“Walkabout: Looking In, Looking Out”: A Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy Program

The effects of mandala coloring on fatigue, psychological well-being, and coping with stress in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment

BACKGROUND

Hemodialysis is an important health problem that negatively affects psychosocial status and support systems. Through practices such as mandala coloring, individuals transfer the unknowns they experience to the outside and make them visible. This study was conducted to examine the effects of mandala coloring on fatigue, psychological well-being, and factors associate with coping with stress in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment.

METHODS

The design was a prospective, parallel-group controlled trial. The study was conducted in the dialysis unit of a university hospital in eastern Turkey between April 4 and October 31, 2022, with a total of 60 patients, 30 in the intervention group, and 30 in the control group. The patients in the intervention group colored mandala once a week for 2 h, for a total of 8 weeks. The data were collected face-to-face using a patient information form, a Fatigue Severity Scale, a Psychological Well-Being Scale, and a Ways of Coping Questionnaire.

RESULTS

There were improvements in fatigue severity and psychological well-being over the 8-week study period in both the intervention and control groups. Scores were similar at baseline in the control and intervention groups, but better in the intervention groups compared to controls at 4 and 8 weeks for both metrics (p < 0001). Five factors from the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (self-confident approach, optimistic approach, seeking social support, helpless approach, and submissive approach) each improved during the 8-week period in the intervention group (p < 0.001). Three of these five factors improved in the control group as well. Scores for each of the five coping factors were better in the intervention group compared to controls at 4 and 8 weeks (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Mandala coloring improved fatigue and psychological well-being and was associated with improved patient coping strategies.

I know what I like, and I like what I know: Patient preferences and expectations when choosing an arts therapies group

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Past experiences and capability in the art forms informed choices.

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Participants had mixed expectations of the social interactions in the groups.

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Participants considered the ways in which the arts therapies would be helpful for them.

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These aspects should be considered during collaborative decision-making for the arts therapies.

Patient preferences deserve consideration as they play a role in engagement with psychosocial interventions. This study sought to understand more about preferences and expectations of the arts therapies, in order to support informed decision-making.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants in a trial of group music therapy, art therapy and dance-movement therapy. Audio recordings were transcribed. Data relating to the process of choosing their preferred arts therapies groups, expectations and experiences of the groups were analysed using framework analysis.

Three overarching themes were found relating to the experience of choosing an arts therapies group and subsequently attending it: past experiences of the art forms, social interactions in the groups and expectations of helpfulness. Familiarity and perceived capability were important factors for the therapy experiences.

Although each participant had a unique decision-making process, the themes offer understanding of common considerations when making a choice about engagement with the arts therapies. Clinicians should guide discussions around past experiences of the art forms, group dynamics and therapy aims during shared decision making for the arts therapies.

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based art therapy for symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Many people with chronic medical conditions experience symptoms that are complex and negatively impact their quality of life (QOL). This review and meta-analysis examined the benefits of mindfulness based art therapy (MBAT) to relieve symptoms.

METHODS

Included were studies that (a) evaluated an MBAT intervention in adults, (b) included a sufficient effect size and control group, and (c) assessed symptoms and QOL outcomes.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies sampling adolescents and adults met inclusion criteria. Participants who received MBAT interventions reported significant improvements in psychological and physical symptoms indices compared to controls; the meta-analysis MBAT interventions revealed a medium effect size whereas that for controls the effect size was equivalent to zero.

CONCLUSION

MBAT is a promising intervention for symptom relief. However, the literature is limited by the small number of studies. Randomized controlled trials with larger samples are needed to validate findings.

Therapeutic psychological and biological responses to mindfulness-based art therapy

Stress and anxiety pose a threat to college students' academic performance as well as their long-term mental and physical health, but the time constraints of a rigorous academic schedule make it difficult to offer even brief mental health interventions. A convenience sample of full-time students at a public university was recruited for a 5-week study conducted mostly using an online platform. Participants were randomly assigned to a Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) intervention or a Neutral Clay Task (NCT). Anxiety, perceived stress, and salivary cortisol outcomes were measured. A total of n = 77 participants completed the study. The MBAT group experienced significant reductions in anxiety and perceived stress compared to the NCT group. Significant reductions in salivary cortisol were observed, but only time could be identified as a confounding variable. Art making alone is not enough to induce significant positive responses, but this study suggests MBAT can, and that an online intervention could offer feasible and accessible mental health services on college campuses. Further refinement of biological data collection and analysis is needed to determine what the mediating effects MBAT could have, if any, at the molecular level.

A Pilot Study of a Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy Intervention in Outpatients With Cancer

Background:

Patients with cancer frequently experience physical and psychological distress that can worsen their quality of life.

Objectives:

We assessed the outcomes of an 8-week mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) intervention, Walkabout: Looking In, Looking Out, on symptoms, sleep quality, health-related quality of life, sense of coherence (SOC), and spirituality in outpatients with cancer.

Methods:

A 1-group, pre–post intervention design with repeated measures at baseline, week 4, and week 8.

Results:

Despite a small pilot sample (n = 18), we found large effect sizes and statistically significant improvements from week 1 to week 8 in depression, the comprehensibility subscale of the SOC, and each subscale of spirituality, that is, peace, meaning, and faith. There were no significant changes in physical functioning, pain, sleep, tiredness, drowsiness, nausea, and appetite.

Conclusions:

The MBAT intervention, Walkabout, seems to meet key palliative care goals including improvement in emotional well-being, comprehensibility, and meaning making among outpatients with cancer.

Could participant-produced photography augment therapeutic interventions for people with intellectual disabilities? A systematic review of the available evidence

BACKGROUND

People with intellectual disabilities are entitled to equitable access to psychological support. Traditional therapeutic approaches often rely on a person's ability to verbally articulate a description of their life, which can be particularly difficult for emotionally salient information.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was undertaken to determine the evidence base underpinning the use of participant-produced photography within therapeutic settings. Evidence across a range of specialisms was examined in order to extrapolate areas of best practice and make recommendations for its implementation alongside people with intellectual disabilities.

RESULTS

A systematic search of peer-reviewed journals identified 13 relevant documents. Participant-produced photography showed promise, although evidence pertaining specifically to people with intellectual disabilities was sparse ( n = 2).

CONCLUSION

Participant-produced photography within therapeutic settings shows promise for people with intellectual disabilities. Methodological limitations made it difficult to derive firm conclusions regarding the effectiveness of different approaches. Implications for clinical and research practice are discussed.