Art-based Beauty Appreciation Intervention

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Young Adults; Sensory Processing Sensitivity

• Registration Number: NCT06788496
• Lead Sponsor: Radboud University Medical Center

Brief Summary

This study is a randomized controlled trial with an active control condition evaluating the impact of an art-based beauty appreciation (ABBA) intervention on trait appreciation of beauty as a primary outcome and well-being and psychological distress as secondary outcomes. The central hypothesis is that the primary and secondary outcomes will increase more in the intervention than in the control condition.

Detailed Description

This study is a randomized controlled trial with an active control condition evaluating the impact of an art-based beauty appreciation (ABBA) intervention on trait appreciation of beauty as a primary outcome and well-being and psychological distress as secondary outcomes. These two programs have been designed and validated in a qualitative pilot study as matched in credibility, intensity, and enjoyment. There are three measurement points for primary and secondary outcomes, including (1) enrollment, (2) a post-test after the intervention/control program, and (3) a 4-week follow-up measure. N = 114 participants will be randomized after baseline into either the intervention or control group (N = 57/group). In addition, to investigate perceived mechanisms, barriers, and facilitators, participants will be selected using purposive sampling and invited to a semi-structured interview until data saturation is reached (expected N = 15).

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-11-22
• Status Verified: 2024-12
• Study First Submitted: 2024-12-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-01-22
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-01-22
• Study First Posted: 2025-01-23
• Last Update Posted: 2025-01-23
• Primary Completion: 2025-05-01
• Study Completion: 2025-05-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 114

Inclusion Criteria

1. Participants must be between 18-28 years of age,
2. indicate that they have a smartphone to support our data collection and program components,
3. have the ability and interest to make a trip to a museum or new location (i.e., new part of the city),

(3) be willing to complete short activities every day for two weeks, (4) and be fluent in English, (6) be based in Amsterdam, (7) are willing to share postal address to receive materials.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Participants must not currently be in clinical treatment for a mental health disorder, assessed via self-report, or
2. indicate that they are currently experiencing severe psychological symptoms (i.e., depression, suicidal ideation, severe anxiety) via self-report.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Engagement with Beauty	From baseline to the follow-up period (up to 2 months)	The Engagement with Beauty Scale Revised (EBS-R) is an 18-item self-report scale designed to assess cognitive and emotional engagement with natural beauty, artistic beauty, moral beauty, and beautiful ideas. Participants respond on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (very unlike me) to 7 (very much like me). Example items include reflections on physiological responses to natural beauty, the spiritual experience elicited by art, and the desire for personal growth through moral beauty appreciation. Subscales measure engagement with moral beauty (scores 6-42) and the other three domains (scores 4-28), contributing to a total score ranging from 18 to 126.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Well-being	From baseline to the follow-up period (up to 2 months)	We will measure well-being using the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF). This has 14 items over three subscales: emotional well-being, social well-being (eudemonic well-being), and psychological well-being. The items are scored on a 6-point Likert scale (0-5), then sum-scored.
Psychological Distress	From baseline to the follow-up period (up to 2 months)	The DASS-21 will be used to measure psychological distress. It has 21 items divided over three subscales of 7 items each. These capture emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress. The items are assessed using a four-point Likert scale (0-3), summed together, and multiplied by two. This results in three subscales and a total score.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

RadboudUMC; 🇳🇱 Nijmegen, Netherlands