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.
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 Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
114
The goals of the intervention program are to help individuals develop an aesthetic mindset, practice observation and appreciation skills, learn how to apply these skills to their day-to-day lives, practice emotion regulation with beauty, and incorporate more beauty into their lives. The program is designed to create a slow skill transfer from appreciation in art contexts to natural beauty and to everyday life. In the 14-day program, participants visit an art museum with guided audio, watch instructional videos about observing and appreciating beauty, and complete daily written or photo beauty journals that document the beauty they see. In addition, participants will watch video art showing how to find beauty in mundane objects, practice this in a beauty walk, and complete a planning session to include more beauty in their lives.
The active, matched control group will focus on developing pragmatic observation skills. Participants will be instructed to pay attention to and identify objects and elements in their surroundings without emphasizing their aesthetic value. For example, they should pay attention and count objects of the same colour they encounter, social behaviour, the people they pass on the street, or the types of buildings. The 14-day program includes a tourist trip with guided audio instruction, watching instructional videos about increasing observation skills and completing daily written or photo journals to document their observations. Further, participants will take an observation walk and plan to include more observation in their lives.
RadboudUMC
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Engagement with Beauty
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.
Time frame: From baseline to the follow-up period (up to 2 months)
Well-being
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.
Time frame: From baseline to the follow-up period (up to 2 months)
Psychological Distress
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.
Time frame: From baseline to the follow-up period (up to 2 months)
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.