Creative Expression Research Articles

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health of Young Adults: A Literature Review

This concept paper explores the complex relationship between social media usage and the mental health of young adults. The paper introduces the notion of social media and its significance in the lives of young adult, emphasizing the importance of studying its effects on their mental health and psychological well-being. Social media platforms have become an integral part of daily activities in the lives of young people. It has also become an invasive element in the lives of youth, shaping their social interactions, self-perception, and access to lots of information. Even though these platforms offer opportunities for social connection, creative expression, and educational engagement, they also present significant mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, which are often driven by social comparison, cyberbullying, and the pressure to maintain an idealized online image. The paper investigates key areas of concern, including the rise of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem linked to social comparison, cyberbullying, and the relentless pursuit of online validation. It also examines the addictive nature of social media, its impact on sleep, and the destruction of face-to-face social skills. By analysing existing literature and identifying research gaps, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the two-edged nature of social media's influence on mental health. It advocates for the development of digital literacy programs, mental health support systems, and balanced usage strategies to help young people navigate the challenges posed by social media while maximizing its potential benefits.

An Empirical Study of Integrating Orff-Schulwerk in Music Classes to Improve College Students' Social Competence in the Post Epidemic Era

As the global epidemic eases, college students face increasing Social-Skills problems, especially when Social-Skills are reduced due to prolonged home isolation. This study investigated the effectiveness of Orff-Schulwerk in enhancing the Social-Skills of college students. Taking students of Z College School in Southern China as the research object, the current social status and needs of college students were analyzed through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The findings suggest that Orff-Schulwerk significantly improves students' Social-Skills through its unique collective participation and creative expression, especially in enhancing teamwork, communication skills and self-confidence. This study not only provides new perspectives on the application of music education in higher education, but also provides empirical support on how to promote the development of college students' Social-Skills through art education in the post epidemic era.

Creative Expression and Writing Proficiency of Junior High School Students in Special Program in the Arts Class

This study aimed to determine the relationship between creative expression and writing proficiency. The respondents were grade 9 students enrolled in the Special Program in the Arts (SPA) class. The researcher employed a descriptive correlational design with a test questionnaire consisting. Statistical tools such as frequency count, weighted mean, and Pearson correlation were used to collect and analyze numerical data. Results indicated that respondents had a moderate awareness of their creative expression in terms of writing. Their writing proficiency was rated as good in grammar and syntax, fair in the organization of ideas, and good in content development. The statistical result showed a strong relationship between writing proficiency and creative expression, with significant associations found in grammar and syntax, organization of ideas, and content development. A positive correlation was also observed between writing skills and levels of creative expression, suggesting that enhanced creative expression in writing is linked with improved writing proficiency. The findings underscore the importance of fostering both artistic expression and writing skills. The strong relationships between various writing proficiency criteria and creative expression highlight the interaction between creativity and effective writing. Thus, it is recommended that the pedagogical integration of writing techniques and creative expressions must be implemented in arts class.

TikTok Shop: Future of E-Commerce? How Can Galderma Leverage Tiktok Shop to Increase its Penetration and Improve its Market Share in Indonesia Skincare Market?

TikTok was introduced to the Indonesian market in September 2017. Upon its launch, TikTok quickly gained popularity among Indonesian users, especially among the younger demographic, for its short-form video content that allowed for creative expression and entertainment. One of TikTok services is TikTok Shop, an integrated e-commerce capabilities directly within the TikTok app, allowing users to browse, purchase, and sell products without leaving the platform. They launch this service in April 2021. The platform introduced features like shoppable videos and live shopping events, where users could interact with influencers and brands in real-time while purchasing products providing a new and engaging way for Indonesian businesses to reach potential customers and boost sales through interactive and entertaining content. Galderma Indonesia Healthcare is one of the leading companies dedicated to advancing dermatology for every skin story. Galderma strategically its positioned in attractive, consumer-driven segments of the dermatology market, characterized by high growth fundamentals supported by science-based product differentiation and premium positioning. One of Galderma’s brands that is available in Indonesia is Cetaphil. Cetaphil products are available in modern retailers with Health & Beauty channel as the top contributor, followed by general trade and pharmacy channel. Even though available, Cetaphil is still low in in skincare category penetration. This study examines the positioning and promotional strategies of Cetaphil on TikTok Shop using qualitative research methods. Primary data was gathered through expert interviews, while secondary data was sourced from internal company reports, previous research studies, and strategic agency reports.

Combining style generative adversarial networks with particle swarm optimisation-support vector regression to design affective social robot for public health intervention

In order to improve the attractiveness of social robot serving health interventions in public workspace, we propose a product design method with the combination of Style-generative adversarial network (StyleGAN) model and particle swarm optimisation-support vector regression (PSO-SVR). This paper aims to explore the modelling generation method of social robots for health intervention based on artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) and a mapping model between the shape characteristics and users’ visual perception based on Kansei Engineering (KE). Firstly, to address the defects of typical KE over-reliance on existing samples, we introduce the StyleGAN model in AIGC to learn and train existing robots’ shape samples and generate new robots’ shape sample images. Secondly, the morphological deconstruction method is used to deconstruct the shape features of the new robot sample. Factor analysis (FA) is also used to reduce dimension and cluster emotional words and establish a Likert scale between the shape features of robots and users’ emotional vocabulary. Finally, particle swarm optimisation-support vector regression (PSO-SVR) is used to establish a mapping model between the shape features of social robots and the emotional images of users, thus obtaining the most attractive shape combination scheme. The research results showed that the StyleGAN model in AIGC can be used to assist industrial designers in creative expression and provide rich sample sources for KE; and the PSO-SVR of machine learning can be used to build a mapping model among users’ visual feelings, emotional images and shape features. In the end, we designed an attractive social robot for public health intervention.

Self-Presentation on Social Media: Sociological Research of Young People in the City of Split (Croatia)

Youth self-presentation represents the creative expression of personality, interests, and attitudes through the formation of an online identity on social media, which is an indispensable component of young people's lives nowadays. Just as Goffman's actor presents himself on stage in everyday life, people on social media have unique modes of expression that include filtering, editing, and selective sharing of content in order to present themselves in the best light and impress their target online audience. This sociological research aims to gain an insight into how young people present themselves to their online audience by examining why and how often they use and post on social media, as well as how they create and edit content on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok as the most popular social media. An online survey was used in 2023 to gather data from a sample of 283 young people in Split (Croatia), who were between the ages of 20 and 34. The study's findings indicate that young people follow posts and stories of others every day and that women spend more time both following and posting content on social media than men. In comparison with Facebook and TikTok, they prefer to use Instagram. Compared to men who use social media because of its popularity or in order to make new acquaintances, women use it for entertainment (Facebook) and to follow and create content (Instagram). At the same time, women are more inclined to use various options and tools when creating and editing content on social media.

Enhancing Creativity: The Impact of Multilingualism on Creative Arts Instruction and Expression in South African Schools

Teachers heavily rely on the dominant language of instruction—a spoken and written mode of communication—rather than expressing creative art forms through actions, signs, symbols, and other means. The reliance on monolingual forms of instruction to teach these art forms may diminish their efficacy. This research thus aimed to optimise the use of multilingualism in the context of Creative Arts and expression. Teachers teach Creative Arts with the aim of equipping learners with fundamental knowledge and skills in the arts, thereby fostering creativity, imagination, and appreciation for artistic activities. Multilingualism also entails using the human senses to see, understand, and navigate the various symbolic worlds humans encounter. The study adopted a transformational paradigm based on qualitative participatory research, focusing on ten eighth-grade learners purposefully selected from a particular school. Semiotics, the study of signals and the epistemology of their presence in society, served as the theoretical foundation for the research. The researcher collected data through focus groups and observations and then used a narrative analysis method for analysis. The findings revealed that limitations such as insufficient instructional time, a lack of training and linguistic dominance, a lack of resources, and limited preparedness impede the effective use of multilingual instructional methodologies. The researcher concludes that compulsory incorporation of semiotics in Creative Arts instruction may be crucial in fostering creative thinkers who cannot only express creative practices in a conventional manner but also use their talents in other domains, such as animation in creative practice. Keywords: Multilingualism, Creative Arts, Semiotics, Transformational Paradigm, Participatory Research.

Research On the Impact of Pop Music In 2000s Films: Shaping Youth Culture Through Soundtracks

This research delves into the profound impact of pop music on youth-oriented films of the 2000s, examining aspects such as cultural representation, emotional connection, and financial gains. The introduction underscores the critical importance of this topic in understanding how media shapes youth culture and influences societal perceptions. By focusing on iconic films like "High School Musical" and "Mean Girls," the study illustrates how pop music is used to enrich narratives and captivate audiences, making it an integral part of the storytelling process. The analysis reveals several key issues, including cultural homogenization, the reinforcement of stereotypes, and the prioritization of commercialization over artistic integrity. These challenges highlight the need for a more thoughtful integration of music in films to avoid superficial portrayals and promote authenticity. To address these issues, the research recommends expanding the range of musical themes to reflect diverse cultures and experiences, breaking away from stereotypes to foster more nuanced character portrayals, and balancing commercial objectives with creative expression in future film productions. The conclusion emphasizes the significance of this research in guiding media practices toward greater cultural diversity in youth-oriented entertainment. By adopting these recommendations, filmmakers can create richer, more diverse content that resonates emotionally with audiences while also contributing positively to the cultural landscape.

Using iPad Making Comics for Teaching the “Fire and the Cave Men” for K-10 Students

This work explores the potential of iPads in creating educational comics to teach K–10 students the philosophical topics of “The Fire and the Cave Men”. The visual and interactive features of the iPad can assist educators in crafting captivating stories from intricate philosophical materials, thereby enhancing student understanding and engagement. The study highlights the iPad’s ability to demystify abstract ideas, foster innovation, and promote student collaboration through instructional comics. Incorporating visual arts and narrative also aids in establishing a deeper connection to environmental and historical topics, fostering an ecological attitude and viewpoint. The article concludes that iPads offer a versatile platform for enhancing educational outcomes through creative expression, with practical implications for educators and students alike.

Civil Rights vs Creative Expression: Anti-Discrimination and Free Speech in Public Accommodation

In the case of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, the US Supreme Court allowed a graphic design business to refuse to create wedding websites for queer couples. The issue of marginalized groups being able to access services and public accommodations without facing discrimination has been a question within US judicial systems for decades now. This paper seeks to examine the historical context of accessible public accommodations, past verdicts relevant to this case as well as the implications of the current Supreme Court decision to analyse the future of the balance between civil rights and creative expression in the United States.

The role of modelling during instruction in collaborative creativity

This research examines how modelling, a common instructional technique where a teacher or expert demonstrates a task or skill, impacts students' creative expression in artistic disciplines like music, dance, and visual arts. The study specifically focuses on elementary students engaged in creative collaboration activities, generating movements to music and altering lyrics to a folk song. Through audio and video recordings of student activity, the study observed how students interacted with both the teacher's and their peers' modelled examples. The findings indicate that students often imitated the teacher's examples and adhere closely to the model, creating some confusion for students during idea generation and the rejection of certain ideas.Findings show that in lessons where creative activities are designed to elicit a variety of ideas and make connections, how students interpret modelling can be complex. This highlights the need for clear communication about the intended use of modelling. Despite the small sample size, the study provides initial insights into the challenges and complexities of using modelling in creative educational tasks, emphasising the balance between imitation and creativity.

Nepali English creative writing: historical trajectory and strategies adopted by Nepali English creative writers

ABSTRACT The paper sets out to trace the history of Nepali English creative writing and identify the strategies used by Nepali English creative writers in creating Nepali English literature. The first section of the paper chronicles the historical trajectory of Nepali English creative writing, illustrating Nepali English bilinguals’ increased use of English as an alternative medium of creative expression. The second section of the paper analyzes four contemporary Nepali English literary works in light of bilinguals’ creativity and notions of abrogation and appropriation processes. The analysis revealed the writers’ adoption of four nativizing strategies: leaving cultural references untranslated, cultural references accompanied by explicitation/English translation, hybrid innovations, and syntactic meshing. Through these strategies, the writers inscribed and foregrounded Nepali-specific linguistic and cultural features in their English literary works, resourcing their bi/multilingual creativity. These findings imply further recognition of emerging literatures in English and their use as resources in ESL/EFL pedagogy.

Grief, the Creative Process, and Making a Poem

The process of coping with grief through creative expression is explored in a poem dedicated to a late friend, David. By engaging with poetry, both as a creator and a reader, the grieving process is facilitated, promoting a sense of closure and acceptance. This poster examines how, through vivid imagery and introspective reflections, the poet navigates through themes of silence, nature, and memory, culminating in a heartfelt tribute to the departed friend. Ultimately, the creative process becomes a pathway towards understanding and processing the complexities of grief, allowing for a sense of closure and healing. From the UB RISE 2023 forum.

Subtitling profanity into Malay: Balancing formal and creative taboo expressions

Introduction: Translation of swearwords has unceasingly gained traction in audiovisual translation. In subtitling, swearing does not only warrant linguistic consideration but other multimodal elements, such as intonation and body movement. Apart from subtitling technicalities, the difficulties of swearword translation are also impeded by their explicit and implicit forms, as well as the linguistic-cultural differences in source-target texts. This study aims to deliberate on the Malay translation of English swearwords of ‘fuck’ and ‘shit’ in two episodes of Netflix TV series The History of Swearwords.Methods: To this end, it employs a comparative and descriptive analysis by developing a parallel corpus by utilising AntConc and AntPConc software. The selection of Netflix posits no local law or policy restrictions and censorship.Results: The comparative analysis found a linkup between creative and formal subtitling of the swearwords, which signals a prevalent pragmatic and cultural foundation in the translation, especially vis-à-vis the deletion and neutralisation procedures. The study also raises other notable concerns, such as the identification and semantic comprehension of swearwords by the series subtitlers.Conclusions: Overall, the study posits that the socio-pragmatic factors, among others are still central for the English-Malay translation strategies of the swearwords in maintaining both linguistic accuracy and cultural appropriateness for target audience

Unleashing Creativity Through Paidia: Free Play in Learning and Work

This paper explores the transformative potential of paidia—unstructured and spontaneous play—in enhancing creativity and learning outcomes in educational and professional settings. Drawing from Roger Caillois's theoretical distinctions between paidia (free play) and ludus (structured play), this study advocates for the integration of paidia to foster environments conducive to innovative thinking and creative expression. Central to our discussion is the critique of the 'tyranny of software', a concept inspired by Lev Manovich, which posits that despite the utility of digital tools, they often confine creative expression within pre-established boundaries, thus stifling genuine innovation. The research methodologically analyzes how paidia, as a pedagogical approach, facilitates a more liberated form of interaction with technology, thereby rehumanizing the digital learning experience. It contrasts traditional game-based methodologies that prioritize rule-based learning with the dynamic, rule-free nature of paidia, presenting empirical evidence from various educational settings where the integration of paidia has notably enhanced creativity. This exploration contributes to the broader discourse on the effectiveness of game-based learning by providing a nuanced understanding of how unstructured play can be systematically integrated into educational and professional domains to foster a culture of innovation and creativity.

Trends, Motivations and Complications of Body Piercing among Undergraduate Students in a University in Southwestern Nigeria

Background: Body piercing is an increasingly common practice globally. This practice is associated with several health concerns which vary from tissue trauma, allergic reactions, keloids, and infections which can range from local to systemic and transmission of blood-borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C virus. There is limited data in Nigeria on the prevalence, medical and social consequences of body piercing. Hence, this study sought to examine the trends, motivation and complications of body piercing among undergraduate students with body piercings in a university in southwestern Nigeria. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2022 and January 2023 among undergraduate students with body piercings in a private University in Southwestern Nigeria. Self-administered, semi-structured questionnaires were used to obtain data from the 137 participants. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 19.43 ± 1.52 years and 59.1% were females. The number of body piercings among the participants ranged from 1-9 with 43.8% having 2 body piercings. The ear lobe was the most commonly (66.1%) pierced site. Males were more likely to pierce their tongues while females were more likely to pierce their navels. The predominant motivations for obtaining body piercings were fashion (40.0%), self-expression (36.2%), and creative expression (21.5%). Most (50.0%) of the participants had piercings done by staff in a professional piercing shop, a piercing needle was the most common instrument used (42.6%) and most (79.6%) of the participants reported sterilization of the piercing instrument before use. Only 8.8% of the participants reported complications which ranged from post-piercing bleeding (2.2%), and haematoma formation (4.4%) to tearing of skin (2.2%). Conclusion: Due to the increasing popularity of body piercing, there is a need to increase awareness about the hazards associated with body piercings among piercers, their clients and the health services.

Improving resilience and mental well-being among refugees residing at asylum centers in the Netherlands: A pre-post feasibility study

BackgroundFew studies have explored the effects of mental health and psychosocial support programs among refugees residing at asylum centers. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a positive psychology intervention called BAMBOO among refugees temporarily residing at asylum centers in the Netherlands. MethodData was collected at 35 asylum centers from 243 participants who completed five weekly two-hour sessions. Pre- and post-changes in resilience, happiness, and positive and negative affect were assessed using a one-group pretest–posttest design. Also, program fidelity, participant satisfaction, and program activity suitability were evaluated. ResultsCompleter and intention-to-treat analyses revealed a significant medium increase in resilience, a large increase in happiness, a small increase in positive affect, and a medium decrease in negative affect. Reliable change indices showed a positive change in 24 % of the participants on resilience and 13 % on positive and negative affect, respectively. Participant retention was 80 %. Moreover, participant satisfaction was high. Also, a substantial proportion of participants evaluated reading and writing-based activities as less suitable in comparison to activities based on verbal and creative expression, physical movement, and meditation/prayer. ConclusionsFindings showed significant increases in scores from pre- to post-assessment on resilience, happiness, and positive affect and a decrease in negative affect. Since the study design limits the ability to attribute causation, future controlled studies should be conducted to stablish stronger evidence regarding the program's effects. Additionally, the program could benefit from further adaptation to enhance its cultural sensitivity. Trial registration number: ISRCTN18019972

The Spaces In Between: Understanding Children’s Creative Expression in Temporary Shelters for Asylum Seekers

The Spaces In Between: Understanding Children’s Creative Expression in Temporary Shelters for Asylum Seekers

Civilising subject(s): drawing pedagogy in Bombay in the age of industrial capitalism and empire

ABSTRACT This article charts a critical history of drawing, as it was taught within “general” schooling in colonial Bombay (now Mumbai), beyond the artisanal workshop, art, and industrial schools. Rather than children’s creative or subjective expression as it is commonly seen today, drawing’s presence in the school curriculum was a sign of the efforts being taken to create a workforce suitable for industrial capitalism, in Britain and in India. Analysing archival sources, and situating them within the broader discourses around colonialism, work, and the industrial subject, the article points out that when drawing was taught in Bombay it was hamstrung by issues metropolitan in origin, viz. course design, inconsistent pedagogic vision, lack of financial outlay as well as local conditions of low industrialisation. Similar problems plagued drawing in Britain. However, colonial power relations held Indian teachers and school-goers responsible for drawing’s “failures” in addressing the crisis of technical skilling and employment generation in India, while in Britain the critique was directed towards the system. Drawing – despite these “failures” – came to be valued as a practice necessary in and of itself. Drawing, the article contends, offered an embodied and verifiable response to wage labour, as seen in its unfolding in the colony, i.e. a moral technology geared towards wage labour.

Painting workshops for people living with dementia as a means of expression and communication: revelations from our elders

Purpose This study aims to explore art workshops for people living with dementia as a process enabling creative expression and fostering communication with others. Design/methodology/approach To enable detailed exploration of the expressive powers of painting and drawing, the authors draw several examples from a series of painting workshops for people living with dementia, which formed part of the PPI for research into experiences of restraint within care. Findings Artwork enabled personal expression, facilitated conversation with others and revealed hidden knowledge and abilities, but also revealed dangers of miscommunication, specifically here related to technological changes and spirituality. Research limitations/implications Individual differences in responses to painting will exist meaning that the specific findings outlined here are unique to individuals and not always generalisable. This follows from the quality of the individual communication that may be enabled by painting, meaning that close attention to each person is both fostered and required. Practical implications Art activities can provide a means to enable deep personal expression and agency in people living with dementia, which can contribute to countering dehumanisation. Social implications Attention to the process of painting can be beneficial in fostering verbal and non-verbal communication with individuals who have difficulties in communication. Attention to cultural issues in care needs to incorporate understanding of spiritual and religious issues and take note of gaps in understanding related to technological as well as cultural changes between generations. Originality/value Much work in this area explores art activities for people living with dementia in terms of beneficial outcomes. This work explores the creative process inherent in painting, drawing upon insights from art theory and providing in-depth individual insights through case studies. Both researchers in this study are artists and the work drew upon their understanding of the processes of painting.