Fiber arts have been shown to have positive e!ects on mental health and are utilized in di!erent types of therapies with di!erent populations. In the current study, a survey was created and distributed on Facebook via snowball sampling to explore the di!erent levels or types of mental health bene"ts that may exist across a variety of factors. #e scales utilized within the survey were the Rosenburg Self-Esteem Scale, the Emotional Regulation Scale for Artistic and Creative Activities Scale, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. It was hypothesized that increased ability level, the reason why individuals cra$, group membership, and the type of cra$ would increase perceived mental health bene"ts; in addition, it was hypothesized that the age of the "ber artist would not have an impact. #ere were 97 total participants. #e age of the participants was a potential moderating variable in the perceived mental health bene"ts across the factors, as the survey compared across age-groups and could not account for various life stage di!erences. Community membership increased self-happiness ratings, happiness and self-esteem both increased with experience level and frequency, amateurs utilized more emotional regulation strategies, needlework and stress- relief as a reason for learning were correlated with poor self-esteem, and quilting and sewing were correlated with higher emotional regulation. #e present study added to literature by addressing the mental health bene"ts of "ber arts and suggesting future uses in art therapy. Keywords: Fiber Art, Mental Health, Happiness, Self-Esteem, Emotional Regulation, Art !erapy, Psychology Aisthesis Volume 14, 202377 !e E"ects of Fiber Arts on Mental Health: Happiness, Self- Esteem, and Emotional Regulation by Greta Hermann Arts and cra$s have long had a connection to mental health and emotional wellbeing (Fancourt et al., 2019, 2020). Arts and cra$s are broadly de"ned as “any visual art or cra$ practices which aim to produce tangible items regardless of the level of expertise” (Liddle et al., 2013). One speci"c genre of cra$ is "ber arts, or cra$s that are made using "ber as the main medium. Some research has been conducted investigating the bene"ts of particular types of "ber arts on mental health, or with general arts and di!erent age groups, but there is a lack of empirical investigations examining the interaction between various arts and demographic factors (e.g., age) and their combined e!ects on mental health. Types of Fiber Arts As stated, there are a variety of speci"c cra$s that fall under the larger umbrella of "ber arts. Discussed in this paper are crocheting, knitting, quilting/ sewing, and needlework/ cross-stitch. Crochet utilizes yarn, and one hook to interlock loops of yarn and create a textile. Textiles can be made with various types, colors, and sizes of natural and synthetic "bers, and di!erent techniques can be used to create an array of visual e!ects in the "nished textile. Crochet contrasts with knitting, which, while still using yarn, uses two needles or a machine to weave a fabric. Quilting and sewing both involve either a small needle and thread, or a machine to connect materials to create a larger or di!erent fabric. Needlework and cross-stitch also use small needles and thread but use small stitches to create visual e!ects on a fabric. Fiber arts are understood as both domestic tasks and something that is primarily undertaken by older generations (Burns & Van Der Meer, 2021), meaning that they are primarily done by women, and, until recently, older women. #e traditional role of "ber arts is changing due to a growing media presence of di!erent "ber arts (Burns & Van Der Meer, 2021), and more young women are starting "ber arts for a variety of reasons, including romanticization of the cra$s, self-su%ciency, and feeling connected to the older generations (Riley et al., 2013). Mental Health Markers #ere are many instruments and techniques used to quantify and measure the e!ects and bene"ts of di!erent activities on mental health. Mental !e E"ects of Fiber Arts on Mental Health Aisthesis Volume 14, 202378 wellbeing is de"ned broadly as a “state of wellbeing in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (Burns & Van Der Meer, 2021), and includes general happiness and positive emotional states (Lamont & Ranaweera, 2020). #ere are many theories as to why all arts in&uence mental health, one being that there is a level of cortical arousal that the brain can experience as pleasure throughout the art-making process (Liddle et al., 2013). Others theorize that arts and cra$s can increase wellbeing by promoting self-esteem, quality of life, and personal growth through cra$ participation (Kenning, 2015). Self- esteem involves an individual’s attitudes regarding themselves though self-acceptance and self-respect (Ching-Teng et al., 2019), and their ability to respond to daily life stressors and di%culties (Hartz & #ick, 2005). Low self-esteem is correlated with higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation, and higher self-esteem is correlated with feeling worthy of happiness (Hartz & #ick, 2005). Emotional regulation techniques can be built through arts and cra$s activities (Fancourt et al., 2019; Fancourt et al., 2022). #e ability to regulate one’s emotions is connected to overall happiness and wellbeing, helping individuals to manage emotions and adapt to daily life stressors (Fancourt et al., 2019; Fancourt et al.; 2022). #ere are three main types of regulatory strategies that are most o$en used in arts: 1) avoidance strategies (e.g., detachment, distraction, and emotional suppression), 2) approach strategies (e.g., acceptance and problem-solving), and 3) self- development strategies (e.g., improved agency, self- esteem, and self-identity) (Fancourt et al., 2019). Art !erapy Art has a well-known connection with improvements in mental health. #ere are a variety of therapies, o$en in group formats, that utilize di!erent artistic media, such as clay, paper, line work, colors, pictures, and symbols to increase levels of self-awareness and self-esteem, as well as develop other skills through the group format. (Ching-Teng et al., 2019). To my knowledge, "ber arts have not been explored as a potential art type for these treatments but could provide an e!ective cra$ for art therapies. Knitting has been shown to have therapeutic e!ects, as a natural side e!ect of the knitting process is a calm, meditative-like state, achieved through the repetitive movement (Corkhill et al., 2014). #e automatic movement of knitting and other "ber arts can help those who struggle with meditative mindsets to more e!ectively do so (Corkhill et al., 2014; Hartz & #ick, 2005). A study by Hartz & #ick (2005) noted that the choice of color, shapes, and patterns all emphasize technique and the participants’ own successes in their artistic choices. Within this therapeutic format, highlighting the e!ectiveness of artistic choice is crucial to achievement. Fiber arts, because of the potential for individual choice through self-identifying "ber art format, yarn type, colors, and patterns, would be an e!ective outlet for art therapy. Age, Ability, Cra# Type, Group Membership, and Reason for Cra#ing on Mental Health #e current study examined a variety of factors to determine whether these factors had an impact on mental health to provide support for current "ndings about "ber arts and mental health, as well as to "nd further correlations. #e age of the "ber artist is hypothesized to have no impact on the perceived mental health bene"t. Additionally, a hypothesis was made that ability level (i.e., experience with a given "ber art) and group membership, throughout both the process of learning and performing, will have an impact on mental health. #e speci"c cra$ type and the reasons why an individual cra$s were also hypothesized to have impacts on the perceived mental health bene"ts. Di!erent studies have investigated individual age groups and the e!ects of arts on mental health. #e "ndings of one study revealed that in elderly individuals, arts promoted overall health, helped with issues of social isolation, and allowed participants to feel useful, creative, and capable (Liddle et al., 2013), while another study found that their self- esteem, self-con"dence, and self-achievement were all increased, and rates of depression were decreased (Ching-Teng et al., 2019). #ese e!ects are also observed in a di!erent study exploring the bene"ts of art therapy on teens, as they experienced reduced stress, heightened creativity, and higher self-esteem (Björling et al., 2019). Another study examined these therapies’ e!ects on young children, and found increased calm, focus, and social skills (Coholic & Eys, 2016). #ese similar e!ects across age led to the hypothesis that age will not a!ect mental health. !e E"ects of Fiber Arts on Mental Health Aisthesis Volume 14, 202379 Ability level in cra$ing and time cra$ing is hypothesized to a!ect the speci"c mental health bene"ts and levels of the bene"ts. In one study, frequent knitting was correlated with higher levels of bene"ts, as well as perceived self-happiness and sense of calm (Kenning, 2015). Lamont and Ranaweera (2020) reported that amateur knitters experienced increased levels of frustration and annoyance due to their ability and mistakes. A strong balance between the perceived level of challenge and the ability level was identi"ed as increasing sense of control and less frustration (Adey, 2018). #e ability to choose a project with a su%cient challenge level increases with the ability level of the cra$er, suggesting that more advanced cra$ers will feel a greater sense of control and less frustration. However, most "ber arts are relatively easy to learn, and the level of di%cultly is highly personal and variable to the choices a cra$er makes (Adey, 2018; Corkhill et al., 2014), which could suggest that the speci"c types of mental health bene"ts identi"ed could change with skill level, as opposed to the number of bene"ts. In addition to the positive bene"t relating experience and mental health, one study found that frequency of cra$ing and overall experience level increased the amount of emotional regulation strategies used, and that self- development strategies are used more by amateurs (Fancourt et al., 2020). #ere is a large variety of "ber arts that individuals can participate in. One study found that in a comparison between knitting and crocheting, those who crochet experienced more bene"ts in creativity and accomplishment, while more knitters experienced increased relaxation (Burns & Van Der Meer, 2021). Quilting and knitting are both correlated with relaxation, stress relief, creativity, happiness levels, and higher levels of cognitive functioning (Lamont & Ranaweera, 2020). #ese "ndings led to the hypothesis that direct comparison of mental health bene"ts across a variety of cra$ types will result in di!erent levels of and types of mental health bene"ts. Individual reasons for cra$ing could in&uence the type of bene"ts and number of bene"ts experienced. #roughout the literature, there are many di!erent motivations for cra$ing, including stress-relief (Adey, 2018; Björling et al., 2019; Corkhill et al., 2014; Kenning, 2015; Lamont & Ranaweera, 2020; Riley et al., 2013), social bene"ts and community (Björling et al., 2019; Burns & Van Der Meer, 2021; Corkhill et al., 2014; Hartz & #ick, 2005; Jou et al., 2021; Kenning, 2015; Lamont & Ranaweera, 2020; Riley et al., 2013), family connection (Riley et al., 2013), and practical skills and the end-product (Adey, 2018; Corkhill et al., 2014; Kenning, 2015; Riley et al., 2013). Learning from others, learning new skills, and exploring the relationship between product and process (i.e., achieving the "nal product a$er struggling with the pattern, or getting complimented on something hand-created) can increase feelings of pride (Kenning, 2015). Stress relief, as a reason for learning, is a clear mental health bene"t within itself (Adey, 2018; Björling et al., 2019; Corkhill et al., 2014; Riley et al., 2013). Di!erent reasons for cra$ing should have an e!ect of both the types of regulatory strategies used as well as the amounts. Whether or not the "ber artist is in a group for their cra$ should also in&uence the perceived bene"ts. Reported bene"ts of group participation in multiple studies were found to be lower levels of loneliness, higher levels of happiness, increased amounts of friends, and increased self-esteem (Adey, 2018; Björling et al., 2019; Burns & Van Der Meer, 2021; Corkhill et al., 2014; Hartz & #ick, 2005; Jou et al., 2021; Kenning, 2015; Lamont & Ranaweera, 2020; Riley et al., 2013). Method Study design #e study was created using Google forms and compiled a set of demographic questions, social/ group factors/bene"ts, individual factors/bene"ts, why the individual began the cra$, an open-ended opinion box, as well as the time spent cra$ing per week and years that they have been cra$ing. #e survey tool also utilized the Rosenburg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) (Rosenburg, 1979), the Emotional Regulation Scale for Artistic and Creative Activities Scale (ERS-ACA) (Fancourt et al., 2019), and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999). #e survey was distributed utilizing snowball sampling online. Cra$ing groups and individuals were asked to participate through Facebook and email and asked to share the survey. #e survey was made live in June of 2022, and closed in October of 2022, running for approximately "ve months. !e E"ects of Fiber Arts on Mental Health Aisthesis Volume 14, 202380 Survey Instrument #ree pre-established full instruments were included in the survey: the Rosenburg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenburg, 1979), the ERS-ACA (Fancourt et al., 2019), and the Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999). #e Rosenburg Self- Esteem Scale is a 10-item scale and was used with a wide, general population to measure self-esteem; participants answer on a 1-4 scale, from strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (4) (Rosenburg, 1979). #e Subjective Happiness Scale is a 4-item scale that explored happiness in comparison to others, internally, and whether they relate to statements concerning happiness and contentment, in which participants answer on a 1-7 scale (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999). #e last scale used was the ERS-ACA (Fancourt et al., 2019). #e ERS-ACA is 18 questions long and investigates strategies used in emotional regulation while cra$ing and calculates an overall score as well as scores on three sub-scales: avoidance, approach strategies, and self-development strategies (Fancourt et al., 2019). Results Study Participants ' Age E"ects #ere were some e!ects between age and community participation; 15.5% of those in the 40- 51 age range and 16.5% of those in the 52-63 age range responded that they were in a community or learned because of some communal in&uence. #e communal e!ects were also found in the "ber art type, as 21.7% of those who crochet were in a community or learned because of some communal in&uence, 18.6% of those who knit were in a community or learned because of some communal in&uence, and 52.6%, or the majority of the respondents, were in a community or learned because of some communal in&uence. #ere were also some e!ects between age and "ber art type. In the 16-27 age range, 50.0% did needlework/cross-stitch, and 27.8% crocheted, as opposed to only 6.5% who responded with knitting as their primary cra$. #ose in the older age group reported higher levels of knitting, 38.7% for those aged 40-51, and 35.5% for those aged 52-63. #ose who were 64+ preferred quilting and sewing (25.5%). E"ects by Reason to Learn #ere were no statistically signi"cant correlations between self-identi"ed group membership and mental health bene"ts. However, there was a main e!ect of reasons for learning, such that self-happiness scores were higher for community when compared to the other reasons to learn. Follow-up t-tests revealed a signi"cant di!erence in self-happiness scores between community as a reason to learn and the other reasons to learn [t(91)=2.39, p=.02]. #ere was also a main e!ect of reasons for learning, such that self-happiness scores were lower for stress-relief than the other reasons to learn. Follow-up t-tests revealed a signi"cant di!erence between stress-relief as a reason for learning and the other reasons to learn [t(90)=2.72, p=.008]. Experience E"ects #ere was also a primary e!ect of total years cra$ing and hours/week cra$ing such that self- happiness scores were higher for those who cra$ed !e E"ects of Fiber Arts on Mental Health Aisthesis Volume 14, 202381 for greater than ten years, lower for those who had cra$ed for less than one year, and higher for those who cra$ed for greater than 4 hours/week when compared to other hours/week and total years cra$ing categories. Follow-up t-tests showed a signi"cant di!erence between cra$ing for greater than ten years and cra$ing for less than ten years [t(95)=3.03, p=.003], less than 1 year and greater than one year [t(95)=2.79, p=.006], and greater than 4 hours/week and less than four hours/week [t(94)=2.21, p=.03]. Similar trends were identi"ed with self-esteem. #ere was a main e!ect of total years cra$ing and hours/week cra$ing, such that self-esteem ratings were higher for those who cra$ed for greater than ten years, lower for those who had cra$ed for less than one year, and higher for those who cra$ed for greater than 4 hours/week. Follow-up t-tests showed a signi"cant di!erence between cra$ing for greater than ten years and cra$ing for less than ten years [t(94)=2.50, p=.01], less than 1 year and greater than one year [t(94)=3.35, p=.001], and greater than 4 hours/week and less than four hours/week [t(93)=2.80, p=.006]. In addition to these relationships, there was a main e!ect of total years cra$ing and hours/week cra$ing, such that ERS self-development strategy sub-scores were higher for those who cra$ed for less than an hour/week and lower for those who had been cra$ing for 1-5 years, as opposed to greater than an hour/week and less than one or greater than 5 years, respectively. Follow-up t-tests showed that there was a signi"cant di!erence between cra$ing for less than an hour a week and more than an hour a week [t(94)=2.06, p=.04], and between cra$ing for 1-5 years and less than one or greater than 5 years [t(95)=2.19, p=.03]. E"ect of Fiber Art Type #ere was a main e!ect of "ber art, such that self-esteem ratings were lower for needlework/ cross-stitch than the other cra$ types. Follow-up t-tests resulted in a signi"cant di!erence between needlework/cross-stitch and the other cra$ing types [t(94)=2.35, p=.02]. #ere were also primary e!ects of "ber arts, such that the general Emotional Regulation Scale (ERS) score and self-development sub-score were higher for quilting/sewing and lower for needlework and crochet. Follow-up t-tests resulted in a signi"cant di!erence between quilting and the other art types for both general score and self-development sub-score [t(95)=2.44, p=.02; t(95)=2.15, p=.03]. A main e!ect of quilting was also found, such that the approach strategy sub-score was higher for quilting/sewing than the other "ber arts. Follow-up t-tests revealed a signi"cant di!erence between quilting and the other "ber arts on approach strategies [t(95)=2.07, p=.04]. Discussion Overall, the current study con"rmed and added to the body of data supporting the hypothesis that there are signi"cant bene"ts between all facets of "ber arts on mental health. More speci"cally, the present study added strongly to the "ndings of others (Adey, 2018; Corkhill et al., 2014; Fancourt et al., 2020; Kenning, 2015; Lamont & Ranaweera, 2020) that ability level has a clear impact on the bene"t. #e present study found that the frequency of cra$ing was important in self-esteem and in happiness, as the correlations with those who cra$ed for more than 4 hours a week show. #ere was also a "nding that there were strong bene"ts for experienced cra$ers (10+ years) in happiness and self-esteem, and a negative relationship with cra$ing for less than a year and both happiness and self- esteem. #ese "ndings and correlations establish further support for the hypothesis that ability level plays a role in mental health e!ects. #e hypothesis that ability level plays a role in mental health e!ects could be a!ected by the age of the participants in the study. Most of the 10+ years’ experience group were older than 40 (87.7%). #e happiness ratings and self-esteem ratings could have been because of their life experiences rather than the act of the "ber art—children, grandchildren, retirement, etc. #ose in the >4 hours/week (over 40--80.0%; under 40--10.8%) also suggest that those who are over 40 may have more time available during the week to spend on their cra$, which would a!ect the available bene"ts to them. In addition, those who have been cra$ing for less than a year were all between the ages of 16-27, and that age group is known to have a lower self-esteem and higher levels of stress (Björling et al., 2019; Hartz & #ick, 2005), and potentially happiness. !e E"ects of Fiber Arts on Mental Health Aisthesis Volume 14, 202382 Increases in experience was not found to be signi"cantly correlated with increases in the use of self-regulation strategies, in contrast to research by Fancourt et al. (2019, 2021). However, there was a signi"cant "nding that amateurs were more likely to use self-regulation strategies than other groups, and a signi"cant correlation was found in the <1 hour/ week group. Fi$y percent of the less than one hour/ week group was in the 10+ years of experience group. #e connection between the less than one hour/ week group and the 10+ years’ experience group suggests that being an “amateur” has more to do with the frequency of cra$ing than the years cra$ing. #e "nding that being an “amateur” has more to do with the frequency of cra$ing than the years cra$ing would be interesting to replicate with a larger, more diverse participant pool. In addition to the “amateur” "nding, there was a negative correlation with self-development strategies in the 1-5 years cra$ing group. #e negative correlation between self-development strategies and the 1-5 years group may be signi"cant, as within the cra$ed for 1–5-year group, 61.5% were between 16-27. #e 16–27-year- olds as the majority of the 1-5 group in this study may suggest that self-development strategies are more dependent on age than the cra$er’s experience. #e role of age in the development and use of self- development emotional regulation strategies may warrant further exploration. In addition, there was also a negative relationship between learning for stress relief and self-esteem. #e negative relationship between learning for stress relief and self-esteem suggests that those who are learning to create a stress relief outlet for themselves are more likely to have a lower self-esteem. #e relationship between low self-esteem and reasons why people learn to cra$ may be a result of outside factors, as opposed to related to the cra$; taking a self-esteem rating before and a$er a trial of learning a "ber art to see if there are di!erences would be interesting. #roughout the mental health factors, there were interesting relationships with di!erent "ber arts. #ere was a negative relationship between self- esteem and needlework/cross stitch, although the relationship could again be a result of the small sample size, as 50% of the needlework/cross stitch group was aged between 16-27, and the 16-27 age group has a low self-esteem (Björling et al., 2019, Hartz & #ick, 2005). In addition, while all the di!erent "ber arts were associated with fairly high general scores and sub-scores (see table 3), quilting/sewing was shown to be correlated signi"cantly with a high general ERS score, approach sub-score, and self-development sub-score. #e "nding that quilting/sewing was associated with a high general ERS score, approach sub-score, and self-development sub-score added to the "ndings of Fancourt et al. (2019, 2021), as they did not compare across di!erent types of "ber arts in their initial study of the ERS-ACA scales or the follow-up. While the impact of quilting on ERS scores is an interesting "nding, more research needs to be done to determine whether some parts of quilting or sewing are associated with higher levels of emotional regulation, or whether the relationship was speci"c to the current study’s subset of participants. Lastly, there was a positive relationship between happiness and belonging to a community. #e relationship between happiness and belonging to a community was an interesting "nding, as there were no signi"cant "ndings utilizing the actual question “Are you a member of a community for your "ber art?” However, when answers for “why you learned your "ber art” were recoded, there was a large communal theme, suggesting that if someone learned through a community, then they are indirectly part of a community, even if they are not currently active in a “real” "ber arts group. #e "ndings regarding the importance of the communal theme suggests that in future studies the question should be rewritten to including communal and familial in&uences in addition to “true” group membership, and that community can play a large role in happiness, especially within "ber arts. Limitations #ere were two main limitations of the current study. One of these was the sample size. #e sample size was limiting because of its e!ect on the sub- groups. For example, the needlework/cross stitch sub-group (n=6), 64+ sub-group (n=12), and the !e E"ects of Fiber Arts on Mental Health Aisthesis Volume 14, 2023 non-female gender identities (see Table 1), were too small to draw some conclusions with a high degree of con"dence. Another limitation of this study was the sampling method. #e data was collected on Facebook, using snowball sampling methods and utilizing pre-existing groups of cra$ers. #e use of a snowball sampling method means that there could have been an overrepresentation of certain types of cra$s, age groups, or community membership, which could have in&uenced the data. Future Directions One future direction is the implementation of "ber arts in art therapy. One study investigating a "ber arts group in Japan a$er an earthquake found improved mental health bene"ts because of long- term participation in the group (Jou et al., 2021), which provides support for the idea that "ber arts could be an e!ective tool for art therapy. #e conclusion of improved bene"ts as a result of long- term participation in the group found by Jou et al. (2021) agrees with the "ndings of the present study that longer term and frequent participation in "ber arts helps raise self-esteem and happiness. Fiber-arts have a self-soothing e!ect, and as such, could help those who struggle with social activities, especially in groups, to feel more comfortable (Corkhill et al., 2014), which would also help in art therapy. #e self-soothing e!ects found by Corkhill et al. (2014) agrees with the "ndings of the current study about community and happiness. In addition, the "ndings of the present study observing relatively high scores for emotional regulation across all types of "ber arts shows a great versatility and variety that, in addition to choosing "ber art type, yarn type, colors, and patterns (Hartz & #ick, 2005), would be e!ective in art therapy. Future research should be completed to further investigate the potentially signi"cant relationship between "ber arts and art therapy. Research in the relationship between "ber arts and art therapy would allow for a potentially wider range of arts that could be utilized in art therapy. Another future application of the current research is the modi"cation of the survey tool used to explore di!erent arts, larger populations, and other surveying techniques. 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