Arts participation and mental health: evidence from the Chinese general social survey

Against the backdrop of growing public concern regarding mental health, examining the relationship between arts participation and individual psychological well-being is important for understanding the potential health-related value of sociocultural activities. Drawing on large-scale microdata from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this study employs ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to investigate the association between arts participation and individual mental health, while further examining potential mediating pathways and group heterogeneity. The results indicate that, first, arts participation is significantly associated with better mental health, with individuals reporting higher levels of arts participation exhibiting lower frequencies of depressive and dispirited feelings. Second, mediation analyses suggest that social connectedness, subjective well-being, and physical health may constitute important pathways linking arts participation to mental health. Third, heterogeneity analyses reveal marked differences across educational groups, with the positive association between arts participation and mental health being more pronounced among individuals with lower levels of educational attainment. Overall, the findings suggest that arts participation is closely associated with more favorable psychological outcomes and may hold potential value as a sociocultural resource for mental health promotion.