Creative arts therapy in the United States school system: An integrative systematic review of empirically evaluated interventions from the past decade

Abstract

AbstractRecently there has been an expansion of the literature on creative arts therapy (CAT) interventions in the United States (U.S.) school system. However, findings across studies in the field have yet to be systematically investigated on a national level. The present review is an integrative systematic review of empirically evaluated CAT intervention studies in U.S. schools from the past decade. This synthesis seeks to advance CATs in schools' evidence base and increase research and practice throughout the U.S. Three online databases were searched alongside a manual review of relevant journals. Inclusion criteria required studies to feature a CAT modality, implementation in a U.S. K‐12 school during the school day, and an empirical methodology. The systematic search yielded a total qualifying sample of six studies. General findings indicated that across studies, targeted improvement in psychosocial and behavioral domains was achieved, suggesting that CATs hold major promise due to their ecological responsiveness and versatility. Although the current scope of empirically evaluated CAT interventions in U.S. schools is minimal, findings suggest encouraging avenues for formulating a useful research trajectory and advancing practice. Further research recommendations for the promotion of CATs in schools are provided and situated within the school mental health literature.