Psychobiological responses to choir singing and creative arts activities in children and adolescents with mental disorders: results of a pilot study

Abstract

Summary Background Children and adolescents living with mental health problems often experience stress and poor mood states, which may influence their quality of life and well-being. Arts interventions may improve mood and well-being and reduce physiological stress in this vulnerable population. Methods A cohort of patients in child and adolescent psychiatry (N = 42; age range: 12–18 years) participated in one of four arts activities including choir singing (n = 11), textile design (n = 9), drama (n = 16), and clownery (n = 6). They were led by professional artists and delivered through five consecutive 90-min daily afternoon sessions over the course of 1 week. Questionnaires of mood and saliva samples before and after each session served to assess short-term psychobiological changes. In addition, patients reported their quality of life and well-being at the beginning and at the end of the 1‑week program. Results Results showed that alertness was significantly enhanced after textile design (∆post–pre = 4.08, 95% CI [0.77, 7.39]) and after singing (∆post–pre = 2.20, 95% CI [−0.55, 4.94]). Moreover, mood tended to be positively affected by textile design (∆post–pre = 2.89, 95% CI [−0.39, 6.18]). Quality of life increased significantly after singing (∆post–pre = 5.49, 95% CI [1.05, 9.92]). Arts participation except singing was associated with significant reductions in salivary cortisol (sCort) (textile design ∆post–pre = −0.81 ng/mL, 95% CI [−1.48, −0.14]; drama ∆post–pre = −0.76 ng/mL, 95% CI [−1.28, −0.24]; clownery ∆post–pre = −0.74 ng/mL, 95% CI [−1.47, −0.01]). No significant changes were observed for well-being over the whole program and salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) after any of the arts activities. Discussion These results suggest that arts participation can improve mood state and reduce stress in young people with mental disorders, but there is a need for further studies.