to conduct future large-scale studies (263 words).

Designing and assessing of an art-based intervention for undocumented migrants

BACKGROUND

Undocumented immigrants and refugees are more likely to suffer from psychosocial disorders.

METHODOLOGY

In this pilot study, an art-based intervention is described and assessed, with a sample of 11undocumented immigrants who recently came to southern Spain on a small boat. The art-based intervention is assessed using a pre-post design and four questionnaires, which consist of The General Health Questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory, the Barcelona Immigrant Stress Scale and Carol Ryff's Psychological Well Being Scale. Furthermore, five participants were interviewed before and after the intervention and a thematic analysis of the transcriptions was carried out.

RESULTS

A significant reduction of depressive symptoms with a large effect size was found. An increase of reflexive discourse and the feeling of belonging after the intervention was also observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests that the art-based intervention decreased depressive symptoms and stress, redirecting the narratives of the participants towards the future and increasing the sense of community.

CB-Art Interventions Implemented with Mental Health Professionals Working in a Shared War Reality: Transforming Negative Images and Enhancing Coping Resources

Research on mental health professionals (MHPs) exposed to a shared war reality indicates that they are subject to emotional distress, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and vicarious trauma. This article focuses on a CB-ART (cognitive behavioral and art-based) intervention implemented during the 2014 Gaza conflict with 51 MHPs who shared war-related experiences with their clients. The intervention included drawing pictures related to three topics: (1) war-related stressors, (2) coping resources, and (3) integration of the stressful image and the resources drawing. The major aims of the study were (1) to examine whether significant changes occurred in MHP distress levels after the intervention; (2) to explore the narratives of the three drawing and their compositional characteristics; and (3) to determine which of selected formats of the integrated drawing and compositional transformations of the stressful image are associated with greater distress reduction. Results indicate that MHP distress levels significantly decreased after the intervention. This stress-reducing effect was also reflected in differences between the compositional elements of the 'stress drawing' and the 'integrated drawing,' which includes elements of resources. Reduced distress accompanied compositional transformations of the stressful image. MHPs can further use the easily implemented intervention described here as a coping tool in other stressful situations.

The effect of medical students' gender, ethnicity and attitude towards poetry-reading on the evaluation of a required, clinically-integrated poetry-based educational intervention

BACKGROUND

Art-based interventions are widely used in medical education. However, data on the potential effects of art-based interventions on medical students have been limited to small qualitative studies on students' evaluation of elective programs, and thus their findings may be difficult to generalize. The goal of this study is to examine, in an unselected students' population, the effect of students' gender, ethnicity and attitude towards poetry on their evaluation of a clinically-integrated poetry-based educational intervention.

METHODS

A required Clinically- Oriented Poetry-reading Experience (COPE) is integrated into the 4th year internal medicine clerkship. We constructed a questionnaire regarding the program's effects on students. Students completed the questionnaire at the end of the clerkship. We performed a Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and examined the relationship between students' evaluation of the program and students' ethnicity, gender, attitude towards poetry-reading, and the timing of the program (early/late) during the fourth year.

RESULTS

144 students participated in the program, of which 112 completed the questionnaires. We identified two effect factors: "student-patient" and "self and colleagues". The average score for "student-patient" factor was significantly higher as compared to the "self and colleagues" factor.Evaluation the "student- patient" effect factor was higher among Arab and Druze as compared to Jewish students. Students' attitude towards poetry-reading did not correlate with the "student-patient" effect, but correlated with the "self and colleagues" effect. The evaluation of the "self and colleagues" effect was higher among students who participated in the program during their second as compared with the first clerkship. Students' gender was not associated with any of the effects identified. Students favored obligatory participation in COPE as compared with elective course format.

CONCLUSIONS

According to students' evaluation, a format of integrated, obligatory poetry-based intervention may be suitable for enhancing "student-patient" aims in heterogeneous student populations. The higher evaluation of the "patient-student" effect among Arab and Druze as compared to Jewish students may be related to cultural differences in the perception of this component of medical professionalism. Further research can provide insight into the effect of cultural and ethnic differences on actual empathy of medical students in patient encounters.