A Scoping Review of Arts-Based Interventions with Community Based Participatory Research Approaches for Addressing Mental Health Amongst Adolescents in the United States

Abstract

Arts-based practices are positively associated with the prevention and management of adolescent mental health, and community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods are shown to enhance equity in mental health interventions. This study sought to understand how CBPR approaches to research are used to assess arts-based interventions for adolescent mental health in the United States. Five databases (Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) and Google Scholar were searched. The included studies investigate adolescents (ages 10–19), included an arts-based practice, and occurred in the United States. Of 2,810 identified articles, 21 meet inclusion criteria and are included. Extracted components included forms of art, mental health focus, points of adolescent engagement, parental engagement, adherence to CBPR principles, and demographics. Art forms included dance/movement ( n = 2), literary arts ( n = 3), media ( n = 4), music ( n = 3), theater/performance ( n = 3), and visual arts, craft, and design ( n = 12). Five mental health categories represented the included studies—General Mental Health ( n = 9), Anxiety/Depression/Suicide ( n = 6), Social Support/Loneliness ( n = 2), Trauma/Resilience ( n = 3), Emotion Regulation ( n = 1). Studies prioritized minoritized populations and strongly adhered to the principles of CBPR. This review offers a comprehensive understanding of how diverse forms of arts participation are leveraged to address and mitigate the complexities of adolescent mental illness.