NCT06788496

Art-based Beauty Appreciation Intervention

RCT Pilot Study: Art-based Beauty Appreciation Intervention

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 114 (actual)
• Sponsor: Radboud University Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 28 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study is a randomized controlled trial with an active control condition evaluating the impact of an art-based beauty appreciation (ABBA) intervention on trait appreciation of beauty as a primary outcome and well-being and psychological distress as secondary outcomes. The central hypothesis is that the primary and secondary outcomes will increase more in the intervention than in the control condition.

Detailed description

This study is a randomized controlled trial with an active control condition evaluating the impact of an art-based beauty appreciation (ABBA) intervention on trait appreciation of beauty as a primary outcome and well-being and psychological distress as secondary outcomes. These two programs have been designed and validated in a qualitative pilot study as matched in credibility, intensity, and enjoyment. There are three measurement points for primary and secondary outcomes, including (1) enrollment, (2) a post-test after the intervention/control program, and (3) a 4-week follow-up measure. N = 114 participants will be randomized after baseline into either the intervention or control group (N = 57/group). In addition, to investigate perceived mechanisms, barriers, and facilitators, participants will be selected using purposive sampling and invited to a semi-structured interview until data saturation is reached (expected N = 15).

Conditions

• Young Adults
• Sensory Processing Sensitivity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Art-based Beauty Appreciation Intervention Program (Learning to See Beauty)	The goals of the intervention program are to help individuals develop an aesthetic mindset, practice observation and appreciation skills, learn how to apply these skills to their day-to-day lives, practice emotion regulation with beauty, and incorporate more beauty into their lives. The program is designed to create a slow skill transfer from appreciation in art contexts to natural beauty and to everyday life. In the 14-day program, participants visit an art museum with guided audio, watch instructional videos about observing and appreciating beauty, and complete daily written or photo beauty journals that document the beauty they see. In addition, participants will watch video art showing how to find beauty in mundane objects, practice this in a beauty walk, and complete a planning session to include more beauty in their lives.
BEHAVIORAL	Observation Program (Learning to Observe Life)	The active, matched control group will focus on developing pragmatic observation skills. Participants will be instructed to pay attention to and identify objects and elements in their surroundings without emphasizing their aesthetic value. For example, they should pay attention and count objects of the same colour they encounter, social behaviour, the people they pass on the street, or the types of buildings. The 14-day program includes a tourist trip with guided audio instruction, watching instructional videos about increasing observation skills and completing daily written or photo journals to document their observations. Further, participants will take an observation walk and plan to include more observation in their lives.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-11-22
• Primary completion: 2025-07-18
• Completion: 2025-07-18
• First posted: 2025-01-23
• Last updated: 2025-08-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Netherlands