Arts engagement and self‐esteem in children: results from a propensity score matching analysis

2019

Sci Rep

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Arts engagement has been shown to have benefits for young people’s psychological and behavioural adjustment. However, it is unknown whether it is frequency of arts engagement or individual ability in arts activities that is associated with these benefits. This study therefore examines the link between arts ability and children’s behavioural difficulties and self-esteem independent of frequency of engagement. We analysed data from the 1970 British Cohort Study with an overall sample size of 7700 for the behavioural difficulties outcome, and of 4991 for the self-esteem outcome. Baseline measures were taken when the children were aged 10 and followed up at age 16. OLS regression analysis adjusted for identified confounders shows that ability in the arts at age 10 was associated with a lower level of behavioural difficulties at age 16 independent of baseline behaviours, identified confounders and frequency of arts engagement. An association between arts ability and self-esteem was only found amongst children who have higher educational ability. These result suggest that there may be a value to encouraging the cultivation of arts skills at the onset of adolescence as a way of helping to foster children’s positive behavioural development.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Longitudinal associations between ability in arts activities, behavioural difficulties and self-esteem: analyses from the 1970 British Cohort Study

2019

Sci Rep

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“…Such responses are, in turn, associated with the prevention, management and treatment of a range of different health outcomes. These include encouraging health-promoting behaviours [ 2 , 3 ], supporting child development [ 4 , 5 ], preventing mental illness [ 6 , 7 ], enhancing social cohesion [ 8 , 9 ] and reducing the risk of early mortality [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between neighbourhood deprivation and engagement in arts, culture and heritage: evidence from two nationally-representative samples

Coulter

2021

BMC Public Health

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Background Previous research has shown the benefits of arts and cultural engagement for physical, mental and social wellbeing. This engagement is socially and geographically patterned. Yet it remains unclear whether place-based attributes are associated with engagement behaviour independent of individual factors. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to robustly disentangle associations between geographical deprivation and arts engagement from the individual socio-demographic factors that tend to correlate with residential locations. Methods Two different samples drawn from two representative surveys of adults living in England were compared – Understanding Society Wave 2 (2010/12) (N = 14,782) and Taking Part survey (2010/11) (N = 4575). Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to investigate the association between neighbourhood deprivation (20% most deprived vs 20% least deprived) and arts engagement (arts participation, cultural attendance and museums and heritage engagement). Results Higher levels of neighbourhood deprivation were associated with lower arts, culture and heritage engagement independent of individuals’ demographic backgrounds, socio-economic characteristics and regional locations. When exploring subcategories of deprivation, similar results were obtained across deprivation domains. Results were also consistent when using more distinct categories of deprivation (i.e. 10% most deprived vs 10% least deprived) and when comparing people living in the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods with those living in the 40% medium-deprived areas. Conclusion This study is the first to apply a robust PSM technique to examine the association between neighbourhood deprivation and arts engagement using two nationally-representative samples. Results show that neighbourhood deprivation may act as a barrier that could prevent people from engaging in the arts, which in turn may exacerbate social and health inequalities. This highlights the importance of place-based schemes that focus on increasing individual motivation and capacity to engage in arts and cultural activities, especially in areas of high deprivation.

“…Previous studies show that performing arts engagement and reading for pleasure may help support physical health, with associations with increased fruit consumption, reduced cigarette and alcohol use, improved cardiovascular fitness and body composition, and reduced body mass [25][26][27]. Evidence has also demonstrated that engagement with the arts is associated with reduced social and behavioural maladjustment [28], higher resilience and self-esteem [27,[29][30][31], and lower levels of anxiety and depression [32][33][34]. While much of this research has come from observational studies, these studies are increasingly showing associations in longitudinal data and independent of identified confounders.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do socio-demographic factors predict children’s engagement in arts and culture? Comparisons of in-school and out-of-school participation in the Taking Part Survey

2021

PLoS ONE

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There is evidence on the health, social and developmental benefits of arts and cultural participation for young people. While there is a known social gradient across adult arts participation where socially advantaged individuals are more likely to engage in the arts, it remains unclear whether socio-economic factors also affect child participation either in school or out of school. This study analysed cross-sectional data from 1,986 children aged 11–15 in the Taking Part Survey interviewed from 2015–2018. It focused on three aspects of children‘s participation: (i) performing arts activities, (i) arts, crafts and design activities, and (iii) cultural and heritage engagement. Results show a social gradient across all three activities for out-of-school engagement, but not for in-school engagement. Arts and cultural activities provided by schools are therefore important to ensuring universal access to the arts amongst young people.