A note on designing evaluations of health effects of cultural activities at work

Arts & Health ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Töres Theorell ◽  
Margaretha Hartzell ◽  
Stina Näslund
Author(s):  
Cecilia Stenfors ◽  
Eva Bojner Horwitz ◽  
Töres Theorell ◽  
Walter Osika

Both internal and external stimuli can cause stress, and suboptimal stress management is a major driver of ill health. There are several complex interventions, such as contemplative practices and cultural activities, which facilitate the process of becoming aware of and handling such stimuli. Participation in such activities can facilitate the connection with one’s emotions and values, and the integration of those in everyday coping. One contemplative practice is mindfulness, which involves bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis, non-judgementally. Among cultural interventions we find, for example, dance and music therapy and combinations thereof. It is plausible that the health effects of nature, and contemplative and cultural activities share a mechanistic background. Several theoretical principles are similar and the same kinds of condition benefit from these interventions, all with a certain effect on stress and mental fatigue. There could be synergistic effects of the various approaches.


2010 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
ELIZABETH MECHCATIE

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katariina Salmela-Aro ◽  
Sanna Read ◽  
Jari-Erik Nurmi ◽  
Markku Koskenvuo ◽  
Jaakko Kaprio ◽  
...  

This study examined genetic and environmental influences on older women’s personal goals by using data from the Finnish Twin Study on Aging. The interview for the personal goals was completed by 67 monozygotic (MZ) pairs and 75 dizygotic (DZ) pairs. The tetrachoric correlations for personal goals related to health and functioning, close relationships, and independent living were higher in MZ than DZ twins, indicating possible genetic influence. The pattern of tetrachoric correlations for personal goals related to cultural activities, care of others, and physical exercise indicated environmental influence. For goals concerning health and functioning, independent living, and close relationships, additive genetic effect accounted for about half of the individual variation. The rest was the result of a unique environmental effect. Goals concerning physical exercise and care of others showed moderate common environmental effect, while the rest of the variance was the result of a unique environmental effect. Personal goals concerning cultural activities showed unique environmental effects only.


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