Art Therapy Intervention Research Articles

Art Therapy and Narrative Therapy Interventions for Pain Management: A Case Study with a Post-Quadruple Amputation Oncology Patient.

This case discussion describes the use of an expanded interdisciplinary palliative care team structure that integrated art therapy and narrative therapy to meet the needs of a woman with a history of chronic pain and Burkitt lymphoma, who had received quadruple amputation due to complications of treatment. The concurrent interventions of art therapy, narrative therapy, and traditional palliative care consultation services resulted in high-quality, trauma-informed care, contributing to effective psychosocial coping and enhanced total pain management. The addition of expressive therapeutic modalities to inpatient palliative care consultation requires close collaboration and may be particularly valuable when addressing complex needs in the setting of prolonged hospitalizations.

Art therapy as a bridge to expand burn care beyond surgery: Providers’ perspectives in an inpatient burn center

Burn injuries necessitate resource-intensive multidisciplinary care and psychosocial support. Incorporating art therapy in burn centers could enhance patient and provider care. However, research on the impact and reception of art therapy within the context of burn care is scarce. A doctoral dissertation study introduced art therapy intervention for burn patients. As part of this research, we conducted a qualitative study to explore health-care providers’ experiences, with a focus on their perspectives on burn-care and art therapy to inform research and clinical practice. Using thematic analysis in qualitative research, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 health-care providers from varied disciplines and identified the following three themes: a) Burn care is a “multifaceted problem” as well as an impact-driven, rewarding experience for providers; b) The visuality of art therapy coupled with physical activity is perceived as a necessary “emotional outlet” for burn patients; and c) Future art therapy research/practice goals are linked to complex patient presentations, specific multidisciplinary team challenges, and the critical care environment. Positive perceptions reinforced that art therapy could contribute to inpatient care as part of multidisciplinary burn teams. More research is needed to address the identified psychosocial, functional, and interprofessional needs of patients and providers.

Art therapy and neuroscience: evidence, limits, and myths.

The evidence base for the effectiveness of art therapy continues to grow, even as a mechanistic understanding of how art therapy works remains limited. One promising avenue for increasing our understanding of how and why art therapy works is through the lens of neuroscience. A neuroscience-based approach to art therapy provides opportunities for improving understanding of the neural processes that underlie the complex interaction between perception, cognition, emotion and behavior that play out in the art therapy process. Understanding how therapeutic change occurs can result in improved treatment and better outcomes for clients. However, it can be tricky to connect art therapy and psychological theory directly to neural responses. The purposes of this perspective are to provide an overview of the current evidence and limits of neurobiological concepts of neuroplasticity, mirror systems, and interoception as applied to art therapy practice, and to provide updated information about outdated concepts that are still actively used in clinical practice. Critical analysis and understanding of the current scientific knowledge base can then be used to guide art therapy practice and support the development of hypothesis-based research to determine the primary mechanisms that drive the observed effects of art therapy interventions.

Effectiveness of art therapy interventions for treating pain and anxiety in adolescents in the emergency department.

To evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy in reducing pain and anxiety in adolescents with painful conditions treated in the ED. We conducted a prospective pilot study of patients 12-18years old presenting with a painful condition to a tertiary-care children's hospital ED. Primary outcome was pain intensity measured using the Verbal Numerical Rating Scale (scored 0-10); a decrease of ≥ 20% was clinically significant. Anxiety was measured using the short-form six-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (scored 20-80: 20-40 = zero-low anxiety; 41-60 = moderate anxiety; 61-80 = high anxiety); a change from higher to lower category was clinically significant. Outcomes were measured at baseline, immediately after, and 1h after art therapy completion. A standardized interview was conducted immediately after art therapy completion. We enrolled a convenience sample of 50 patients. Mean duration of art therapy was 34.7min. Mean baseline pain was 6.2 and decreased by 23.2% (95% CI 14.9-31.5) and 28.6% (95% CI 9.2-48), immediately after and 1h after art therapy completion, respectively. Mean baseline anxiety was 48 (moderate) and decreased to 38 (low) and 43 (moderate) at the same time points, respectively. Forty-eight patients (96%) reported feelings of relaxation, decreased pain intensity, and/or empowerment (e.g., "Very relaxing"; "I didn't feel as much pain"; "Really showed my emotions"; "A way to explain to doctors what I'm feeling and what parts hurt"). Art therapy may be associated with clinically significant decreases and qualitative improvements in pain and anxiety in adolescents with painful conditions being treated in the ED. This novel treatment may improve the holistic care of adolescents with painful conditions in the ED.

“Attentive to their drawing”: A pilot study of the implications of a single session mindfulness-based art therapy intervention on early childhood assistants

Early childhood assistants (ECA) often cope with job-related stressors and experience burnout. This study examined the implications for ECAs of a single session mindfulness-based art therapy (SSMBAT) intervention that combined mindfulness with drawing and photography in a group setting. In this qualitative study, a convenience sample of 16 ECA volunteers were recruited after they had taken part in the SSMBAT as part of an ECA training program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their experiences during the SSMBAT. The questions focused on mindfulness, understanding and practice, and its possible contribution to personal or professional life. The thematic analysis revealed that mindfulness practices in the workshop elicited an impact in the sensory, emotional, cognitive and metacognitive, and behavioral domains. Components of the workshop, such as mindfulness sitting and walking meditations, artmaking and group sharing were seen as contributing to professional and self-development, working with children, teamwork with peers, and communication with the children’s parents. The results underscore the theoretical as well as the practical value of SSMBAT. They contribute to the scant literature on the wellbeing of ECA and efforts to support them.

Art Therapy to Promote College Students’ Mental Health Based on a Hierarchical Clustering Algorithm

Art therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes the creative process of making art to improve mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that utilizes the creative process of making art to improve mental, emotional, and psychological well-being. It provides individuals with a non-verbal outlet for self-expression and exploration, allowing them to communicate and process their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe and supportive environment. This paper proposed an efficient Weighted Hierarchical Clustering Deep Neural Network (WH-CDNN) to promote the mental health of college students. The proposed WH-CDNN model extracts the features of the art therapy to promote the mental health of students. The features considered for the analysis are color palette, texture, and therapy for the promotion of mental health assessment of students. The features associated with the weighted model are computed for the college student mental health assessment. The features with the WH-CDNN model use the hierarchical clustering model for the computation of the features in art therapy based on the assessment of mental health. The examination is based on the consideration of 10 features for the estimation with the 5 clusters for the evaluation of the mental health assessment. Experimental analysis of the results demonstrated that the proposed WH-CDNN model achieves significant improvement in the after the art therapy of the students with the mental health assessment. Through simulation and analysis, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of art therapy in improving mental health outcomes, with significant reductions observed in anxiety and depression levels post-therapy. Moreover, the WH-CDNN model accurately predicts students' mental health states and evaluates the efficacy of art therapy interventions. The findings highlight the potential of integrating advanced computational techniques with art therapy to support student well-being and inform targeted mental health interventions in educational settings.

Art and mentalizing in early intervention psychosis: rationale and therapist insights on a new psychoeducational course.

In this paper, we explore the rationale for a combined art therapy and mentalization-based treatment (MBT) group course for those experiencing a first episode of psychosis (FEP). We discuss the theoretical background for how art and MBT theory can help us better understand and work with groups of individuals experiencing FEP, particularly focusing on avoidance and insecure attachment styles. We outline the delivery of a ten-week psychoeducational Art MBT course within an Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Service and discuss our experiential insights into this new modality as co-therapists. We conclude by proposing that art therapy and mentalizing practice together offer an accessible, useful and practical group structure for EIP services, which could improve individuals' mentalizing capacity and overall social functioning.

Effects of Art Therapy on Anxiety Levels in College Students in Somalia

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the effects of art therapy on anxiety levels in college students in Somalia. Materials and Methods: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study indicated that engaging in artistic activities such as drawing, painting, and sculpting allows students to channel their stress and anxieties into a tangible form, facilitating emotional release and self-exploration. The therapeutic process of creating art fosters a sense of control and accomplishment, which can counteract feelings of helplessness and anxiety. Additionally, art therapy sessions often incorporate mindfulness techniques, further promoting relaxation and stress reduction. Overall, the integration of art therapy into mental health interventions for college students presents a promising approach to mitigating anxiety and enhancing overall well-being. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Expressive arts therapy, cognitive-behavioral theory and attachment theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the effects of art therapy on anxiety levels in college students in Somalia. Based on empirical findings, practitioners should design art therapy interventions that are tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of college students. Policy initiatives should prioritize the integration of art therapy as a recognized and reimbursable service within college mental health programs.

Developing online group art psychotherapy for children with long-term health conditions

ABSTRACT Background: Paediatric long-term physical health conditions such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis can have a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of children and their families. Arts-based therapies have been shown to have a beneficial effect for this group. Aims: The aim of the study was to develop an online group art therapy intervention for children with long-term physical health conditions. Methods: The process of developing the intervention was informed by guidelines for the development of complex interventions and comprised four key stages: (1) an expert development process, (2) formation of a stakeholder group and (3) decision-making team, (4) identification of relevant literature and use of existing theories/a theoretical model. Results: The GAIN (Group Art Therapy Intervention for communicating Needs of children with long-term conditions) was developed. GAIN comprises a treatment manual, six 90-minute online sessions for children (age 8–11 years) and six 30-minute parent-led home sessions. Conclusions: Next steps are to evaluate the GAIN in a feasibility study. Implications for practice/policy/future research: The intervention has potential to benefit children and their families; it offers a psychosocial approach for integration with medical care of paediatric long-term physical health conditions and aligns with NHS England’s focus on supported self-management of healthcare.

Primary school mentalisation-based art therapy (Primary-smART): a Person-Based Approach optimisation study

ABSTRACT Background The children’s mental health crisis in the UK continues to worsen and more and more schools are employing art therapists (ATs) to provide services for children experiencing social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) difficulties. Although some studies have found indications of positive SEMH outcomes following art therapy, the evidence-base is still emerging. The initial development of a formalised art therapy intervention called Primary-smART included children, teachers, parents/carers, and art therapists. Indications from exploratory research showed this intervention could be helpful for children experiencing SEMH difficulties. Aims This study aimed to optimise a Primary-smART toolkit to ensure it is acceptable, engaging and persuasive for ATs in preparation for a future evaluation study in primary schools with children. Methods The Person-Based Approach (PBA) to intervention development was used to develop Primary-smART. In this study, feedback gained through online interviews with ATs was used to refine and optimise the toolkit. Results The 18 ATs who participated in this study perceived Primary-smART as acceptable overall. However, ATs during Rounds 1, 2, and 3 had important concerns which may have resulted in barriers to using Primary-smART. Seven out of eight main sections were modified and no new significant barriers were fed back by Round 4. Conclusions This study was successful in refining and optimising the Primary-smART toolkit. Results show that PBA methods enabled the research team to meet the study's aims. Implications for practice/policy/future research Future evaluation studies are now needed to test the clinical, carbon and cost effectiveness of Primary-smART. Plain-language summary The children’s mental health crisis in the UK has continued to worsen, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. More and more schools are employing art therapists to provide services for children experiencing social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. Although some research studies suggest art therapy can be helpful for some children, it is still not clear exactly how it may help or if it can be helpful for many children experiencing social, emotional or mental health difficulties. To test art therapy in this way, we need to develop standardised approaches that lots of art therapists can use with many children in different schools and compare their results and experiences. This study focused on completing a step-by-step toolkit designed to enable primary-school-based art therapists to use a specific approach, which we are calling Primary-smART. This approach combines artmaking with other activities to help children understand and manage their thoughts and feelings. In this research, we asked art therapists to help us improve the toolkit. Now that the toolkit is complete, Primary-smART can be used in future studies to test if art therapy is helpful for many children in different schools and find out what is and is not helpful about the approach.

Effects of expressive arts therapy on cognitive function and depression among older adults with MCI in Taiwan

ABSTRACT Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at increased risk of progression to dementia. Whether it is feasible to engage this population in expressive arts therapy and yield effects on cognition and depression for older adults with MCI remained unclear. The aim of this study examined the effects of expressive arts therapy on the cognitive function and depression levels of older adults with MCI in day care centers in Taiwan. A quasi-experimental design was conducted in a sample of day care centers older adults with MCI. A total of 88 participants with MCI were assigned to the intervention or comparison group. The intervention groups participated in an expressive arts therapy for 12 weeks in addition to their daily activities. Data were collected at the baseline point and immediately after post-intervention. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the effect of the intervention on the outcomes. At week 12, findings indicated that the intervention group had significant improvement in cognitive function and depression over time than the comparison group. These findings provide evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of expressive arts therapy intervention in older adults with MCI.

Effectiveness of Art Therapy Intervention to Reduce the Level of Parenting Stress and Negative Emotions of Mothers of Hydrocephalus Patients

Children with developmental disorders such as hydrocephalus require assistance in carrying out daily activities. In previous studies, many have said that it is important to provide attention to mothers who have children with disabilities, but not many have provided direct interventions to reduce stress levels and negative emotions in mothers. This study aims to see the effectiveness of art therapy intervention in reducing stress levels and negative emotions of participants. This study is an experimental study with a one-group pre-test post-test design involving seven mothers who have an age range of 20-40 years, have children with hydrocephalus, and are directly involved in their care. Differences in stress levels and negative emotions were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) from. Based on the results of analysis using paired sample t-test, it was found that there were significant differences in maternal stress levels (t=8.910, p=.000), negative emotions (z=-2.032, p=.042) and positive emotions (z=-2.371, p= .018). These results suggest that art therapy intervention can reduce the level of parenting stress and negative emotions, and increase positive emotions in mothers who have children with hydrocephalus.

Effectiveness of Art Therapy Programs in Enhancing Recovery and Rehabilitation in Sports Medicine

Purpose: The general aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of art therapy programs in enhancing recovery and rehabilitation in sports medicine.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the effectiveness of art therapy programs in enhancing recovery and rehabilitation in sports medicine. Preliminary empirical review revealed that art therapy interventions offer a holistic approach to healing, addressing athletes' physical, emotional, and social needs during the recovery process. Through a comprehensive review of empirical studies, the findings demonstrated consistent positive outcomes, including improved physical function, pain management, psychological well-being, and overall recovery among athletes. The study highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and patient-centered care in sports medicine rehabilitation, as well as the potential cost-effectiveness of incorporating art therapy into standard practice. These findings underscored the value of art therapy as a complementary intervention in optimizing athletes' recovery and facilitating their successful return to sport.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Cognitive theory, Self- Determination theory and Biopsychosocial model may be used to anchor future studies on the effectiveness of art therapy programs in enhancing recovery and rehabilitation in sports medicine. The study provided recommendations that contributed to theory, practice, and policy. The findings emphasized the importance of grounding art therapy interventions in established theoretical frameworks, integrating them into standard rehabilitation protocols, advocating for policy support and reimbursement, fostering collaboration and partnerships, developing standardized protocols and outcome measures, and advancing research and evaluation efforts. These recommendations aimed to optimize the use of art therapy as a holistic and effective intervention for athletes recovering from sports injuries, ensuring equitable access to these services and fostering a culture of innovation in sports medicine rehabilitation.

Art therapy masks reflect emotional changes in military personnel with PTSS

Among disabling post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are irritability, aggressive behavior, distressing memories and general impaired cognition and negative mood. Art therapy interventions, including mask-making, can potentially alleviate these symptoms. We tested the hypothesis that art conveys emotions and predicted that blinded viewers would be able to perceive changes in theoretically derived emotional profiles expressed in art made by military personnel with PTSS from the onset to the end of therapy. Five service members and veterans exhibiting PTSS were enrolled in an 8-session art therapy protocol, during which they artistically transformed papier-mâché masks at the beginning and end of the protocol. We found that blinded viewers without knowledge of the masks’ creation stage (onset or end of therapy) read initial masks as conveying more negative emotions (e.g., angry, upset, and challenged) and later masks as conveying more positive emotions (calm and pleasure). Based on the assessments from the blinded evaluators, we infer the emotional transition experienced by the participants was expressed in the masks. In an exploratory arm of the study, we also found that viewers were better able to empathize with the negative emotions experienced by participants with PTSS when asked to explicitly take their perspective.

Community art therapy (CAT): learning from art therapy graduate students’ perceptions

ABSTRACT Background In recent years, therapeutic approaches in the field of art therapy have gone beyond clinical models to include community models that emphasize the potential of art to influence communities in distress and encourage art therapists to expand their therapeutic interventions and extend their professional boundaries. Aims: This qualitative study was designed to better understand the experiences of art therapy graduate students who implemented community art therapy (CAT) projects during their internship after taking courses on CAT. It examined how they experienced the transition from the familiar clinical model to the community model. Results Five main themes emerged from the analysis: the students' perceptions of the differences between CAT and the familiar clinical art therapy setting, the specific role of the community art therapist, the role of the art, a sense of belonging to the community, and the power of the group in CAT. Conclusions The artistic process in CAT contribute to the co-creation of community knowledge through metaphorical expressions of identity and belonging. The students experienced the role of the community art therapist as a continuous dialectic between intervener-joiner who makes an impact and is also affected by the process personally. Engaging in a shared examination of the training of CAT allowed the educators and the students to achieve a deeper understanding of the challenges and the transformation required. Implications for practice CAT should be taught as a separate topic in art therapy programs, and CAT professionals should be trained to support and supervise students and therapists. Plain-language summary In recent years, the field of art therapy has undergone significant changes from traditional clinical to community models that emphasise the potential of art to influence communities in distress and encourage art therapists to expand their therapeutic interventions, extend their professional boundaries, and at times become social activists. This study examined 11 art therapy students’ reports on their experiences as facilitators of a community art therapy (CAT) intervention in communities of their choice. The students wrote a one-page reflection on each community intervention and completed the Helpful Aspects of Therapy (HAT) questionnaire that explores helpful and hindering events in each intervention. Five themes emerged: the students` experiences of the differences between traditional art therapy and the CAT setting in terms of the specific role of the art therapist, the role of the art, a sense of belonging to the community, and the power of the group in CAT. The students indicated that the role of the community art therapist involves a continuous dialectic between participants and the facilitator, who can make an impact but is also affected by the process personally. Overall, CAT should be taught as a separate topic in art therapy programmes and CAT professionals should be trained to support and supervise the work of students and therapists.

Effectiveness of art therapy in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and the propensity to quit journalism among journalists covering banditry activities in Nigeria

The goal of this study was to examine the efficacy of art therapy in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the propensity to quit journalism among Nigerian journalists covering banditry attacks. The researchers utilized a quasi-experiment as the design for the study and sampled 327 journalists. The result of the study showed that at baseline, journalists reported high PTSD symptoms and a propensity to quit journalism, but after the intervention, journalists who received the art therapy intervention reported a significant drop in their PTSD symptoms and the propensity to quit the pen profession. This suggests that art therapy is a cost-effective way of treating PTSD among journalists covering dangerous assignments and reducing high labour turnover in the profession.

Experiencing art creation as a therapeutic intervention to relieve anxiety -a case study of a university's ceramic art course.

University students are anxiety prone. Due to their changing their social roles, the proportion of university students with anxiety is relatively high. In this study, using the simple random sampling, we surveyed 53 university students, including sophomores, juniors, and seniors. This paper examines the relationship between art creation and anxiety. This study uses the Self-Assessment Anxiety Scale (SAS). The test form measures the presence and extent of their anxiety problems through a series of questions. We tested the effects of an art creation process on SAS scores and suggest best practices for course settings and teaching methods for art-related subjects. Art therapy intervention reduced anxiety. The most effective technique was found to be slapping the clay board during the creation process. Other actions relieved anxiety as well. Results suggest that the art creation process is an application of art therapy effective in relieving anxiety in university students. Key actions in the process of creating art are closely related to the treatment approaches used in art therapy interventions. This has the potential to not only improve mental health, but also to promote the health and well-being of students. Implications for future research: Rapid societal changes increasing competition for employment creates work and life pressures. University students face challenges with learning, peer competition, and employment, often resulting in anxiety. A diversified curriculum can alleviate anxiety through proper curricular planning and design. Based on this, the university's arts courses should be able to study how to improve and optimize the existing teaching and learning outcomes and can be integrated with the university's general education curriculum planning. Through appropriate teaching content and learning methods, the courses of university general education can play a role in reducing students' anxiety and promote physical and mental health, thus contributing to sustainable development of the society.

Research on Group Art Therapy Intervention for Emotionally Disturbed Children—Taking Observational Research Method as an Example

Research on Group Art Therapy Intervention for Emotionally Disturbed Children—Taking Observational Research Method as an Example

Research on Group Art Therapy Intervention for Emotionally Disturbed Children—Taking Observational Research Method as an Example

Research on Group Art Therapy Intervention for Emotionally Disturbed Children—Taking Observational Research Method as an Example

Art Therapy as Psychological First Aid for Korean-Ukrainian Refugees

A single session art therapy intervention for Korean-Ukrainians who sought refuge in South Korea integrated Psychological First Aid (PFA) protocols in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The program incorporated the World Health Organization recommended tasks of “look, listen, and link” in a thoughtfully executed two-hour timeframe for adults and children. The program enabled participants to imagine safety, develop self and collective efficacy, and affirm connectedness and hope. From this program, art therapists can work within a PFA framework by emphasizing emotional expression as well as building connections and social networks.