Mitigating adverse social and health impacts of COVID-19 with applied arts

Project directors: Prof. Dr. Martina Metzger (HWR), Dr. Hans Walter Steinhauer (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung), Prof. Dr. Jennifer Pédussel Wu (HWR)

Cooperation: Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW)

In this project, we analyse whether the arts are able to mitigate negative impacts of social distancing and isolation on mental health and wellbeing, ease the burden of closed day-care and school facilities on families, and preserve attitudes of solidarity and trust. Using the SOEP-CoV questionnaire, we examine whether experience with the arts (as the proxy for music) enabled individuals and households to handle social isolation and distancing rules and requirements better than their peers without art experience.

Research has shown that persistent shocks on income have a significant impact on happiness and hence on social and health well-being thus, we explore the importance of the arts and music in this regard. Using difference-in-difference estimations techniques, this paper finds that music does indeed mitigate the negative impact of prolonged social distancing.

For more information about the project, please click here.