Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and Generation Z

Summary

A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to determine the unique role of the arts as a proactive mental health strategy for college students in Generation Z. Arts-only, mindfulness-only, and arts-based mindfulness interventions as they compare to a non-intervention control group. These interventions will be delivered using a minimal contact, web-based approach. Psychological and physiological outcomes will be measured to determine if arts-related interventions activate unique and distinguishable mechanisms of change compared to the mindfulness only intervention and non-intervention control groups. In addition, protective effects will be assessed based on student participants' response to an acute academic stress simulation. Qualitative data in the form of transcribed exit interviews will be analyzed to characterize the unique needs of Generation Z students, along with level of engagement, intervention acceptance and satisfaction.

Conditions

• Anxiety Depression

Interventions

OTHER

Mindfulness-based art therapy

The researchers developed a novel MBAT intervention consisting of 10 easily reproducible, clay-based MBAT directives, administered through an online platform delivery strategy. By developing an MBAT intervention that uses an online delivery strategy, the researchers realized it may have the potential of decreasing demands placed on counseling centers.

OTHER

Art-only

The AO modules consist of an open-ended art-making exercise, with minimal direction. The AO intervention is designed as an 'art for art's sake' intervention with the focus on the art-making and less on outcome or product. Participants are asked to pull their ball of clay out and spend ten minutes creating a form from the clay to visually express their experience in the present moment.

OTHER

Mindfulness-only

The MO modules consist of only the mindfulness practices from the ABM intervention. The participants to follow along with a five-minute light yoga sequence, where asanas (yoga postures) are cued with breath. Yoga, for the purposes of the study, is explicitly defined to participants as the unity of breath with body movement. Poses were chosen based on their accessibility to a variety of body types and abilities, and chosen because they are documented to aid in grounding, increased haptic awareness, lowered levels of stress and anxiety, and restoration.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Florida State University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Theresa Van Lith, PhD · Florida State University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-04-05

Primary Completion

2022-02-22

Completion

2022-04-05

Countries

• United States

Study Locations