A randomised controlled trial (RCT) exploring the impact of a photography intervention on wellbeing and posttraumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Background

Emerging evidence points to rising levels of psychological distress resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need for self-administered, low-cost, and accessible interventions that facilitate wellbeing and growth.

Methods

This study used a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design to investigate the effects of a two-week positivity-oriented photography intervention on wellbeing and posttraumatic growth in comparison to a control group. Participants were adults between the ages of 21 and 80 living in the UK recruited between May and August 2020 (n = 109).

Results

After adjusting for baseline wellbeing, both wellbeing and PTG were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group following intervention completion, with this effect remaining similar at one-month follow-up.

Conclusions

The study offers preliminary evidence that a brief self-administered photography intervention could hold therapeutic value.

KEYWORDS:

• Visual arts
• digital media
• mental health
• psychological wellbeing
• randomised controlled trials

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the University of Surrey Department of Clinical Psychology Service User and Carers Advisory Group for their contribution to selecting outcome measures for their study, and providing feedback on the intervention and study materials.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that supports the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, RR, upon reasonable request.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2022.2107033

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.