MESOC Serapeum | Where culture meets AI

Id		710
Author		Jensen A.
Title		Mental health recovery and arts engagement
Reference		Jensen A.; Mental health recovery and arts engagement ;Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice vol:13 issue: 3.0 page:157
Link to article		https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85045832077&doi=10.1108%2fJMHTEP-08-2017-0048&partnerID=40&md5=3a4b1dea4ceae8c5ce6ed3616b6f073b
Abstract		Purpose: Arts and cultural activities have been illustrated to be beneficial for mental health service users. The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of museum visits and engage in arts activities for mental health service users. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 mental health service users in Denmark. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data and theoretical lens of sociological theories of institutional logics was employed to explore the findings. Findings: These benefits are perceived to include empowerment and meaning in life, which are two of the core principles of recovery; arts engagement can, therefore, be a useful tool in recovery. The findings also show that the experience of visiting a museum was not always positive and depended upon the interaction with the museum educators. Originality/value: The service users identified arts engagement as creating meaning in life and empowerment, which are two element in the conceptual framework, CHIME (an acronym for: Connectedness, Hope and optimism, Identity, Meaning in life and Empowerment), that describes the human process of recovery. The findings also highlighted that if museums want to engage positively with people with mental health problems and contribute to their recovery then the training of staff and the improvement of institutional approaches to support working with vulnerable people are essential. © 2018, Anita jensen.

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Candidate transition variables
It improves my wellbeing being there, yes. .
Its physical, practical and psychological doing is a functionality that had a positive impact on health and wellbeing for the participating service users. .
Meaning in life The findings in the study show that the service users have a comprehensive understanding of the role that the arts and cultural activity have in their lives and this understanding makes them experts on their own engagement in the arts and places them in a position to contribute as an engaged expert in their recovery. .
Being able to develop a creative identity and engaging in arts activities has positive wellbeing benefits and provide purpose and/or meaning in life to some service users. .
In this way, engagement in arts can be a vital element in rebuilding life, contributing to survival and providing meaning in life for a service user and as a positive step in the recovery journey. .
The service users found museums to be places where they found stimulation and a place for learning, relaxation and wellbeing: Museums are very important ... important for people from the hospital who have been through crises, for inspiration . if they spent their time on creativity, then museum and galleries are a good idea . It makes my life better . I gained inspiration from the visits (Lotte). .
The functionality ascribed to arts in mental health is illustrated by using art to make sense of the day and creating meaning in life as a tool for inspiration and motivation, and feeling good and relaxed, as described in the comments by the service users. .
Communities and institutions can be a support in this process by establishing social networks and different sorts of social support that can encourage people through difficult transitions and periods of vulnerability in life. .
Findings: These benefits are perceived to include empowerment and meaning in life, which are two of the core principles of recovery; arts engagement can, therefore, be a useful tool in recovery. .
Empowerment The study shows that accessing cultural institutions can support feelings of empowerment for service users. .
Having access to arts engagements enables a creative process and a person-centred approach that values the uniqueness of the individual, which is important for the service users in this study. .
The findings in this study suggest that mental health service users experience a sense of empowerment by visiting museums/galleries and arts engagement. .
Valuing the diversity of the community encourages cultural institutions to attract a different public. .
Recognising that mental health service users benefit from arts engagement in terms of the CHIME categories identified, arts engagement can arguably play a vital role in the recovery process; it is possible to use arts engagement as a tool in recovery, given that it is placed within a framework, as arts engagement can add something unique to each personal and complex story and each journey, provided that it is facilitated adequately. .
Conclusion The findings show that engagement in arts can create a sense of meaning, purpose in life and empowerment, which are part of the conceptual framework, CHIME, which describes the human process of recovery. .
Purpose: Arts and cultural activities have been illustrated to be beneficial for mental health service users. .
The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of museum visits and engage in arts activities for mental health service users. .
Many studies have illustrated that users of mental health services experience a range of benefits from engagement in arts activities. .
It aims to highlight the benefits and challenges for mental health service users engaging in arts activities and to understand some of the issues that may occur in practice in the interdisciplinary field of arts and health. .
When asked about visiting a museum, it was commented on as being inspirational, useful and positive as part of a recovery for mental health service users. .
Additionally, the comment offered by another service user, describing how arts engagement had stopped her suicidal thoughts, further illustrates that engagement in arts has the ability to create meaning in life. .
These findings illustrate that engaging in arts activities allows a healthy disconnection from concerns and can combat negative thoughts, resulting in health rewards such as relaxation, entering a flow, and making new connections where none existed before which can empower the individual. .
In this way, interdisciplinary collaborations between health and the arts can promote recovery, given that the professionals involved understand recovery and, as a minimum, have basic mental health awareness..
Lotte sees museums as places for both visual learning, stimulation of new ideas for her own artwork and as a source for gaining new knowledge. .
This further perpetuates the need for awareness training for staff at cultural institutions and can further enhance a positive interaction between service users and professional staff. .
Service users have described how arts engagement has supported their recovery; for example, Parrs (2012) study illustrates that mental health service users who regularly participated in arts groups/activities experienced a sense of belonging that fosters positive emotion and self-esteem. .
Several service users also commented on the aspects of relaxation and de-stressing when engaged in arts activities. .
Furthermore, the role of arts and cultural intervention can be that of facilitating a personal journey, as the arts also offers different perspectives on the experiences of peoples difficulties (Sixsmith and Kagan, 2005; de Botton and Armstrong, 2013), and provides a platform for reflection. .
The comments offered by the participating service users show that they are aware of the value that arts and cultural activities can bring to their lives in terms of life quality as well as health and wellbeing. .
The empowerment of mental health service users can include a higher degree of individual empowerment, a stronger sense of belonging to the community, development of, and participation in, the activities. .
Other benefits of participating in the arts projects were described in terms of giving purpose, meaning and hope, increased confidence, a sense of achievement, pride and satisfaction, as well as confidence and self-esteem and the ability to rebuild an identity beyond that of being a service user (Secker et al., 2007). .
It is most likely a state of being that is difficult to access for individuals with mental health problems, which makes arts engagements even more significant in terms of therapeutic values and feelings of empowerment. .
The notion of identity is also explored in Daykin et al. (2010), who suggest that engaging in arts activities provides service users with access to a variety of new identities and is able to depart from the stigmatised or relatively powerlessness of the patient; this was reinforced by giving service users a new voice to provide their opinions or speak about their experiences. .

ARTICLE - CANDIDATE TRANSITION VARIABLES

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