Data_Sheet_1_Expanding the social cure: a mixed-methods approach exploring the role of online group dance as support for young people (aged 16–24) living with anxiety.PDF

There is an increased interest in whether online arts interventions support mental health and social connections. This study explored eight weeks of online group dance as support for young people (aged 16–24) living with anxiety. The applicability of the ‘social cure’ theoretical framework to the novel context of an online dance class was sought. The study utilised an embedded QUAL+quan design, incorporating participatory focus group discussions (n = 3 groups; n = 11 participants) and one-on-one interviews (n = 2 participants), creative reflections (n = 16 participants) and ethnographic fieldnotes, and a repeated measures design with surveys at three timepoints (week 1, n = 27; week 4, n = 18; week 8, n = 14). Thematic analysis identified two overarching themes demonstrating how the dance classes (i) provided the opportunity to co-construct a meaningful shared identity and (ii) supported holistic wellbeing. The quantitative findings supported this, suggesting lower anxiety, depression, and loneliness and higher wellbeing, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and group closeness. This study expands the social cure to its application to an online dance context for the first time.

当前对在线艺术干预是否有助于心理健康和社会联系的探究兴趣日益浓厚。本研究旨在探讨为期八周的在线集体舞蹈课程对于16至24岁焦虑症患者的支持作用。研究试图将“社会治疗”理论框架应用于在线舞蹈课堂这一新颖的情境之中。研究采用了嵌入式QUAL+quan设计，融合了参与式焦点小组讨论（n=3组；n=11名参与者）、一对一访谈（n=2名参与者）、创意反思（n=16名参与者）以及民族志田野笔记，并采用了重复测量设计，在三个时间点进行问卷调查（第1周，n=27；第4周，n=18；第8周，n=14）。主题分析揭示了两个主要主题，展示了舞蹈课程如何（i）为共同构建有意义的共同身份提供了机会，以及（ii）支持了全面的福祉。定量结果也支持了这一观点，表明焦虑、抑郁和孤独感降低，而福祉、自尊、自我效能感和群体凝聚力提高。本研究首次将社会治疗应用于在线舞蹈环境，从而拓展了其应用范围。