Creativity in lockdown: Understanding how music and the arts supported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic by age group

Abstract

Recent research has indicated that many people around the world turned to artistic creative activities (ACAs) to support their mental health during COVID-19 lockdowns. However, studies have also shown that the negative psychosocial impacts of the pandemic have disproportionately affected young people, suggesting that the use of ACAs to support mental health in lockdown may have varied across age groups. This study investigated how Australians in four different age groups (18–24, 25–34, 35–54, and 55+) engaged in ACAs to support their mental health during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. Participants (N = 653) recruited from the general public completed an online survey between May and October 2020, in which they reported which ACAs they had undertaken during the pandemic using an established list. Participants subsequently ranked undertaken ACAs in terms of effectiveness at making them “feel better,” and those who had engaged in musical ACAs also completed the Musical Engagement Questionnaire (MusEQ). Additionally, ratings of anxiety (GAD7) and depression (PHQ9) symptoms were obtained and examined for potential variations across four diverse variables: age, exercise, gender and state/territory of residence. ACA rankings showed that younger participants overwhelmingly rated musical activities as most effective, while, with the exception of singing, those aged 55+ rated non-musical activities as being most effective. These differences were further supported by ratings for all six MusEQ subscales, with responses strongly indicating that the youngest participants (aged 18–24) used music in significantly different ways during the pandemic than participants in all other age groups. Specifically, these youngest participants were more likely to integrate music into daily life, use music for emotion regulation, respond to music in embodied ways, and use music to perform a social identity. In line with prior research, further analyses indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were lessened for older participants, as well for those who reported exercising more during the lockdowns. These findings provide insight into how ACAs can support mental health during a pandemic crisis for specific age groups, which may inform future policy directions, and suggestions for how this can be done are provided.

Productive art engagement in a hybrid format: effects on emotions of older adults during COVID-19 pandemic

“…The inclusion of music as online art engagement may have been counterproductive as it is showed as not being the most effective for people aged +65 years (6).…”

“…Art therapy is recognized as a valid intervention in mental health, and creativity has been incorporated into gerontology and social sciences of aging, making art practice and health in older adults the foreground of research (5). Creative activities helped to regulate emotions, in particular art and music production (6). Art participants are more likely to use the activity that they found the most helpful as a form of avoidance of negative feelings and a way to socialize with others (7).…”

Personal and contextual variables predict music consumption during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Canada

“…Personal variables such as age, gender, and personality traits have been found to influence music use during the pandemic. Younger individuals (aged 18–24) were more likely to integrate music into daily life, use music for emotion regulation, respond to music in embodied ways, and use music to perform a social identity than older adults ( Chmiel et al, 2022 ). After the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in a given country, the sentiment of music accessed on Last.fm became more negative.…”

How Can Music Engagement Address Loneliness? A Qualitative Study and Thematic Framework in the Context of Australia’s COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns

“…During the pandemic, music has helped people to relax, escape, lift their mood or keep them company [47], and has functioned socially as a mode of communication that can foster a sense of belonging [48]. One study found that Australians ranked music listening as the most effective artistic creative activity for making them "feel better" during the pandemic [44], while another found that young Australians (aged 18-24) during lockdown were more likely to integrate music into daily life, use music for emotion regulation, respond to music in embodied ways and use music to perform a social identity than participants in all older age groups [49]. Another large survey of over 5000 people with representative samples from three continents found that people experiencing increased positive emotions used music for solitary emotional regulation, while those experiencing increased negative emotions used music as a proxy for social interaction [50], highlighting the widespread importance of social connection as an aspect of musical responses to the pandemic.…”