Arts On Our Mind - the effectiveness of creative activities in promoting mental wellbeing and reducing psychopathological symptoms in children of families with a mental illness

INTERVENTION: This research explores the effectiveness of creative activities in promoting mental wellbeing and reducing the psychopathological symptoms of children of parents/families with a mental illness (COPMI). The research is a mixed method, randomised experimental and control group design to explore changes in psychopathological symptoms, as well as levels of resiliency and mindfulness in the COPMI population.Participants of the research will be young people identified to have a family member with a mental illness, living in the Metro South Health catchment region. Referrals may include self‐referrals, referrals from mental health clinicians or other stakeholders such as youth workers, school staff or primary healthcare providers. Participants may or may not be currently experiencing a mental illness themselves. Exclusion criteria applies to those who are currently at risk of harming themselves or others, experiencing a psychotic episode or abusing illicit substances, as they may not be able to participate safely in the group. Participants with severe cognitive impairment are also excluded as they may have difficulties following directions and participate fully and meaningfully in the group. Eligible participants will be randomised into either the Experimental Group that will take part in the ‘Arts On Our Mind’ (AOOM) creative arts group (which is the research intervention) or the Waitlist Control Group, in which the participants will not be taking part in AOOM during the initial research period. However, they will be offered the opportunity to take part in AOOM after the initial research period to ensure equal access to the program. Therefore, there will be two sets of data collected for the Waitlist Control Group, which includes the initial data set collected when acting as a control for the experimental group, as well as the subsequent data set collected when engaged in the AOOM after the waitlist period is over. For the purpose of this study, participants CONDITION: Mental Health ‐ Anxiety Mental Health ‐ Depression Mental Health ‐ Other mental health disorders Mental wellbeing; ; Mental wellbeing SECONDARY OUTCOME: A secondary outcome is the level of mindfulness in participants as measured by the CAMM ‐ Child Acceptance and Mindfulness Measure (quantitative measure) and a semi structured‐interview (qualitative measure). [The CAMM will be administered before the intervention at Week One, after the final session of the intervention at Week Five and one month post Week Five. The qualitative semi‐structured interviews will be conducted at Week Five and one month post Week Five. ] INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Participants will be from families with parental mental illness, or a sibling/close relative with mental illness living in the household. 2. Participants will be between the ages 8‐12 years. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Another primary outcome is the level of psychopathological symptoms in the participants, which include the levels of depression, anxiety, anger, disruptive behaviour and poor self concept, as assessed by the BYI‐2 ‐ Beck Youth Inventories 2nd Edition (quantitative measure) and a semi structured‐interview (qualitative measure).. ; ; ; [The Beck Youth Inventories 2nd Edition will be administered before the intervention at Week One, after the final session of the intervention at Week Five and one month post Week Five. The qualitative semi‐structured interviews will be conducted at Week Five and one month post Week Five. ] The levels of mental resilience as assessed by the RSCA ‐ Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents (quantitative measure) and a semi structured‐interview (qualitative measure). ; [The RSCA will be administered before the intervention at Week One, after the final session of the intervention at Week Five and one month post Week Five. The qualitative semi‐structured interviews will be conducted at Week Five and one month post Week Five. ]