An adjunctive, museum-based art therapy experience in the treatment of women with severe eating disorders

Visual art- and music-based interventions as adjuvants in the treatment of eating disorders: a systematic review and a theoretical model

AIM

To assess the effect of visual art- and music-based interventions in the treatment of eating disorders.

METHODS

This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020161503). Six databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, Lilacs, PsycINFO, PubMed and The Cochrane Library) were consulted. The searches were performed on 19 June 2019, and updated on 18 March 2022. No restriction on language, date, or publication status was applied. Methodological quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute's instruments. All steps were performed by two independent reviewers and a third participated in the event of disagreement.

RESULTS

Eight studies were included. Few statistically significant results were found. Overall, both interventions might help to reduce negative emotional states.

CONCLUSION

Visual art- and music-based interventions present limited and inconclusive scientific evidence in patients with eating disorders and therefore their effectiveness is currently unknown. A theoretical model is proposed to guide future research. Further studies are needed to clarify their clinical relevance.

Museums and art therapy: A bibliometric analysis of the potential of museum art therapy

In this paper, the current promotion of art therapy in museum development and the potential value of the combination of museum and art therapy on mental health are explored. Individuals who usually evade any treatment may experience art therapy in a museum setting as a release from their suppressed emotions. Furthermore, art therapy may enable them to discover how to express themselves, thereby reducing anxiety and promoting a sense of social belonging, which may be unattainable in other healing settings. Moreover, this literature review afforded us a preliminary understanding of issues in museum education and art therapy, which require further examination, including implications for China's museum art therapy in practice and future research directions.

"It inspires me and suddenly the ideas come": exploring the use of cultural venues in mental health care

AIMS

This study aimed to explore the experiences of a group of adults with a history of substance misuse taking part in a novel, multi-centre cultural intervention: Creative Conversations, including the impact of the project on participants' mental health.

METHODS

A qualitative approach was used including a Visual Matrix and observation in order to explore the experiences of 10 participants recruited from drug and alcohol services.

RESULTS

The results indicated positive impacts on mental health including a growing sense of competence, engagement, social integration and a sense that the project provided therapeutic support that translated into integrating creative activities into their everyday habits.

CONCLUSIONS

Cultural interventions like Creative Conversations demonstrate positive impacts on mental health, engaging individuals who may find it difficult to access services such as those with substance misuse issues, and play an important role in sustaining and promoting mental wellbeing in the community. Despite positive findings, projects such as this require adequate staff training and sustained funding in order to provide wider benefits to those with mental health problems.