ARTISAN 2.0: Deconstructing the Integrative Efficacy of a Multimodal Art-based Intervention

ARTISAN 2.0: Deconstructing the Integrative Efficacy of a Multimodal Art-based Intervention to Strengthen Understanding and Demystify Misconceptions on Arts, Heritage, and Health

To address perceived loneliness via citizen empowerment, ARTISAN (Aspiration and Resilience Through Intergenerational Storytelling and Art-based Narratives) was developed by the Principal Investigator in partnership with the National Arts Council and the National Museum of Singapore. A 2018 pilot study was conducted with the aim to establish ARTISAN's intervention framework, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in promoting resilience, social connectedness, wellbeing, personhood and nationhood. The current research builds on the empirical foundation of the pilot study and seeks to deconstruct the ARTISAN intervention for gaining a deeper understanding of its underlying mechanisms for promoting positive life changes among youth and senior participants such as reduced loneliness, enhanced resilience, psychological wellbeing, social connectedness and sense of nationhood.

Objective: The core objective is to critically investigate and assess the independent and combined efficacy of each key intervention components of ARTISAN's multimodal framework, which consist of: 1) full ARTISAN condition; 2) intergenerational participatory arts condition; 3) intergenerational art space condition; 4) intergenerational storytelling condition; and 5) control condition of physical activity.

Methods: Utilizing a five-arm, multicentre randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, 70 youths and 70 seniors (N=140) from 10 collaborating sites will be invited to participate in a 5-weeks intervention programme under one of five conditions (ARTISAN condition, Participatory Arts condition, Art-space condition, Storytelling condition, Control condition). Quantitative measurements will be taken at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and ten week post baseline the interventions.

Significance: The results generated will serve to illuminate the intricate pathways in which arts and heritage can cultivate positive life changes, and address misconceptions and about the pivotal roles that arts and heritage play in health promotion.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Youth between the age of 16 to 35
• Community-dwelling seniors above the age of 60
• Fluent in verbal English or Mandarin

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals who are unable to provide informed consent (or parental consent where applicable)
• Individuals diagnosed with major mental illness or cognitive impairment (If deemed appropriate, potential senior participants will be screened by the NTU research team using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE))
• Participants who had engaged in the ARTISAN pilot study