Mental Distress at Heritage Places: A Behavioural Science-Based Approach to Wellbeing Inequality

This paper demonstrates the value of Behavioural Science to heritage practice and policy relating to mental health and wellbeing. It tests the effectivity of behavioural science as a mechanism to strengthen the equality lens at paid for heritage places,, reducing potential mental distress caused to visitors and contributing to wider mental health policy. The Behaviour Change Wheel, widely applied in public health care settings to design policy-based strategic action plans for improved mental health, is adapted to the heritage context to examine how heritage places can support international mental health policy. Biltmore Estate (U.S.A.) served as a feasibility study to examine if behaviour change methods provide an actionable lens for understanding how participation in heritage affects visitor and community wellbeing. Practitioners and community members helped co-develop and apply interventions to enable diverse communities to be provided with the conditions to engage, connect and feel valued, and improve their wellbeing and mental health. The quasi-experimental research demonstrated the contribution of a Behavioural Science to understanding visitor behaviour and experiences at heritage sites. Highlightng the potential of community-driven frameworks to inform organisational decision-making and policy implementation, supporitng heritage organisations to reduce wellbeing inequities, and contribute to local, national and international mental health objectives.