Creative arts interventions to enhance adolescent well-being in low-income communities: an integrative literature review

Abstract

Background: Globally many young people, especially from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, face significant barriers to achieving optimal life chances. Creative arts interventions are a way of reaching out to adolescents in low-income communities, to encourage positive functioning and enhanced well-being. We need information on the efficacy – or otherwise – of such interventions to optimise future efforts.

Method: An integrative, descriptive literature review was conducted to explore and describe creative arts interventions for adolescents in low-income communities. Data were synthesised by comparing evidence from 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria, and combining ideas using logical reasoning to present what is known or yet to be known about the study topic.

Results: Themes emerged regarding the structure and content of interventions; the characteristics of adolescent participants; the countries and contexts in which interventions were carried out; and overall outcomes for adolescent well-being as well as pedagogy.

Conclusion: There are worthy outcomes for adolescents living in low-income communities who participate in structured creative arts interventions. However, research evidence is limited, and more research should be undertaken to investigate the development and evaluation of creative arts interventions for the well-being of adolescents in adverse contexts.

Keywords:

• adolescents
• adverse contexts
• community
• emotional health
• positive functioning
• positive psychology