eprintid: 10070156 rev_number: 22 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/10/07/01/56 datestamp: 2019-03-15 17:45:02 lastmod: 2021-10-04 00:32:16 status_changed: 2019-03-15 17:45:02 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Pearce, E title: Participants’ perspectives on the social bonding and well-being effects of creative arts adult education classes ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: C07 divisions: D79 keywords: Self-efficacy, social capital, mental health note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: Background: Evidence suggests that adult education classes have a positive impact on well-being, but whether this is true for all course activities is unknown. Methods: A UK adult education charity ran four singing classes, two craft classes and a creative writing class for the purpose of this study. Written responses to open questions about health, well-being and social lives were collected from participants at the end of the 7-month courses. Results: The classes enhanced well-being by improving mood and providing a sense of belonging. The classes helped participants develop self-confidence, create and strengthen relationships, and encouraged more active lives. Participants valued meeting people from their community and used these ties to access information about local opportunities. However, some participants reported negative experiences linked to unfavourable self–other comparison. Conclusions: These results highlight how regular adult education classes involving creativity can enhance well-being and help community integration regardless of the subject studied. date: 2017 date_type: published official_url: https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2016.1193550 oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1637553 doi: 10.1080/17533015.2016.1193550 lyricists_name: Pearce, Eiluned lyricists_id: EHPEA15 actors_name: Nonhebel, Lucinda actors_id: LNONH33 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: Arts and Health: An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice volume: 9 number: 1 pagerange: 42-59 issn: 1753-3015 citation: Pearce, E; (2017) Participants’ perspectives on the social bonding and well-being effects of creative arts adult education classes. Arts and Health: An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice , 9 (1) pp. 42-59. 10.1080/17533015.2016.1193550 <https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2016.1193550>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10070156/7/Pearce_socialbondinginadultedcreativearts.pdf