A preliminary investigation on visual arts in impacting the sleep quality among university students

Overview

This preliminary investigation examined the efficacy of visual art intervention on sleep quality and emotional well-being among Malaysian undergraduate students. The study employed a quasi-experimental design comparing a visual art intervention group with a control group over a six-week period. Sleep quality was assessed through both objective physiological measurement via sleep tracking devices and subjective evaluation using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Emotional states encompassing depression, anxiety, and stress were quantified using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items. The sample consisted of 40 undergraduates with mean age 21.15 ± 1.460 years, distributed across intervention (n = 23) and control (n = 23) conditions.

Methods and approach

Participants in the Visual Art Group engaged in a structured visual art intervention programme administered twice weekly throughout the six-week study duration. The control group received no intervention during the equivalent period. Sleep quality was operationalized through dual assessment modalities: physiological measurement using wearable sleep tracking technology and subjective self-report via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Negative emotional states were measured using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items. Statistical analysis employed Generalized Estimating Equations to examine group differences in outcomes over time, accommodating the repeated measures design and accounting for potential correlations within subjects.

Key Findings

Within-group analysis indicated improvement in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores among the Visual Art Group participants relative to declining baseline values in the control condition. Generalized Estimating Equations analysis demonstrated statistically significant effects of the visual art intervention on both anxiety and stress measures among Visual Art Group participants at post-intervention assessment. These findings suggest differential trajectories between intervention and control conditions across sleep quality and selected emotional state variables.

Implications

The results indicate that visual art intervention demonstrates potential as a modality for enhancing sleep quality and reducing anxiety and stress symptoms among university student populations. The intervention appears to function as a cost-effective approach to addressing sleep disturbance, a prevalent concern among higher education students. Given the accessibility and relatively low resource requirements of visual art programming, implementation across university settings may constitute a feasible complement to existing student health services.

Scope and limitations

This summary is based on the study abstract and available metadata. It does not include a full analysis of the complete paper, supplementary materials, or underlying datasets unless explicitly stated. Findings should be interpreted in the context of the original publication.