Eryn Piper Block1, Mitchell David Wong2, Sheryl Harumi Kataoka3, Frederick J Zimmerman4. 1. Department of Health Policy and Management, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles Young Dr. S, 31-269 CHS Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. Electronic address: eryn@erynpiperblock.com. 2. Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 850, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA. Electronic address: MitchellWong@mednet.ucla.edu. 3. UCLA Semel Institute, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Health Services and Society, University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA Center for Health Services and Society, 10920 Wilshire, #300, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, USA. Electronic address: SKataoka@mednet.ucla.edu. 4. Department of Health Policy and Management, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 650 Charles Young Dr. S, 31-269 CHS Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA. Electronic address: fredzimmerman@ucla.edu.
Abstract
RATIONALE: Positive mental health is a critical component of overall mental health, but our understanding of the potential drivers of positive mental health is lacking. Participation in the arts may contribute to positive mental health through the mechanism of flow, a mental state of becoming completely engrossed in an enjoyable activity. Participation in performing arts specifically may be especially predictive of positive mental health due to its collective nature. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This study uses the Population Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) Transition to Adulthood Sample (N = 5657 person-years) to investigate whether participation in performing arts predicts positive mental health in young adults in the US through adjusted least squares and individual-level fixed-effects linear regression models across three waves of data per individual. Additionally, the study investigates different levels of participation to establish a dose response and employs stratified analyses by race/ethnicity, income, and gender. RESULTS: Results show that, compared to no participation, participating in the performing arts every day is associated with an increase in positive mental health of a 0.315 effect size [p < 0.001]. White and higher income individuals are more likely to participate in the arts than people of color and lower income individuals. Yet, the association between performing arts and positive mental health is similar, if not greater, for people of color than it is for white individuals. CONCLUSION: This study shows strong associations between frequent performing arts participation and positive mental health and suggests that more resources should be allocated to performing arts access for young adults from diverse backgrounds.
RATIONALE: Positive mental health is a critical component of overall mental health, but our understanding of the potential drivers of positive mental health is lacking. Participation in the arts may contribute to positive mental health through the mechanism of flow, a mental state of becoming completely engrossed in an enjoyable activity. Participation in performing arts specifically may be especially predictive of positive mental health due to its collective nature. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This study uses the Population Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) Transition to Adulthood Sample (N = 5657 person-years) to investigate whether participation in performing arts predicts positive mental health in young adults in the US through adjusted least squares and individual-level fixed-effects linear regression models across three waves of data per individual. Additionally, the study investigates different levels of participation to establish a dose response and employs stratified analyses by race/ethnicity, income, and gender. RESULTS: Results show that, compared to no participation, participating in the performing arts every day is associated with an increase in positive mental health of a 0.315 effect size [p < 0.001]. White and higher income individuals are more likely to participate in the arts than people of color and lower income individuals. Yet, the association between performing arts and positive mental health is similar, if not greater, for people of color than it is for white individuals. CONCLUSION: This study shows strong associations between frequent performing arts participation and positive mental health and suggests that more resources should be allocated to performing arts access for young adults from diverse backgrounds.