Creative activities, emotions, and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study from Argentina

Objectives: We conducted a longitudinal study to analyze emotions that are related to the development of creative activities during isolation and social distancing that are associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Study design: The study was performed in two stages: beginning of isolation (April 2020) and 6 months later during the social distancing period (September 2020). Methods: A total of 305 people who resided in medium-sized cities (population: 50,000 to one million) in the province of Cordoba, Argentina, participated in the study. In the first stage, the participants answered an online questionnaire about creative activities in which they engaged during isolation. In the second stage, semistructured interviews were conducted that asked about changes in life, creative processes, and new endeavors during the social distancing period. Results: In April 2020, positive emotions were associated with the development of creative activities. In September 2020, a predominance of negative emotions that were related to economic, family, and personal difficulties was observed. However, some positive emotions that are related to the development of new ventures and the consolidation of healthy and sustainable habits were also found. Conclusions: We highlight the value of creativity as a resilience factor in the development of new projects and postponed activities. Our findings may contribute to the design and development of policies and programs to promote mental health in times of COVID-19. (C) 2021 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.