Participatory Arts Programmes for Adults with Complex Disabilities V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Participatory Arts for the wellbeing and social inclusion of adults with complex disabilities.
IRAS ID
343772
Contact name
Alice Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Esssex
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 7 days
Research summary
Participatory arts refers a form of art where the audience is engaged in the creative process so that they become active participants. Research has shown that participatory arts programmes have positive benefits for social, emotional, and physical wellbeing, community participation, reduced stigmatisation, increased creativity, and increased resilience. People with learning disabilities have been highlighted as a population who may particularly benefit from participatory arts interventions, with research suggesting benefits for confidence, self-esteem, enjoyment, skills development, relationships, and community inclusion. Although there is evidence for the benefits of participatory arts for people with learning disabilities, there is little research about the benefits for people with complex disabilities. A complex disability can be defined as someone who has two or more of the following conditions: learning disability, Autism, hearing impairment, or vision impairment. It is estimated that over 1.6 million people in the UK have a complex disability, however, this population is significantly underrepresented in the literature. Furthermore, research with this population often relies on information by proxy. Several methodological challenges have been proposed as a reason for this gap in the literature, including adjusting communication methods and ethical procedures. The present study aims to address the gap in the literature by including people with complex disabilities. A mixed qualitative approach will be utilised to gain the views and experiences of four to six adults with complex disabilities, their families/carers, and group facilitators. Participants will be recruited through opportunity sampling via a gatekeeping organisation (s) that provides participatory arts groups for adults with complex disabilities. Data will be collected through observations of participatory arts groups and individual interviews with group facilitators and family members/carers. Views and experiences of adults with complex disabilities will be gained through their preferred communication methods after the group has ended to ensure their experience is not disrupted.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0764
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jan 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion