eprintid: 10183534 rev_number: 8 eprint_status: archive userid: 699 dir: disk0/10/18/35/34 datestamp: 2023-12-12 10:23:37 lastmod: 2023-12-12 10:23:38 status_changed: 2023-12-12 10:23:37 type: article metadata_visibility: show sword_depositor: 699 creators_name: Bagienski, Steven E creators_name: Kuhn, Gustav title: Supporting the psychological health of our students: An arts-based community magic workshop for adapting to university life ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B16 divisions: B14 divisions: J79 note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: The arts have long been intertwined with wellbeing and empirical attention is shifting back toward the wellbeing value of the arts. One art that has been applied in educational contexts but received limited empirical attention is that of achieving the impossible, namely, the art of performing magic. While research is young, reviews on the wellbeing-value of magic have revealed theoretical frameworks suggesting its potential to enhance self-processes and social aspects. These aspects are especially important for university students to have a psychologically healthy transition to university life as it involves integrating one’s adult identity with the self, which can challenge one’s self-esteem. Thus, the present study investigated how community magic workshops affect self-esteem, wellbeing, closeness, and sense of belonging for first-year university students in London. Students were allocated to either magic workshops where they learned magic tricks or mindfulness workshops during their first university term. Measures were taken at baseline, postintervention, and a 1-month follow-up. Both groups improved on all measures but students in magic workshops perceived greater benefits than the mindfulness group. Results provide preliminary evidence for using magic-based workshops as an appealing, preventative intervention that enhances the college experience for first-year students. date: 2022-09-01 date_type: published publisher: American Psychological Association Inc. official_url: https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000315 oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 2116738 doi: 10.1037/cns0000315 lyricists_name: Oliver, Bonamy lyricists_id: BOLIV45 actors_name: Oliver, Bonamy actors_id: BOLIV45 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice volume: 9 number: 3 pagerange: 285-303 issn: 2326-5523 citation: Bagienski, Steven E; Kuhn, Gustav; (2022) Supporting the psychological health of our students: An arts-based community magic workshop for adapting to university life. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice , 9 (3) pp. 285-303. 10.1037/cns0000315 <https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000315>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10183534/1/Bagienski_Supporting%20our%20students%20accepted.pdf