Abstract:

College students are facing unprecedented circumstances as a result of the social distancing protocols implemented by the COVID-19 Pandemic. These social restrictions can lead to feelings of loneliness and social isolation in a population already predisposed to emotional turmoil. This study investigates the mitigating effects of 4-6 weeks of virtual art healing classes on feelings of loneliness and well-being in undergraduate students affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Participants in this study were full time undergraduate and graduate students. Measures for this study included a demographic questionnaire, the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 (UCLA-3), the Lubben Social Networking Scale Revised Edition (LSN-R), and the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale 42 Item Version (PWB-42). Participants were asked to complete the measures before 4-6 weeks of art intervention, and after the intervention. Independent t-tests were conducted to analyze differences in the pre and post test data. Two subscales of the PWB-42, Purpose of Life and Self-Acceptance, showed an increase over time. This study demonstrates the impacts of art healing in a unique situation and demonstrates the positive impact of art activities on college students as a low-cost, easy to implement solution to help alleviate the emotional repercussions of social distancing.