RESEARCH: Art and Mental Health in Children and Young People

RESEARCH: Art and Mental Health in Children and Young People

In my project thus far, I have aimed to look at the role of arts education from many different angles, its purpose and the downfalls within the system stopping students getting an arts education that is beneficial to their development and their interests. However, it is important to understand the impact the arts has on young people, and the way it can help their mental well-being as well as their development educationally. As this is something widely discussed when the topic of the arts in education is brought forward, it is something I want to consider within this project because the learning platform I have produced would benefit from having some consideration into this topic incorporated into the literature of the site. Promoting education at a student’s own place, without the pressure of exams or even achieving marks is something that is not available in mainstream schools because of the need to pass qualifications throughout their school life. As my site promotes self guided learning, having an understanding of the impact of the arts on mental health and young people is very important for the wider context of the project. For the benefit of this research, I will be referencing the Artis Foundation, MIND and related government documents and their articles or studies relating to mental wellbeing and the arts, as well as other sources.

The discussion of mental health and the arts has been widely discussed both at parliamentary, charity and at local authority levels. It has been said that “In order to help their pupils succeed; schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy” (GOV, 2014). Although this quote was taken from an official document in 2014, it is important to acknowledge that in order for any child to succeed in their studies, schools have a role in affecting and nurturing a student’s mental wellbeing and their ability to form their own tolerance of resilience for their adult lives. With this in mind, a recent government suggests that more should be done with the school environment stating:

"creating a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are less likely, improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole school population, and equipping pupils to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life effectively. This will include teaching pupils about mental wellbeing through the curriculum and reinforcing this teaching through school activities and ethos” (GOV, 2021)

As it is clear the government want to schools to be a space where students improve mentally, educationally and socially, according to this document, it can be said that the need for subjects that are good for a young person’s wider development, as well as their academic development would provide the student with a better chance of doing better in their exams, and become well-rounded, resilient and confident people in society. It could therefore be argued that the role of the arts is important for the overall “wellbeing of the whole school population” (GOV, 2021) because of it’s ability to “inspire and motivate children’s creativity” (Artis, 2018). However, due to recent cuts to arts education across primary, secondary and even further/higher education, promoting a healthy environment that allows students time to be creative, pursue their talents or opt for more hands-on creative subjects is being increasingly limited. Therefore, one can argue that there is a push for academia over a balanced, well-rounded curriculum, which will inevitably lead to more mental health issues at a younger and younger age. Although this is not the sole culprit of potential issues such as this, having a balanced education that students can immerse themselves in often is a large aspect of such issues occurring. This sentiment is solidified in a recent study by MIND, a leading mental health charity that stated,

“Academic achievement is being prioritised at the expense of wellbeing

The overwhelming message from the young people we spoke to is that academic achievement is being prioritised at the expense of wellbeing. The pressure to succeed and perform well in exams is negatively impacting young people's mental health, which in turn impacts their ability to participate in school. 78% of young people said that school had made their mental health worse” (MIND, 2021)

The acknowledgement that academia is being prioritised at the expense of young people’s health is eyeopening and not surprising. The pressure felt by many students to perform well academically inevitably impacts on their confidence, resilience and their mental health. This coupled with limited time for the arts within the school day, or artistic and creative opportunity means that there are little opportunities for students to turn they attention to a creative lead lesson that promotes them working in more fun and engaging ways because the pressure for success in ‘core’ subjects often removes them form these lessons, or stops them going ahead at all. Although it is always important to acknowledge that academia is an important part of a student’s development and is a good way to equip them with the qualifications needed for university and long term careers, limiting students in terms of their creative endeavours, not showing them that the arts is an extremely viable and lucrative sector to go into after school and prioritising school league table success over a well rounded and healthy curriculum and school ecosystem shows a big issue within the education system that is only going to get worse.

The Artis Foundation’s article goes onto discuss that;

“The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing Inquiry found that people who take part in the arts are 38% more likely to report good health, and after engaging in participatory arts activities, 82% report greater wellbeing. This 2017 report demonstrated that the arts make an invaluable contribution to a “healthy and health-creating society” and recommended cross-governmental commitment to the arts to help prevent, as well as treat, mental and physical health issues.” (Artis, 2018)

This reference to an inquiry discussing the connection between the arts and good health shows the impact of creative learning and how it can help lots of people with their health. Much like how recent studies have shown how outdoor activities, such as gardening and the allocation of “green prescriptions” (University of Hull, 2019) can help the mental health and wellbeing of older people, with Hull University being a leading force in researching how allotments could be beneficial for mental health treatment, rather than anti-depressants; the impact of the arts could be on a similar footing for young people. Studies into the use of the arts are vital in a discussion about its need, value and how important it is to have it as a subject within the education system. I believe that the push for academia is beginning to show how vital the arts are in promoting the importance of hands on learning and a viable career option that is on an equal footing to an academically driven path. However, it cannot be denied that the need goes deeper than just showing young people other career options, as the arts have an important role in allowing students to express themselves, their emotions and promote a healthier mental wellbeing. This is shown by “82%” (Artis, 2018) reporting greater wellbeing simply by being involved in creative activities, learning and opportunities. If these creative outlets are taken away, it is clear it will have an impact on students, their wider studies and how they are able to cope with the stresses of school, exam commitments and the push of academic success from teachers and schools.

The importance of the arts is also discussed within the article written by the Artis Foundation. It talks about how creative subjects give “them (Students) a space to explore challenging themes more openly outside of the classroom environment” (Artis, 2018). This is something I agree with because often, important discussions about world, social, cultural or even ethical topics can be addressed within a creative lesson, whether it be the visual or performing arts, in a way that may not be addressed in other lessons. Or even in a manner that is easily understood by the majority of students present. Giving students the independence to choose their projects, subject matter (specifically at GCSE and A-Level) and allowing them to experiment with different materials gives students the opportunity to creatively unload some of their emotions, things they may be trying to process or even learn about through a creative outlet. Similarly, the use of art therapy as a method of expressing feelings, and moving through issues relating to mental health is widely used and considered an effective way of processing and recovering from such illnesses which shows how effectively art can be used to promote a healthy lifestyle. However, in an educationally focused forum, being able to explore world, social, cultural or ethical topics throughout a student’s artwork is something that would inevitable contribute to their understanding in other subjects, making it vital to have both academic and creative subject on equal footing to get the best out of young people.

Although this topic surrounding the connection between the arts, mental health and the health and wellbeing of students in education is wide ranging and very complex, I have taken great insight from the Artis Foundation, Mind and related government documents. It is clear that the current focus on academia, as noted from my prior research on the subject, would have the potential to affect students and their mental health. From the statistics shown, the focus on academia can be at the expense of children’s wellbeing, with “78%” (Mind, 2021) saying that their mental health suffered more because of school. This shows that the unbalance in the education system is having an impact on students because the pressure for many is simply too much. Although the arts are considered to be an effective outlet for those suffering with mental health conditions, shown by Mind’s use of art therapy, there are very few government documents or studies making such connections. However, I can surmise from my prior research, as well as the research collated in this body of work that the emphasis on academia is resulting in less creative subject time being available for young people within the school day, which could contribute to the worsening of their mental health. Although this would require further research to solidify such a theory, and the fact there is a lack of literature making such connections, one could argue this point. Although there are external issues that would contribute to a person’s mental health issues, and everyones situation is very different, not having an outlet where you can express how you feel, be creative or simply have time away from heavily academic subjects would not help the situation.

I believe projects such as my own and the learning platform that I have been able to produce gives students the ability to learn at the own pace, without the pressures of academic success or working to a solid deadline. I think having artist intervention in supplementing the curriculum would allow for more creative opportunities for young people to immerse themselves with, thus giving them time to express how they feel, explore a creative outlet and potentially give them something as simple as an external interest to find a coping mechanism. I think using external educational tools could lead to young people pursuing creative careers, where they may not be encouraged to in school, or find something they can do that gives them a way to relax. The fact that tools like online learning are available give young people to ability to explore and find their interests at their own pace and allow them to use them for what ever they choose, whether it be to hone their talents or to simply cope. I think it has shown me that my website could be useful on many levels, and not necessarily just an educational one. Therefore, I feel it has been extremely insightful to look at the arts from this angle.

Source:

Education, D., 2021. [online] Assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. Available at: <https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/755135/Mental_health_and_behaviour_in_schools__.pdf> [Accessed 25 August 2021].

GOV.UK. 2014. Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges. [online] Available at: <https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges> [Accessed 25 August 2021].

ARTIS, 2018. Mental Health & Wellbeing in Schools. [online] https://www.artisfoundation.org.uk/blog/blogposts/2018/02/mental-health-schools/. Available at: <https://www.artisfoundation.org.uk/blog/blogposts/2018/02/mental-health-schools/> [Accessed 25 August 2021].

Mind.org.uk. 2021. Improving mental health support for young people. [online] Available at: <https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health/improving-mental-health-support-for-young-people/#problem> [Accessed 25 August 2021].

Hull.ac.uk. 2021. Anxiety and depression: why doctors are prescribing gardening rather than drugs. [online] Available at: <https://www.hull.ac.uk/work-with-us/more/media-centre/news/2019/anxiety-and-depression-why-doctors-are-prescribing-gardening-rather-than-drugs> [Accessed 25 August 2021].