Personality Change Through Arts Education: A Review and Call for Further Research

Abstract

Education involving active engagement in the arts, herein called arts education, is often believed to foster the development of desirable personality traits and skills in children and adolescents. Yet the impact of arts education on personality development has rarely been systematically investigated. In the current article, we reviewed the literature on personality change through arts education. We identified 36 suitable experimental and quasi-experimental studies. Evidence from these studies tentatively suggests that arts-education programs can foster personality traits such as extraversion and conscientiousness but not self-esteem. In addition, the effects of arts education appeared to be stronger in early and middle childhood than in preadolescence and early adolescence. However, the evidence for the effectiveness of arts education was very limited among the few included true experiments. Furthermore, the reviewed studies were heterogenous and subject to content-related, methodological, and statistical limitations. Thus, the current evidence base is inconclusive as to the effects of arts education on personality development. By identifying potential effects of arts education and limitations of past research, our review serves as a call for more research and guidepost for future studies on arts education and personality change.

Modern Choreography in Ukraine at the Beginning of the XXI Century: Artistic and Educational Trends

“…The popularity of the dance genre in the society required the introduction of institutional training of teachers in choreography capable of providing high-quality cultural and artistic education in its various forms. In particular, at the nationwide events held at that time for employees of cultural and educational institutions, the issue of a shortage of ballet masters -methodists, choreographers -organizers in institutions of culture and arts was frequently raised [17,8].…”

Intervention-related correlated change between personality traits and self-esteem.

“…For example, a systematic review of 207 clinical intervention studies in which personality traits were not the direct target found decreases in the personality trait of negative emotionality and increases in the trait of extraversion (Roberts et al, 2017). Further evidence of personality change through intervention comes from recent studies in nonclinical populations using different intervention approaches, such as goal setting (Hudson et al, 2020; Hudson & Fraley, 2015), engagement in behavioral activities (Hudson et al, 2019), social skills training (Allemand et al, 2022), cognitive training (Jackson et al, 2012), arts education (Grosz et al, 2022), and digital coaching interventions with chatbots and text-messaging services (Allemand & Flückiger, 2022; Stieger, Wepfer, et al, 2020). The promising results of these studies suggest that people can change personality traits in the desired direction.…”

One year later: Longer‐term maintenance effects of a digital intervention to change personality traits

“…It emerged that actively and effectively executing behavioral changes to change one-self proved to be a fruitful avenue for changing personality traits. In addition, a variety of other approaches have been used to target personality change, including behavioral activation (Massey-Abernathy & Robinson, 2021), social skills training (Allemand et al, 2021), cognitive training (Jackson, Hill, et al, 2012), arts education (Grosz et al, 2022), structured coaching programs (Allan et al, 2018), and digital interventions Stieger, Wepfer, et al, 2020). Overall, the results of these studies suggest that personality traits can be changed, or at least processes of change can be initiated, through various psychological interventions.…”