It’s All About Perspective — ArtSpective
Stigma, especially within health care settings, is a widespread issue that can affect patient care and outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations. One significant area of stigma involves the treatment of pregnant substance users and their newborns. Traditional methods to address this problem have fallen short, and innovative solutions are needed to create meaningful change.
Enter ArtSpective—a creative and groundbreaking initiative led by Clayton J. Shuman, Ph.D., MSN, RN, assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN), that leverages art-based teaching methods to combat stigma and implicit bias among nurses and other health care professionals.
The Genesis of ArtSpective
The concept originated from Dr. Shuman’s research that was centered on perinatal substance users and their infants, who often suffer from withdrawal and other health complications. A subsequent study across four midwestern hospitals found that about 50 percent of nurses working with mothers and infants affected by drug use also exhibited significant stigma that led to harsh judgments and punitive attitudes, such as the belief that these mothers should be incarcerated or deemed guilty of child abuse.
“The conventional approaches to fix these stigmas focus on addressing knowledge deficits and not stigma itself, so I knew we needed to look at this problem through a different lens,” said Dr. Shuman.
During a 2020 UMSN faculty meeting, David Choberka, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan Museum of Art, shared the concept of integrating art into health care settings and how viewing art offers diverse perspectives. “I remember he [Dr. Choberka] explained the different viewpoints that each of us can take away just by looking at a piece of art,” Dr. Shuman recalled. “He presented several pieces of artwork and encouraged us to interpret their meanings personally—to understand how our unique viewpoints influenced our perceptions of the pieces.”
"That’s when I realized this could be the answer to address stigma in a meaningful and impactful way.”
Implementation and Expansion
Following that faculty meeting, Drs. Shuman and Choberka teamed up, hit the ground running and recruited Mikayla E. Morgan, BSN, RN, CCRN, a UMSN alum, and Carol J. Boyd, Ph.D., RN, FIAAN, FAAN, professor emerita at UMSN, to transform museum-style educational tactics into a sustainable and impactful tool.
The original model for ArtSpective was in person or virtual group discussion, with the team quickly recognizing the need for scalability and accessibility. After securing funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the team designed a digital version to allow for asynchronous learning.
The interactive nature of the training includes interpreting ambiguous photographs without context and then reassessing them with additional information. Most of the images used are in black and white in low light.
“We recognized very quickly that these styles of photographs are perfectly suited for stigma reduction intervention,” said Dr. Shuman, highlighting that the subjective nature of perception helps participants understand how their biases influence their interpretations.
Dr. Shuman said the program can be integrated into new hire orientations or required implicit bias training that many states, including Michigan, require for health care professionals. These sessions are designed to be engaging and interactive that deviate from the conventional methods of continuing education, such as recorded webinars or quizzes.
“We’re helping people understand and recognize that sometimes their perspective of others may not be accurate—that it’s based off their own life experiences and mental models that tend to be subconscious.”
Positive Reception and the Future of ArtSpective
Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive according to the team's latest research on the feasibility of an arts-based intervention addressing stigma. Nurses and health care professionals who have undergone the training report a significant shift in their perceptions and a reduction in stigma. Dr. Shuman also deployed a 30-minute segment to undergraduate students at UMSN and saw the same level of improvement and satisfaction.
He is optimistic that ArtSpective will continue to evolve into a suite of multidisciplinary products that can help more than just medical professionals. “We’ve received interest from professionals including judges, lawyers, law enforcement personnel, as well as those in customer service and early education.”
Additionally, Clayton announced that ArtSpective will be one of eight companies/products showcased at this year's U-M Celebrate Invention seminar in October. This marks the first time a UMSN invention/company will be featured at the event.
You can stay up to date on the progression of ArtSpective here.
