Investigation of the art interests and psychological well-being levels of high school students going to fine arts high school and Anatolian high school

Humans are social beings that harbor the potential for growth and self-expression. Art, in terms of its versatility and functionality, is a field that contributes to shaping individuals' personal development. In this context, it can be said that there is a relationship between art and personality development. It is known that individuals interested in art display positive attitudes. Art leads to positive developments in many areas, including individuals' personalities and psychological well-being. The purpose of this study is to examine the levels of interest in art and psychological well-being of high school students attending Fine Arts High Schools and Anatolian High Schools. The population of the study consists of 865 individuals, while the sample includes 299 high school students. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale was used to measure the participants' psychological well-being, and the Art Interest Scale was used to measure their levels of interest in art. The results of the study indicate that the levels of art interest among participants vary significantly according to the type of school, but the levels of psychological well-being do not differ significantly by school type. There is a weak and positive relationship between the psychological well-being and art interest of students attending Fine Arts High Schools. Similarly, there is a weak and positive relationship between the psychological well-being and art interest of students attending Anatolian High Schools. Among students attending Fine Arts High Schools, there is a significant difference in art interest based on gender, but there is no difference in psychological well-being based on gender. There are no significant differences in art interest or psychological well-being based on age, and no differences based on class. For students attending Anatolian High Schools, there is a significant difference in art interest based on gender, no difference in psychological well-being based on gender, a significant difference in psychological well-being based on age, no difference in art interest based on age, a significant difference in psychological well-being based on class, and no difference in art interest based on class. As a result, it can be said that students attending Fine Arts High Schools have higher levels of art interest and psychological well-being compared to students attending Anatolian High Schools. Keywords: High School Students, Psychology, Psychological Well-being, Art, Art Interest