Does participation in art classes influence performance on two different cognitive tasks?

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Effects of two mentally stimulating art interventions on processing speed and visuo-spatial cognition were compared in three samples.

Method: In a randomized 10-week art intervention study with a pre-post follow-up design, 113 adults (27 healthy older adults with subjective memory complaints, 50 healthy older adults and 36 healthy younger adults) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: visual art production or cognitive art evaluation, where the participants either produced or evaluated art. ANOVAs with repeated measures were computed to observe effects on the Symbol-Digit Test, and the Stick Test.

Results: Significant Time effects were found with regard to processing speed and visuo-spatial cognition. Additionally, there was found a significant Time × Sample interaction for processing speed. The effects proved robust after testing for education and adding sex as additional factor.

Conclusion: Mental stimulation by participation in art classes leads to an improvement of processing speed and visuo-spatial cognition. Further investigation is required to improve understanding of the potential impact of art intervention on cognitive abilities across adulthood.

Keywords:

• Subjective memory complaints
• visual arts
• mental stimulation
• processing speed
• visuo-spatial cognition

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the STAEDTLER Foundation. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We are thankful to Silka Dawn Freiesleben for invaluable help regarding English style.

Disclosure statement

The authors state that there are no conflicts of interest. There are no financial interests or benefits that arise from this research.

Notes

1. The time effect of the Symbol-Digit Test (F_{(df = 2)} = 24.0**) and the Stick Test (F_{(df = 2)} = 12.5**) as well as time × sample effect (F_{(df = 4)} = 5.6*) remained significant and proved robust after testing for sex and education when removing HYA from the analyses.

Additional information

Funding

STAEDTLER Foundation, Nuremberg, Germany, 2011–2014.