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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06542003

The Impact of Performing Arts on Mental Health, Social Connection, and Creativity in University Students

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate whether the "Movin' & Groovin' for Wellness" (MGW) performing arts program is able to support mental, social, and emotional health in NUS students. It will also assess the program's impact on students' well-being. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does participation in the program decrease depressive symptoms, stress levels and anxiety? 2. Does the program foster creative expression among participants? 3. Does the program foster social connections among participants?

Researchers compare the effects of the facilitated music and dance sessions (MGW program) to a Control group that does not participate in these activities. Participants are randomly assigned into either the Experimental (MGW) group or Control group.

Those in the Experimental group are randomly allocated to one of two subgroups, where participants either experience drumming or dancing sessions first (for 5 weeks), followed by the other activity (e.g., the only difference between subgroups is the order in which they experience the facilitated sessions). Both the drumming and dancing sessions are led by trained professionals. The sessions are held weekly for 10 weeks in dedicated performance rooms. Participants also complete questionnaires, and have the opportunity to participate in a focus group discussion to provide feedback about the program.

Control group participants complete the same questionnaires at the same time points without participating in the activities. The program aims to evaluate the effectiveness of music and dance in promoting mental health, social well-being, and creativity among university students.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental Health Arts syndrome Behavior Creativity Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being Quality of Life Social Behavior Social Isolation

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

YST Conservatory, 3 Conservatory Drive

Singapore, 117376

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Be currently enrolled in NUS
  • Be between the ages of 18-40 years old
  • Be fluent (speak and write) in English
  • Able to commit to attending the live sessions for the entire 10-week period
  • Have normal or corrected-to-normal hearing and vision

Exclusion criteria

  • Have been diagnosed with a neurological or hearing impairment, or a physical impairment that would prevent moving/dancing
  • Are taking medicine to treat their mental health (as this would be a confound in the study)

Treatment and study plan

Movin' and Groovin' for Wellness

Behavioral

Movin' and Groovin' for Wellness (MGW) is a 10-week program consisting of facilitated drumming and dancing sessions. The sessions include guided activities involving drumming, dancing, and group improvisation. Each session lasts approximately 1.5 hours, with activities designed to improve mental well-being, enhance social connections, and foster creative expression. The sessions are guided by professional facilitators.

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in depressive symptoms, stress levels and anxiety levels

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    Measurement of participants' depressive symptoms, stress levels and anxiety levels using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The scores from the DASS-21 questionnaire are used to assess these changes. Depression/Anxiety/Stress sub-scales' scores can range from 0-21 with higher scores indicating worse symptoms.

  2. Changes in quality of life

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    Measurement of participants' quality of life using the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). This measure captures physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environmental domains. The physical, psychological, social, and environmental domain scores each range from 4-20 with higher scores indicating a higher quality of life.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in social connection

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    Measurement of participants' social networks using the Short Form Lubben Social Network Scale. This scale evaluates the frequency and quality of participants' social interactions. The Friend sub-scale scores range from 0-15 with higher scores indicating more social connection with friends. The Family sub-scale scores range from 0-15 with higher scores indicating greater social connection with family.

  2. Changes in creativity

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    Measurement of participants' creative experiences using the Experience of Creation Scale. This scale assesses the impact of creative activities on participants' feelings of empowerment, freedom to decide, impact, and creativity. The scores range from 4-20 with higher scores indicating better experience of creation.

  3. Changes in resilience

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    Measurement of emotional resilience using the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. This scale measures participants' ability to cope with stress and adapt to changes, with higher scores indicating better resilience. The scores range from 4-20 with higher scores indicating high resilient copers.

  4. Changes in mood regulation through music

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 10

    Measurement of participants' use of music for mood regulation using the Brief Music in Mood Regulation Scale (B-MMR). This scale evaluates various strategies of music listening that individuals use to manage their mood and emotions. For each sub-scale, the scores range from 3-15 with higher scores indicating greater use of that listening strategy for mood regulation.

  5. Participant experience

    Time frame: Week 5, Week 10

    Collection of participants' experience in the program. The bespoken survey asks about students' experiences in the program, spanning artistic engagement, creative expression, comfort, mood, sense of well-being, and social aspects of the program.

  6. Qualitative feedback from focus group discussion

    Time frame: Within two weeks post-program completion

    Collection of lived experience from focus group discussion (FGD) about the program's impact on mental health, social connection, and creativity, as well as general feedback about the MGW program.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National University of Singapore

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Movin' & Groovin' for Wellness: A Drumming and Dancing Program to Support Well-being in NUS Students

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Aug 7, 2024
Registry last updated
Aug 12, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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