In this study, we explored possible differences between students studying the fine arts and their non-art major peers on three separate variables: mental health, stress, and time spent on academic work. We found that students who study the fine arts report higher rates of mental distress, stress, and spend more time on academic work than do their non-art major peers. We offer recommendations for therapists working in university and college counseling settings.KEYWORDSArtists; college students; mental health; stress; fine artsThere has long been a myth that artists have higher rates of mental health concerns than do the general public; however, this seems to not hold true based on research examining artists' mental health(Kaufman, 2001;White, 2007). Although some researchers have observed marked differences in the mental health of artists as compared to non-artists(Kyaga et al., 2011;Santosa et al., 2007;Sass, 2001), critics have asserted that this idea could be based on scientifically unsound research practices, data, and stereotyping(Becker, 2001;Csizszentmihalyi, 1996;Glazer, 2009;Schlesinger, 2009). Furthermore, recent studies have shown that although some differences in mental health exist between artists and the general population, these differences are minor in comparison to what previous literature suggests (

Fallyn M. Lee

Fine Arts Students: Mental Health, Stress, and Time on Academic Work

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED	3