(PS4-B38) The Impact of Visual Arts on Students' Social-emotional Learning and Mental Health

Title: The Impact of Visual Arts on Students’ Social-Emotional Learning and Mental Health

The development of social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is essential for youth’s mental health and well-being, allowing youth to regulate their emotions, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (Guerra & Bradshaw, 2008). SEL is an evidence-based intervention derived from CBT principles to promote students’ well-being in the classroom (Mendez, 2017).  Although theoretical literature has linked the visual arts to the implicit cultivation of SEL skills in students, since it has traditionally allowed for self-expression of emotions and opportunities for connectivity and engagement between peers (Edgar & Elias, 2020), the relationship between SEL and visual arts performance has not been studied extensively in the literature.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of a pilot SEL-embedded visual arts curriculum on the social and emotional outcomes of middle school students. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant increase in students’ mental health and social-emotional skills at the end of the marking period, compared to the beginning of the marking period.

Participants in this study consisted of 74 students (47.3% female; 74% Asian, 12% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Black, 4% Other) in four 6th grade middle school art classes, within one school in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US. Assessment measures such as teacher-reported SEL skills and student-reported mental health were collected once towards the beginning of the visual arts class, and once at the end of class. Final visual arts grades were also collected for each student.

Preliminary results found that both students’ initial SEL scores (M = 29.46, SD = 3.90) and final SEL scores (M = 31.59, SD = 1.54) had significant moderate correlations with students’ final visual art grades (scores ranging from C to A+, modal grade = A, ps < .01). Paired t-tests revealed a significant increase between students’ initial SEL scores and their final SEL scores, as rated by the teacher (t(73) = -4.98, p< .001). However, there was no significant difference between students’ initial mental health scores and their final scores, as self-reported by the students (t(63) = .33, p=.74).

Preliminary results suggest that being in an art class may have contributed to the increase in SEL while the short time frame between the pre and post assessment explains the lack of increase in mental health. Both the student's and the teacher's perceptions of the student may have been important factors. Future analyses will be conducted with additional students with another school within the same district. Results from this study have potential implications for better understanding of the role of the arts in students’ social and emotional well-being and development.